Fish in your fingers: The world's smallest aquarium that fits in the palm of your hand

By Daily Mail Reporter


This is the world's smallest working aquarium - which holds just two tea spoons of water.

The miniature wonder, which is made of glass and measures just 30mm wide by 24mm high and 14mm deep, can be held in the palm of your hand.

And it is so small there is only room for these tiny zebra fish.

Scroll down to see video... and more of Konenko's art

Small fry: The tiny fish tank was made by a Russian artist who specialises in miniatures


Despite the miniscule proportions, it does comes with miniature plants as well as stones.

When it came to filling up the tank, the 10ml of water had to be applied with a syringe to ensure the arrangement was not disturbed.

And the fish had to be added with a specially made miniature fish net.

The extraordinary creation is the latest by Anatoly Konenko, from Omsk, in Russia.

The 57-year-old was the first in Siberia to make what he calls 'microminiature' art.

During the past three decades he has perfected the painstaking skill of writing on tiny grains of rice, poppy seeds and even human hair.


In the net: Anatoly Konenko made a small net to match, and tiny Danios fish swam around in the tank, which takes only two teaspoons of water to fill


The world's smallest aquarium made from glass and measures 30x24x14mm. It holds only 10ml of water - just two teaspoons

Something fishy: The tank is just 30mm wide, 24mm high and 14mm deep


In 1996 he was even recognised by the Guinness World Records for the smallest ever book.

Measuring just 0.9mm by 0.9mm the 29 page novel, an edition of 'Chameleon' by Russian author Anton Chekhov is dwarfed by a five pence piece.

Working with a microscope, he has built up quite a collection of miniature art over the years.

Other creations include a caravan of 12 miniature camels inside the eye of a needle, which measures an incredible 0.25mm.

Mr Konenko has also made an incredibly detailed ship in a bottle, which stands at just 0.25mm high, and a pair of shoes smaller than a matchstick.

Some of his creations are worth as much as 50,000 euros, £44,000.

He said: 'The tank was made out of curiosity. It is the world's smallest and holds only 10 ml of water. For reference, 5ml is one teaspoon, so the aquarium can only hold two teaspoons worth of water.'






source:dailymail

Fish kebab! Incredible pictures capture the moment a bird skewers its dinner before swallowing it whole

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER


Ouch! This fish meets a spikey end when a bird spears it using its beak

This hungry bird has given a new meaning to the term spear fishing after she turned her unlucky prey into a kebab.

The Anhinga bird spotted the fish swimming in a river near Miami, Florida.
She then chased it through the water after setting her sights on it for dinner.



Down the hatch: Photographer Alfred Forns captured the amazing tussle near his home in Miami


Watch the birdie: The hungry Anhinga shows off its catch to the camera

After taking a dip, the beautiful bird expertly skewered the fish with her beak.
But the predator then shook it free before throwing it into the air and catching it in her mouth, swallowing it down in one.


Open wide: The crafty Anhinga can swim like a U-boat with its body submerged below the waterline and only its neck protruding like a periscope to creep up on its unsuspecting prey before spearing its target with a sudden thrust

The crafty Anhinga can swim like a U-boat with its body submerged below the waterline and only its neck protruding like a periscope to creep up on its unsuspecting prey before spearing its target with a sudden thrust.

The incredible scene was caught on camera by Alfred Forns, a 64-year-old dentist also from Florida.


The hunt: This tiny fish had his chips after being speared by a hungry Anhinga bird in a saltwater lake in Florida



Gulp: The predator shook its meal free before throwing it into the air and catching it in her mouth, swallowing it down in one


source: dailymail

Bored girlfriend who only took up fishing to spend more time with her man smashes his record catch with a 215lb catfish

By Emily Allen


Delight! Alexa Turness, 28, pictured holding the huge fish she hooked while on holiday in Spain after battling to reel it in for half an hour. It was later released back into the water

When you go on holiday with your long-time angling boyfriend it is perhaps not a good idea to show him up.

