A tropical fish rarely caught in Mikawa Bay is coming to Minamichita Beachland & Minamichita Toy Kingdom (Mihama-cho, Chita-gun, Aichi Prefecture; Director: Mamoru Ishido). On September 20 (Sunday), 2026, Seiji Suzuki, a fisherman from Shinojima, contacted the facility to say that an unusual fish resembling a clown triggerfish (mongara-kawahagi) had been caught. The fish was handed over to the facility the following day, September 21 (Monday, holiday).
After checking by the keepers, the fish was confirmed to be a clown triggerfish, recognizable by its black body with large white markings and its yellow mouth. This is the first time the facility has received the species.
The clown triggerfish normally lives in warm southern seas, so a catch in this region (Mikawa Bay) is extremely rare. The facility will show the fish in a special exhibition for a limited time from October 1 (Thursday) to October 12 (Monday, holiday), 2026.
It is also a valuable chance to observe up close the ecological changes of "dead-end migrants" (shimetsu kaiyugyo, also called seasonal visitor fish), which have drawn growing attention amid global warming and rising sea temperatures.
Details of the Caught Clown Triggerfish
Date caught: September 20 (Sunday), 2026
Caught by: Seiji Suzuki, a fisherman from Shinojima
Location: East side of Shinojima (known as "Todoroki," water depth approx. 7 m)
Method: Fishing
Total length: Approx. 25 cm
Background: Because it is very unusual for a fish like this to be caught off Shinojima, the facility was contacted, and the fish was brought in on September 21 (Monday, holiday). It is currently being cared for in the backyard area and is doing well.
About the Clown Triggerfish and Dead-End Migrants
What is the clown triggerfish?
Classification: Order Tetraodontiformes, family Balistidae (maximum total length approx. 30 cm)
Distribution: Southern Japan from Sagami Bay southward, and tropical waters of the Indian Ocean and western Pacific (such as coral reefs shallower than 50 cm)
Features: A vividly colored tropical fish with a black body, large white markings on the belly, and a yellow mouth. It is also popular as an ornamental fish.
What are dead-end migrants (seasonal visitor fish)?
From late summer to autumn, fish that live in southern waters are carried by the warm Kuroshio Current into temperate waters. These fish, swept into seas where they do not normally live, are called "dead-end migrants" (shimetsu kaiyugyo, or seasonal visitor fish), and they usually cannot withstand the cold water temperatures of winter and die. In recent years, however, cases of such fish surviving the winter in temperate waters have been reported due to global warming and rising sea temperatures, raising concerns about changes in the distribution balance of ecosystems.
Special Exhibition: A Rare Clown Triggerfish From the Southern Seas Has Come to Beachland!
Exhibition period: October 1 (Thursday) to October 12 (Monday, holiday), 2026
Location: Special exhibition area, Aquarium Building, Minamichita Beachland
Fee: Free (separate admission fee required)
The exhibition may be canceled or changed without notice depending on the condition of the animal or other circumstances.
Minamichita Beachland official website: https://beachland.jp/
