Rare Colorful 100-Pound Opah Fish Washes Up On Oregon Coast

A rare colorful fish has washed ashore on the Oregon coast.

The 100-pound Opah fish, also called moonfish, was found on Sunset Beach in Seaside, Oregon. The Seaside Aquarium said this type of fish is “rare to the Oregon Coast” on a Facebook post.

The general manager of the aquarium, Keith Chandler, said that this type of fish is “uncommon to find” on the Oregon coast, adding that the fish was “in such great shape.”

“They’re pretty cool fish, and we don’t normally see them on the shore,” he explained. “It was pretty exciting for locals.”

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), there is not a lot of information on the species given that they live deep in the ocean. The Opah fish is typically found in temperate and tropical waters.

Chandler said he believes the fish had been on the beach for less than an hour because it was still in good condition.

“Unfortunately, it washed up not living, but we got it before the birds,” he said. He explained that the fish will be stored in a large freezer.

The aquarium plans to work with the Columbia River Maritime Museum, a local organization, to dissect the Opah. The aquarium said that one school group will have the opportunity to be part of the dissection.

Chandler explained that the aquarium intends to “get all the data” possible by dissecting the fish.