But Alexa Turness managed it in dramatic style when she became a record holder after reeling in a 215lbs catfish.

She managed to outdo boyfriend Kim Hamilton who could only muster a fish weighing 189lbs.

The 28-year-old, who only took up fishing to see more of her boyfriend, hooked the catch while on holiday in Spain after battling to reel it in for half an hour.


The catfish was more than 1.5 times her weight and at 8ft 4in, stretched longer than the length of her body.

It was so big her boyfriend and tour guides feared she might get dragged into the river, and stood guard to catch her as she reeled it in.

It is the biggest freshwater fish ever caught by a British woman anywhere in the world and beat the previous record by just one pound.

The pair were spending a week with Catfish Tours on the River Segre in northern Spain and caught the fish on the third day.

Whopper: Alexa with the fish which was more than 1.5 times her weight and at 8ft 4in, stretched longer than her entire body

Miss Turness, an events director from Holland Park, west London, said: 'My boyfriend is really into fishing so when we got together seven or eight years ago I got into it too.

'It was a case of go fishing with him or don't see him. I wouldn't say I'm a specialist by any means and I don't know as much as my boyfriend.

'But it's amazing how easy it is when you have the right guides who know exactly where the fish are. It was about 11.30 at night when my rod started to go - I just had to hold on for my life.

'The fish kept going and going and going and the moment it stopped I started to try and reel it in. I weigh about ten-and-a-half stone and I was pulling so hard my back was almost on the floor.

'It took about 30 minutes, but I wasn't going to give up without a fight and eventually managed to bring it in.

Heave! The fish was so big Alexa's boyfriend and tour guides feared she might get dragged into the river, and stood guard to catch her as she reeled it in, pictured

'I was amazed when I saw how big it was. The guys weighed it for me and told me it was 215lbs. It's incredible to think I now hold the record.

'My boyfriend is quite gutted. We took it in turns on the rods, so this just happened to be my turn and I got the biggest fish of the holiday.'

After posing for a photo with her catch Miss Turness, whose holiday was organised by Catfish Tours, returned the fish to the water safe and well.

The couple celebrated her achievement with a glass of Spanish brandy on the river bank.

Mr Hamilton, 28, said: 'We were all going to sleep when the suddenly the bells jingled and we heard the line stripping from the spool and we knew it was going to be a monster.


Record breaker: The fish is the biggest freshwater fish ever caught by a British woman in the world. Miss Turness outdid boyfriend Kim Hamilton, pictured, who could only muster a fish weighing 189lbs during the trip

'All we could say was 'fish, fish, fish' and of course it was Lex's turn on the rod - just luck of the draw. The fish was going mental, the drag was as tight as it could be without causing a problem.

'We were all stood around Lex ready to catch her in case the monster pulled her in.

'It was an amazing, crazy night, but now I have to accept that my missus has a bigger one than me - and that's hard to take.'

Dan Bennet, the 24-year-old guide at Catfish Tours, said: 'It's a massive achievement, she's done really well.

'The fish fought her every step of the way, all the way to the bank - she was literally exhausted by the time it had been landed.

'It's very physically demanding and she's not exactly a big girl so she's done brilliantly.

'Her and her boyfriend are both really keen anglers and it's nice to see a couple share their interests like that.'

The previous record for the biggest freshwater fish caught by a British woman was held by grandmother Sheila Penfold, 56, from Wandsworth, south London, who caught a 214lbs catfish in Spain last year.


source:dailymail

That's one helluva halibut! Retired policeman battles for three hours to catch 38 STONE fish

-8ft 3in Atlantic halibut smashed previous world record by 58lb
-Would make 1,000 fillet portions and as a good quality fish restaurant can charge £25 for halibut main course, it could have realised a value of £25,000


By Lucy Buckland


What a catch!: Reinhard Wuhrmann caught this halibut in the north of Norway, it took him three hours to pull the fish in


A retired policeman battled for three hours to catch a halibut weighing a whopping 38.5 stone to claim a world record.

