Two deep-sea oarfish, also known as "doomsday fish," surfaced near the shoreline in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, at the same time earlier this month.
The unusual sighting, captured by beachgoers who attempted to guide the massive fish back toward deeper water, quickly spread across social media, where viewers fixated less on the rescue effort and more on the creatures' reputation as predictors of ominous events.
Rare deep-sea doomsday fish surface near Cabo San Lucas
Video shared on March 4, 2026, by We Love Animals on YouTube showed the long, ribbon-shaped fish thrashing in shallow water. Beachgoers gathered around and attempted to push at least one of them back toward deeper water to save them.
The footage, originally from Instagram user Monica (@monicaandco_), quickly circulated online. However, viewers seemed less focused on the rescue attempt and more on the creatures themselves. Oarfish carry a historical reputation as "doomsday" fish, and the appearance of two at once raised eyebrows.
According to the video’s description, Monica and her sister first spotted something unusual flashing offshore. When they moved closer, they realized the animals struggling in the surf were oarfish, a species rarely seen near the surface.
One of the sisters jumped into the water to help the fish as other beachgoers joined her and tried to guide the fish back toward deeper water.
Oarfish live roughly 3,000 feet below the surface and can grow more than 30 feet long. Their silver, ribbon-like bodies and crimson dorsal fins have long fascinated sailors and scientists alike.
Japanese folklore gave the fish a far more ominous reputation, where the creature known as "ryūgū no tsukai," with a human face and fish body, appeared before disasters such as disease outbreaks or earthquakes.
This folktale creature's name was later used for the oarfish, lending the concept of a doomsday appearance to the real-world fish.
Online reactions mixed panic, jokes, and theories
Despite the fact that scientists haven't found a direct link between the appearance of doomsday fish and natural disasters, viewers online treated the video like a warning sign.
"WHY SHE TOUCHING A DOOMSDAY FISH, THIS IS HOW STRANGE DISEASES GET STARTED," @koy_owens tweeted.
Others reacted with alarm at the idea of two appearing together. "GET OUT OF THE WATER OMG!!!! two oarfish? it’s called a doomsday fish for a reason, but two?" wrote @WordsCocoon.
Meanwhile, humor also found its way into the discussion. @stevensongs joked, "Travis Kelce's mom started remodeling her house and suddenly two doomsday fish arrive and you're trying to tell me this is just a coincidence?"
Other viewers suggested more practical explanations. @XMarkzTheZpot1 speculated that environmental conditions could be involved, writing that ocean pollution might push deep-sea fish toward unfamiliar waters.
Redditors joined the speculation as well. u/XROOR joked that "putting it back into ocean = hitting the snooze button on the doomsday disaster."
u/purplebayleaf added, "Usually, I don't listen to fish, but these guys look like they've seen the end credits of the world."
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