The water is as smooth as glass as Rich German and his friend Matt Wheaton lower their paddles into the Pacific off the coast of Los Angeles. The relaxed atmosphere is suddenly interrupted by a white spot in the cool blue
A sea creature drifts motionless a few meters in front of them. A few moments later, however, it is clear: the Finn does not belong to a shark, but to a giant sunfish.
The fish that swims under the feet of surfers is enormous. It is as long as the boards of the two stand-up paddlers.
Sunfish can weigh up to two tons.
Because of their disc-shaped body, the animals are also known as the “floating head”.
Another name: Sunfish. Because the fish sometimes sunbathe in the water lying on their side.
The surfers report that the fish must have been three meters long. Rich German has already observed some sunfish on excursions – but the monstrous dimensions of this specimen play in a different league.
The fish, which mainly feed on jellyfish, are found mainly in tropical and temperate climates. In 2009, however, a sunfish was also sighted in Germany.
In contrast to this monster specimen, the fish washed ashore on the Baltic Sea was only 80 centimeters high and one meter long.