The super flat fish was so big that at one point Reinhard Wuhrmann's rod snapped in two as he was tried to snare the creature off the island of Senja in northern Norway.

The 62-year-old and two others were only able to haul it onto their boat after tying a rope around it when it came alongside.


The 8ft 3in Atlantic halibut tipped the scales at just over 540lb - smashing the previous world record by an impressive 58lb.

It would have sold for about £2,500 at a British fish market and made about 1,000 fillet portions.

A good quality fish restaurant can charge £25 for a halibut main course, meaning the record fish could have realised a value of £25,000.

Despite being very tired after catching the halibut, Mr Wuhrmann still went through with a bet to shave off his beard the men had previously made for netting the biggest fish.

Three hour battle: Reinhard Wuhrmann, 62, fought with the monster from the deep for three hours before he and three fishermen colleagues finally detained it

Boat skipper Ulrich Alstetter, 53, said: 'It was an incredible experience and we are very proud.

'Reinhard was very tired afterwards but also intoxicated by the experience and by claiming a world record.

'We had made a bet to shave his beard if he caught the biggest fish. Like a good sport he went through with it.'

Ulrich said: 'The halibut took Reinhard's little jigg bait and his rod bent over double.

'We all watched for a few minutes and then it became clear this was going to be a big fish.

'After about 90 minutes of Reinhard trying to reel it in his rod broke in two from the pressure it was under. It was his favourite rod.


Supersize: At 8ft 3ins the Atlantic halibut tipped the scales at just over 540 pounds - smashing the previous world record by an impressive 58lbs


'Because I am taller than him I took what was left of his rod and after another hour the fish was alongside the boat. It was then seen for the first time and it was a huge fish.

'It then shot another 100 metres deep and it took me another 15 minutes to bring him up and another 15 minutes to get a rope around it.

'It was a team effort but Reinhard was the official catcher.'

The men each took about 25lb of halibut fillets home and the rest was given away to other anglers and locals.

The previous record for an Atlantic halibut was held by fellow German Gunther Hansel who caught a 483lb specimen off Iceland last year.

Anglers Bosse Carlsson and Hans-Olov Nilsson caught a 464lbs halibut off Norway in 2009.

Before that Danish angler Soren Beck caught a then-record 443lbs specimen in the Arctic Circle off Norway in 2008.

The biggest Pacific halibut caught was by Jack Tragis off Alaska in November 1996 with a 459lbs fish.

Atlantic halibut - Hippoglossus hippoglossus in Latin - is among the largest bony fish in the world.

Their native habitat is the northern Atlantic, from Greenland to the Barents Sea and as far south as the Bay of Biscay.

They can reach up to 15ft in length, weigh up to 700lbs and can live for 50 years.

Their diet is usually other fish like cod, haddock and herring although they do face predation from seals and the Greenland shark.


source:dailymail

Caught on CCTV: Culprit who stole 39 goldfish from garden pond is unmasked as an OTTER

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

The otter runs around the pond, which is firmly covered with the plastic net, looking for a way in

A retired couple who set up CCTV cameras in their garden to catch the mystery predator which was eating their goldfish finally discovered it was a hungry otter.

Pensioners Elizabeth and Harry McDougall were devestated to find their collection of 27 goldfish, in two ponds in their garden in Carlisle, had been wiped out.

All that remained after the night-time attack were fins and scraps of skin.


Sneak thief: The hungry otter, below right, appears by the side of the pond and first sees the plastic mesh

The couple restocked the ponds and fitted a strong plastic mesh, installing CCTV to try to find the culprit.

Three weeks later, the predator struck again, killing all 12 of Mrs McDougall's new fish.

This time the CCTV recorded the incident on camera and now the couple have released the footage to show the thief at work.




source: dailymail

Another fine Ness: Fish farmer claims to have captured picture of famous monster

By Daily Mail Reporter



Could this be Nessie? Jon Rowe says his image shows a pair of humps which soon disappeared under the waves


It's been said before and it's being said again .. Nessie is alive under the waves of Loch Ness.

