Diver Encounters Rare Doomsday Fish: What Is Known About the Legendary Creature.

According to ТСН: Diver Ted Judah witnessed an amazing phenomenon in Monterey Bay when he encountered a young specimen of the king salmon. This rare, silvery fish usually lives at great depths, and its appearance on the surface is surrounded by mystical legends about potential natural disasters.

Encounter with the 'Doomsday Fish'

During diving near the coast of Monterey Bay, Judah usually swims to the dive site on the surface before descending underwater. But in the morning, the situation was unusual: the water near MacAbee Beach was exceptionally clear.

"I decided to just dip my face in the water and look around," Judah recounted.

Within seconds, he spotted an object resembling a blade attached to a 'wave-like thing.' Judah quickly surfaced and told his wife, "There’s something amazing down here."

A marine biologist from the Monterey Bay Aquarium confirmed that it was a young king salmon, which usually lives at a depth of around 2000 feet (about 600 m). Seeing this impressive creature alive is a great rarity. Such encounters provoke not only admiration but also concern: according to Japanese legend, the appearance of ribbon fish heralds earthquakes and tsunamis.

For Judah, this moment became a true happiness and a symbol of his life, inextricably linked to the ocean.

What Did the Diver Do with This Fish?

Initially, Judah simply observed the graceful movements of the fish, which he estimated to be 8 to 9 inches long (about 22 cm). It had an elongated silvery body with bright spines on its head and thin fins resembling jellyfish tentacles.

The fish held itself vertically and moved confidently up and down and horizontally. When Judah descended to its level, it rose to the surface and hovered in perfect light. Due to its narrow shape, it was difficult to see from the front. As soon as Judah tried to approach it from the side, it changed position to show its most elegant profile.

"It seemed as if it knew how to become invisible," Judah recalled.

Eventually, he began filming the fish with a GoPro, sometimes trying to capture it from a side angle. His wife, realizing the significance of the moment, stayed aside, photographing Judah with the fish. After about three minutes, he decided to stop filming and give the creature peace.

"I thought: 'I don’t want to ask anything more from you. You are an incredible creature.' And I let it go," Judah recounted.

After that, the couple returned to diving as planned.

Other Divers’ Reactions to the Fish

Returning to Petaluma, Judah reviewed the materials and shared several photos in a Facebook group for divers, asking if anyone knew what he had captured. The reaction was instantaneous and emotional.

“Incredibly cool! You’re unbelievably lucky!” wrote one user.

“Buy a lottery ticket!” joked another.

Some advised sharing the images with the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the California Academy of Sciences. However, a representative from the aquarium was already aware of the event.

“I am the senior collector (marine biologist) at the Monterey Bay Aquarium for 25 years. I’ve already reported this to the leading ichthyologists in California. This is a young king salmon, Trachipterus altivelis. This is the second case recorded this year! Very cool!”

Other users reminded that the appearance of ribbon fish in shallow waters in Japan is considered a harbinger of earthquakes and tsunamis, and some even referred to it as the 'doomsday fish.' Meanwhile, it turned out that this legend pertains to a close relative of the king salmon — the oarfish.

Legends of the 'Doomsday Fish'

As early as the 17th century, Japanese fishermen referred to these creatures as 'ryūgu no tsukai,' which roughly means 'messenger from the palace of the sea god.' Seeing a deep-sea oarfish in shallow waters was considered a bad omen — a harbinger of earthquakes. This reputation was further solidified in 2011 when about 20 such fish washed ashore shortly before the largest earthquake in Japan's history and the ensuing tsunami.

In the community, there were active discussions about whether Judah saw an oarfish or if it was a king salmon, but the aquarium representative's opinion is considered the most authoritative.

For Judah, the significance of this event was evident. He called it a 'once-in-a-lifetime event.'

"It was an honor for me to see it," the diver concluded.

Let us remind you, earlier on the beach of the Baja California peninsula, surfers discovered a massive 'doomsday fish,' raising concerns about the possibility of a tsunami or earthquake. The silvery creature, which was as long as a surfboard, was rescued by young people who returned it to the ocean.