Science

‘Frankenfish’: What Odd Fish Did an Angler Reel In at a U.K. Lake?

While fishing for carp recently, the Tackle Editor for the Angling Times reeled in what is being dubbed the “Frankenfish.”

Mark Sawyer was fishing in Magpie Lake in Cambridge, U.K., when he caught what some are saying has the features of at least three different fish species.

U.K. Fisherman Brings in Fish With Characteristics of a Roach, Common Goldfish, Fantail and Bream

Mark Sawyer for Angling Times caught a fish with characteristics of a few different species of fish. (Photo: BNPS via Daily Telegraph)

The U.K.’s Practical Fish Keeping has more details:

[Sawyer] thought at first it was just a common brown-coloured goldfish, but on closer inspection it appeared to be made up of at least three species, with the head of a Roach, the body of a Common goldfish, the tail fin of a Fantail and the anal fin of a Bream.

He said: “I have shown the picture to a number of marine boffins who say it is definitely the result of mixed parentage.

“I have caught thousands and thousands of fish but have never seen anything like it before. It is a proper oddity.”

Practical Fish Keeping reports experts speculate that a Fantail goldfish was released into the lake, bred with a carp, and resulted in this unusual catch. Another expert thought it could be a cross between a Fantail and a common goldfish. The Daily Telegraph includes fisheries ecologist Dr. Paul Garner calling it a “one-in-a-million” fish,” not just because of the unusual characteristics but due to the slim odds of Sawyer catching it.

U.K. Fisherman Brings in Fish With Characteristics of a Roach, Common Goldfish, Fantail and Bream

"Frankenfish" is said to have a head similar in structure of a Roach fish. Here is a common roach. (Photo: Wikimedia)

U.K. Fisherman Brings in Fish With Characteristics of a Roach, Common Goldfish, Fantail and Bream

The rear fin of "Frankenfish" is similar to that of a bream, pictured here. (Photo: Wikimedia)

U.K. Fisherman Brings in Fish With Characteristics of a Roach, Common Goldfish, Fantail and Bream

The tailfin of the unusual fish is like that of a Fantail goldfish. (Photo: Wikimedia)

U.K. Fisherman Brings in Fish With Characteristics of a Roach, Common Goldfish, Fantail and Bream

Some think a common goldfish (pictured) here bred with a Fantail (seen above) to result in Sawyer's catch. (Photo: Wikimedia)

Frankenfish was released back into the lake after picture evidence was taken.

[H/T Daily Mail]

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