Once more the notoriously shy Loch Ness monster has been reportedly sighted in Scotland's deepest loch. This time close to a commercial fish farm.

Jon Rowe, from nearby Lewiston in Drumnadrochit, took the eerie snaps moments before the mysterious shape slipped beneath the water.


And the stunned fish farmer is convinced that the shapes he saw in the morning light are Nessie.

He said: 'It was a very strange morning. It was misty with a bit of rain and sunny at the same time.

'There was a rainbow so I got my camera out to take a photo and noticed this really large dark shape in the loch with two humps that were barely out of the water.

'My instant reaction was "That's Nessie".'


Loch Ness: The two humps are clearly visible bottom centre in Jon Rowe's photo, as is the rainbow he originally set out to capture


Mr Rowe has dismissed claims that the shapes he saw in the water were not the legendary beast of the deep said to stalk the atmospheric Highland loch.

He added: 'I have no doubt, I work on the loch everyday and I've never seen anything like it.

'Almost as soon as I took the shot the shape disappeared under the water and out of sight.

The 31-year-old told how he had not believed that a monster swam the depths of Loch Ness until he captured Nessie on film.

'It can't have been a buoy or a mooring as it's in the wrong place and the ropes would be visible in the water.

'A few people have said it was birds diving under the water - but I didn't see any birds fly by. It can't have been birds - the whole thing went down into the loch.

'It was quite spooky but I think it's really interesting.'

The legend of the Loch Ness Monster began in 1933 when its 'existence' was first brought to the world's attention by George Spicer and his wife. They said they saw an unusual animal cross the road in front of them.

Countless subsequent searches of the loch over the years using sonar and other high tech approaches have failed to prove that the monster exists and lives in the loch.

The most frequent speculation surrounding the mythical creature states that it could be from a line of long-surviving plesiosaurs, though this has never been proved.

As a result the Loch Ness Monster remains a modern-day myth and sightings are often dismissed by the scientific community as wishful thinking.



source:dailymail

I think I'll have the fish for lunch: Praying mantis tucks into goldfish after LIFTING it out of bowl

By DAVID RICHARDS

Mmm that looks tasty: The praying mantis looks down into the fish bowl and spies the goldfish

This huge praying mantis managed to lift a dead goldfish out of it's bowl - and eat it for lunch.

The extraordinary process was captured on camera by wildlife photographer Scott Cromwell.

Scott, 40, said: "I noticed one of my goldfish had suddenly died and was floating in the bowl.

"My pet mantis hadn't eaten in a couple of days, and I was interested to see how it would react to the fish.

"I put the mantis on the lip of the bowl and waited.


The mantis then climbed over the lip of the bowl and grabbed hold of the dead fish


"This is a budwing mantis and they are one of the few mantises that will eat dead prey.

"Since I had a hungry one, I figured he might save me the job of removing the fish - and get me an interesting set of pictures too."

Scott, from Oklahoma, United States, said the mantis crawled inside the glass so it was partially submerged.

He explained: "It was watching the live fish most of the time, and they were really wary - none of them would go near it.


This'll do me: Much to the horror of the other goldfish the mantis wanders off with its catch

"But it didn't take long for the mantis to grab hold of the dead goldfish, carefully hauling it out while maintaining its grip on the rim of the bowl." Scott allowed his mantis to tuck into the fish but decided to remove the carcass before the ravenous insect had gorged itself on the huge meal.

He added: "I was afraid it would start eating the bones and I wasn't sure if they would hurt it, so I managed to retrieve the remains from it's grasp.'


source: dailymail

We're going to need some bigger chips to go with that! Angler reels in giant 185lb catfish by himself after friends head to the bar

By Hugo Gye


Fishing fan John Whittaker was delighted to reel in a 13-stone catfish on an angling holiday.

But he had no witnesses - because his friends had already given up for the day and headed off for a drink.

John, 45, from Stockport in Greater Manchester, had headed to the River Ebro in Spain with two pals to try and land one of the area's giant fish.

Whopper: John Whittaker landed this huge catfish on a fishing holiday in Spain


So he was over the moon to catch the 185lb whopper - but disappointed that his friends Dave Watkins and Nick Duffield had already called it a day and gone to the pub.

Luckily, angling guide Gary Sheridan rushed to the bank and helped John haul in his huge catch.

John, a manager at a building firm, said his two friends didn't believe his luck when he told them what had happened.

He said: 'When I told them what I'd caught, they were clearly under the impression it was a fisherman's tale.

'Then I took the pictures to prove it and forwarded them on they couldn't believe their eyes.


Huge: But John's mates had already given up and gone to the pub


'They really wished they'd not gone to the pub, as it was a dream fish and I might not have landed it if it had caught on their lines. It was the best day's fishing of my life - the other catfish I caught weighed 72lbs and 130lbs and I also landed a common carp weighing 45lbs.'

The River Ebro, which flows through the city of Zaragoza, is a popular destination for anglers because of its monster catfish.

Last year, blind grandmother Sheila Penfold made headlines by landing a fish even bigger than John's catch.

But both fall some way short of the world record for a freshwater catfish - a whopping 646lbs.


source:dailymail

What a whopper! Angler enters record books after catching EIGHT FOOT albino catfish

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Monster catch: Chris Grimmer, left, caught the biggest albino catfish ever landed by an angler on the the River Ebro, near Barcelona, Spain

This monster from the deep has netted a British angler a place in the record books.

The whopper, caught by plucky Chris Grimmer, is the biggest albino catfish ever caught by an angler.

The 8ft beast tipped the scales at 194lbs - 2lbs heavier than the previous best by blind woman angler Shelia Penfold last year.


Say cheese: Chris Grimmer shows off his 194lb catch before releasing it back into the River Ebro


Chris, a 35-year-old ground worker, spent 30 minutes trying to reel in the white catfish after it took his bait.

Chris, from Sheffield, toasted the record catch with a bottle of champagne which he and his friends drank on the river bank.

He and three pals had been on a week's fishing trip to the River Ebro, near Barcalona, Spain, when he snared the record catfish.

The fish was so big that Chris' rod bent over double when it took his bait of halibut pellets.

Sheila Penfold, from Wandsworth, South London, caught her 192lb albino catfish last October.

The biggest catfish ever caught in the world is a staggering 646lb - or 46 stone - Giant Mekong Catfish caught in Thailand in 2005.


source: dailymail

Two goldfish survive 134 DAYS since New Zealand earthquake without food or a filter in their tank

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Survivors: The goldfish are thought to have survived by eating algae (file picture)

There were no Scooby snacks to eat - but at least they had each other for company.

Two goldfish, named Shaggy and Daphne after characters from the animated television show Scooby Doo, have become the smallest and hardiest survivors of the devastating February earthquake in Christchurch that killed 181 people.

The fish spent four and a half months - 134 days - trapped in their tank in the city's off-limits downtown without anyone to feed them or even any electricity to power their tank filter before they were discovered this month and rescued.

'It's certainly an incredible story. I wouldn't have guessed that fish could survive on their own for four months,' said Paul Clarkson, curator at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California. 'Goldfish are very hardy critters.'


Devastation: The Christchurch earthquake claimed 181 lives in February

So how did they do it?

Luckily for the fish, they lived in a large 26-gallon (100-litre) tank. They had weed to munch through.

And, according to Clarkson, the fish may have gleaned some nutrition from eating algae growing on the tank's rocks and walls. He said naturally growing bacteria may have helped keep the water clean enough to sustain life.

Then there's the delicate question of their missing companions. There were six goldfish in the tank when the earthquake struck.

By the time the survivors were found, no trace remained of three of the fish. A fourth was found floating in the tank. Goldfish are, after all, omnivores.

source: dailymail

The Fat Lady sings for the last time: Anglers mourn as Britain's largest freshwater fish is found dead

By Daily Mail Reporter


Farewell to the Fat Lady: Anglers would make pilgrimages to the Fatty's Point in an attempt to land the colossal carp


The fat lady has sung for Britain's biggest freshwater fish after she was found dead in her lake.

The demise of the heavyweight carp, nicknamed The Fat Lady due to her plump belly and greedy appetite, has sent anglers into mourning.

The mighty mirror carp weighed a whopping 61lbs 6ozs and was well over 30 years old.


She was discovered floating on the surface close to her bank or 'swim', that was dubbed Fatty's Point in her honour, yesterday morning.

Fishery boss Gordon Howes believes the inconsistent British weather caused the premature death of the hugely sought-after fish.

The recent mix of hot and cold conditions meant the female fish aborted spawning several times and the stress is thought to have brought about her untimely end.

The Fat Lady - who had been caught and set free dozens of times in her lifetime - has now been buried next to her bank.

Anglers used to travel from around the country to her home at St Ives Lakes, Cambridgeshire, in a bid to land the fish, which became an object of obsession for many.

Prize catch: The Fat Lady, known for her plump belly, was regarded as easy to catch because she always went for the bait


She had only taken over the mantle of Britain's biggest freshwater fish a year ago following the death of the legendary 67lbs Two Tone at a fishery in Kent.

The Fat Lady's death has led to anglers flooding fishing forums with tribute messages.

One poster wrote 'RIP old girl', while another angler said: 'Was a privilege to fish for her.'

Simon Giblin, 35, from Harlow, Essex, spent about 900 nights over a seven year period trying to land the beast before he caught her two years ago.

The marine engineer said: 'It took me seven years to catch her and I was completely elated and shattered when I did.

'It became an obsession for me because I wasn't going to stop until I had caught her and I reckon many other anglers were in the same boat as me.

'A big part of the attraction was her sheer size but she was a good-looking fish as well.

'I am gutted that she has died - it's like losing a close friend.'

Fishery owner Mr Howes, 41, said he felt sorry for the scores of anglers who will never get a chance to catch The Fat Lady.

He said: 'I got a call from an angler who saw a dead fish on the water. He managed to get a line around it and drag it in.

'At first I thought it might have been another fish because I saw one the other day that was spawn-bound but sadly I was wrong.

'It is sad and I feel sorry for a lot of the guys who have been coming here for so long and haven't caught her.

'People used to say she was the easiest fish to catch but the hardest to predict.

'You never knew where she might be in the lake but because she was a big fat greedy thing she would go for bait if you found her.

'I have buried her in hard ground just behind the swim that is called Fatty's Point.

I've put some slabs and hardcore down so that the foxes don't dig her up.'

Mr Howes said he was now concerned for the future of his 300 acre fishery because The Fat Lady was such a big draw.

He said: 'I also feel sorry for myself because I'm not sure what will happen to the complex now.

'The vast majority of anglers came here for her. But we have got nine lakes with plenty of carp weighing over 40lbs in.'

The Fat Lady is the fourth well-known monster carp to die in the last two years.

In 2009 Benson, a common carp weighing 64lbs 2ozs, was found dead at a fishery near Peterborough.

And last year Heather the Leather carp died aged about 50 at Yateley, Hants, having gained a top weight of 52lbs. Her death was soon followed by Two Tone.

The current world carp record stands at 99lbs and was caught by British angler Ambrose Smith at a lake in Dijon, France, in June 2009.


source:dailymail

Caught in the act: Diver takes first ever photos of a wild fish using a tool

By Daily Mail Reporter


First photo: A blackspot tuskfish - Choerodon schoenleinii - holds a clam in its mouth and hits it against a rock to break the shell so it can eat the bivalve inside


A professional diver has captured the first images of a wild fish using a tool.

Scott Gardner was exploring Australia's Great Barrier Reef when he heard a banging sound from the sea floor.

He swam down to take a look and was amazed to see a blackspot tuskfish - Choerodon schoenleinii - holding a clam in its mouth and hitting it against a rock.

After a short while, the shell broke and the fish ate the bivalve inside.


Fortunately, Mr Gardner managed to photograph this happening as there has never before been any evidence to prove tool use in fish.

Behavioural ecologist Culum Brown, of Macquarie University in Sydney, told Science Now: 'The pictures provide fantastic proof of these intelligent fish at work using tools to access prey that they would otherwise miss out on.

'It is apparent that this particular individual does this on a regular basis judging by the broken shells scattered around the anvil.'

Tool use had long been considered a sign of human intelligence. However, in recent decades an increasing number of animals have shown they too can work with tools and objects.

Primates, for instance, use rocks to smash nuts and sharpened sticks as spears, while elephants pick up tree branches using their trunks to scratch themselves and swat insects.

But it has never been documented with certainty in fish before.

Tool use had long been considered a sign of human intelligence. However, in recent decades an increasing number of animals have shown they too can work with tools and objects... but it had never before been documented in fish


Dr Brown said there have been reports of fish cracking open hard-shelled prey before, but never any photographic evidence.

He is particularly pleased with Mr Gardner's images seem to prove that this isn't a one-off event, but that the blackspot tuskfish is seasoned at opening shells in this manner.

Dr Brown described the fish's actions as 'landing absolutely pinpoint blows'.

Furthermore, he said, a small collection of crushed shells around the rock suggest the fish had been doing this for a while.


Diver Scott Gardner was exploring Australia's Great Barrier Reef when he heard a banging sound from the sea floor and swam down to takie a look. It was then that he captured this series of photos


Some experts stand by a very rigid definition of tool use in animals, that the creature must carry the tool itself.

As fish don't have any limbs to hold an object, Dr Brown hopes this definition can be loosened so that their own form of tool use can be recognised.

'One of the problems with the definition of tool use as it currently stands is it's totally written for primates,' Dr Brown said.

'You cannot swing a hammer effectively underwater.'


source:dailymail

Fishy business: Mysterious 55ft ‘sea monster’ washes up in China

By TED THORNHILL

Sea-ing is believing: Locals gather around the monstrous corpse


You’d need a big portion of chips to go with this.

A gigantic sea beast measuring 55ft has been discovered washed up on a beach in Guangdong, China.

It was found wrapped in fishing lines, leading locals to suspect that fishermen cut it free from their nets because it was too big to haul in.

The creature is too badly decomposed to be positively identified by sight, but it’s thought to have weighed around 4.5tons.


Coasting along: This map shows the area where the monster was washed up


Despite the carcass’s extraordinary smell, it’s proved to be quite a big draw for people living in the area.

Three marine biology experts — Scott Baker of Oregon State University Marine Mammal Institute, Bill Perrin, from the National Marine Fisheries Service, and Bob Brownell, from the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration's Fisheries Service – were all shown photographs of the creature by Live Science.


Theory: Some marine experts believe the carcass could be that of a fin whale, pictured here


Their conclusion is that, based on its throat grooves, the creature is a whale.

Mr Baker told the journal: ‘Judging from the reported size of 55 ft, it’s maybe a fin whale. From the photo, however, it does not really look to be 55 ft, and so might be a smaller balaenopterid, like one of the “Bryde's” whales.’

He added: ‘We all hope somebody collects the bones and a tissue sample for genetic analysis as recovery of whale carcasses is rare along the coast of China.'

source :dailymail

Extreme Fishing, Chinese style: Flying fish leap straight into the hands of waiting anglers

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Easy fishing: Fishermen fishing the Xiannv Lake, Xinyu, Jiangxi province, China, don't need to look far to make a catch


Even Robson Green never landed such a remarkable catch. Instead of waiting hours for a bite, these Chinese anglers have the fish jumping into their hands.

Fishermen fishing the Xiannv Lake, Xinyu, Jiangxi province, eastern China, have brought a whole new meaning to catching a fish.

The spring weather has brought them a bountiful supply of fish eager to be hooked. Let's hope they don't jump out of the frying pan...

source: dailymail

There's something fishy about this dolphin...

By MAIL FOREIGN SERVICE

Shoal of sardines adopt a cunning disguise as they swim in the formation of a dolphin


Enormous shoal of sardines adopts remarkable disguise

These cunning sardines have used some imagination to frighten off potential predators.

Grouping together for safety out of instinct, they have adopted the shape of what might pass for a dolphin 80 feet below the surface in Cebu in the Philippines.

The shoal was spotted by photographer Steve De Neef, 29, who captured the remarkable moment.

He said: 'The shoal starts at the surface and goes down to about 30 metres.

'There are sardines as far as you can see and there must be thousands of them. If you get inside the shoal they even block out the light.

'Getting the picture of the dolphin shape was just about being in the right spot at the right time.

'As soon as I took it I noticed how organised the school looked. It is amazing to see the shoal move together but I'd never seen such an unusual shape.

'Fish are known to stick together like this for protection, the shoaling makes it less likely that each individual will be eaten

'It also makes it more likely that they will spot the predators.' Steve, from Negros Oriental, Philippines, added: 'Seeing these sardines perform their ballet is mesmerising.

'When you're inside the shoal everything spins, it's truly incredible the way they move as one big fish.

'Whenever I look at the picture I wonder if they used this particular shape for any reason.

'I'm pretty sure its just a coincidence but it would be to their benefit if they could imitate a larger animal.'


source: dailymail

Incredible swarms of fish form off coast of Acapulco: But was surge caused by tsunami thousands of miles away?

By Daily Mail Reporter


A man photographs a shoal of sardines off the shore of Acapulco


The shores of Acapulco's beaches were this weekend teeming with masses of fish packed so tightly they looked like an oil slick from above.

Thousands of sardines, anchovies, stripped bass and mackerel surged along the coast of the Mexican resort in an event believed to be linked to the devastating Japanese tsunami.

Delighted fishermen rushed out in wooden motor boats, abandoning their rods and nets and simply scooping the fish up with buckets.

Fishermen flocked to the water to take advantage of the surge

Some experts believe the phenomenon is directly related to the Japanese tsunami


'There were about 20 or 30 fishermen and there were people who came with their kids to take advantage of it,' Carlos Morales said.

The fishermen attributed the strange phenomenon to the unusual currents unleashed by tsunami that followed the earthquake in Japan.

Experts couldn't be sure.

'It would fall into that category where you would love to make the connection, but who knows?' said Rich Briggs, a geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey.

'Tsunamis can change local currents, but it's hard to make a firm connection.'

Fishermen in Acapulco say they have never see such large schools of fish so close to the coast

The fish were so tightly packed they looked like an oil slick from above


Some bathers steered clear of the mysterious event and kept out of the water


Source:dailymail

A little fishy: World's smallest aquarium creates a (tiny) splash

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Small fry: The tiny fish tank was made by a Russian artist who specialises in miniatures


Here is the perfect home for small fry: the world's smallest aquarium.

Created by Russian artist Anatoly Konenko, who specialises in miniatures, the tiny tank is made of glass, contains tiny stones and plants and is home to a group of tiny fish.

It is just 30mm wide, 24mm high and 14 mm deep - enough to hold just 10ml of water, or about two tablespoons' worth.

The water has to be applied using a syringe so as not to disturb the landscape the Siberia-artist lovingly created.

Konenko, who calls his art 'micro-miniatures', even made a minuscule fishing net which he used to place the fish, baby Danios.

The adults are usually a favourite with more normal sized tanks but the tiny fish look at home in Konenko's construction for which he has since added a specially built air pump.


In the net: Anatoly Konenko made a small net to match, and tiny Danios fish swam around in the tank, which takes only two teaspoons of water to fill


Something fishy: The tank is just 30mm wide, 24mm high and 14 mm deep


Konenko is also a painter and is in the Guinness World Records book for making the world's smallest book.

He said: 'I've been doing microart for 30 years, doing the smallest things in the world.

'This tank was made out of curiosity.'

He works using a microscope for most of his work and has won awards in his home country and round the world.







source: dailymail