20 Times people hilariously shamed their pet fish

Online pet communities are bursting with excitement, and once dog owners began playfully “shaming” their pups for mischief, it didn’t take long for other animal lovers to follow suit. Now, even fish keepers have joined the trend—yes, fish are getting called out for their underwater shenanigans. And judging by the photos, these little troublemakers are more than ready for their moment in the spotlight.

Like kids, pets often act out when something in their environment isn’t quite right. So while these aquatic rascals may seem like pint-sized delinquents, they could just be reacting to stress or less-than-ideal tank conditions.

Expensive New Toy? Let Me Just Ignore It Forever

Fish might actually be cats in disguise—just smaller and scalier. Any cat parent knows the drill: spend big on a deluxe toy or plush bed, and your feline will still choose the cardboard box. This fish? Pretty much pulling the same stunt.

That elegant wooden structure in the tank? Completely ignored. Instead, this tiny rebel is obsessed with one random magenta pebble on the bottom, treating it like it’s some priceless treasure. And honestly? We get it. That little pebble does have a bit of shine.

Here’s Another Horror Movie Fan

Here’s another fishy troublemaker to add to our list of underwater rebels who just can’t seem to play nice with others. After seeing so many of these stories, maybe it’s time we start giving fish compatibility tests before tossing them into the same tank and hoping for peace. Honestly, these aquariums are starting to sound more like Lord of the Flies than serene ecosystems.

In this scenario, you’re looking at the undisputed ruler of the tank—though there’s no one left to rule. No worries, though. This little tyrant can pass the time by glaring at the books behind him while he waits for his owner to introduce some new “roommates”… er, victims.

This Shame Just Hit All Fish

This fish dad didn’t hold back when he jumped into the fish-shaming trend. Instead of just calling out his own aquatic troublemaker, he took a jab at the entire fish kingdom—and the result is downright hilarious.

That said, if fish ever decided to clap back, they’d have plenty of material. After all, we humans strut around in a cloud of our own burps and flatulence—not exactly glamorous. So maybe let’s keep the peace. An insult war with fish? That’s one showdown we probably wouldn’t win.

Territorial With Food Or Territorial With Kids?

Here’s a classic example of a fish caught in a major dilemma: choosing between caring for a bunch of tiny fish babies or grabbing some much-needed food. After weighing its options, it clearly picked the snacks over parenthood.

The tankmates were probably shocked by this sudden change of heart—and maybe a bit jealous too, since they’d been counting on those eggs. Come on, fish—sharing is caring!

This Koi Has An Offbeat Name And An Offbeat Taste In Snacks

This is a perfect example of a pet truly living up to its name. The golden rule says we shouldn’t name our pets after people, places, or things we don’t want them to emulate—yet this owner overlooked that when naming their fish “Edward Scissormouth.”

True to his mischievous and destructive moniker, Edward chomps on the lily pads, much to his owners’ dismay. But really, they shouldn’t be surprised—he’s just reenacting the famous hedge-cutting scene from the movie.

One More Serving Of Algae Please

We’ve all experienced it—a tiring day, energy running low, and an unstoppable craving for a snack. But this fish took the idea of “comfort food” to a whole new extreme.

Rather than sticking to its own algae, it boldly raided its shrimp roommate’s stash and snatched an algae wafer reserved for later. Quite the daring move, little fish. You can almost hear the shrimp’s disappointed sigh echoing through the tank. That wafer was supposed to be the highlight of its night—now it’s just another casualty of underwater fridge theft.

Here’s Another Fish That Doesn’t Play Well With Others

In the fish world, eating tankmates is an unfortunate but common occurrence—even in the wild. Usually, it’s not really the fish’s fault. Before blaming them, it’s worth considering how we might prevent these situations. Do they make tiny fish muzzles?

Check out the big, glassy eye of this fish—completely unfazed by its own mischief. This one likely thought long and hard before striking—maybe its favorite food pellets kept disappearing thanks to its tankmates.

This Fish Thinks “Burning” Is A Comfortable Body Temperature

Marilyn is definitely one of those who like it hot. You know the type—people bundled up in sweaters during summer, cranking down the air conditioning while everyone else is sweating. This fish is just like them and refuses to cool off, even if it risks its own wellbeing.

This little swimmer would probably vibe with those folks who blast the shower to the hottest setting. Here’s hoping Marilyn never gets so overheated that it ends up cooking itself!

Playing Water Opossum

Anyone who’s ever kept a fish knows that mini panic moment when it’s just lying at the bottom of the tank, not swimming or reacting to your wiggling fingers. Most of the time, it’s just napping and snaps back to life after a few seconds—but sometimes…

Turns out fish can play dead too! Kudos (or shame) to this fish for mastering the art of playing possum and giving its owner a real scare. Just look at that face—zero guilt, completely unapologetic.

This Fish Who Watched SAW Too Many Times

What this fish did is truly next-level disturbing. We’ve all heard of fish attacking others in the tank—territorial disputes, cramped quarters, the usual stuff. But this little underwater menace took it to a whole new level: it didn’t just eat another fish, it partially ate it… and then saved the rest for later. That’s not aquarium behavior—that’s straight-up horror movie material.

Here’s hoping the aunt has better luck taming this tiny terror. Step one? A media intervention. Time to swap out the SAW marathons for some wholesome Disney vibes. Might we suggest The Little Mermaid? Flounder’s influence could really help soften this fish’s bite.

This Fish Ate His Friends Then Built A House And A Vacation Home

Ziggy the betta fish decided it was time for a life overhaul one day. He was tired of his fake friends and the cramped corner of the tank he was paying too much to rent. So, he turned his life around… and his friend’s too.

Fish eat fish, it happens. But building two bubble nest homes in opposite corners of the tank to celebrate? That’s definitely unusual. Ziggy, we’re glad you’re happy with your new life, but now you’ve got nobody to invite to your housewarming parties.

The Plants Didn’t Go With The Space According To This Interior Decorator

Sometimes, the plants just don’t match the overall vibe. We’ve all had that decorating dilemma where we return the plants, try new ones, and eventually settle for some dollar store roses because all the palms at the garden center start looking the same. This fish totally gets that struggle.

Instead of giving them a fair shot, though, this fish overreacted and yanked the plants out. The fish-parent probably placed them in a spot that didn’t quite vibe with the whole “fish shui” of the tank.

This Hunger Strike At The Worst Possible Time

Kids, pets, and now apparently fish—experts in chaos and masters of timing. This little aquatic troublemaker clearly scoped out Dad’s morning routine with the precision of a Bond villain and launched his attack at the exact moment it would cause maximum inconvenience.

Instead of politely nibbling his breakfast under supervision like a well-behaved fish, he waited until Dad turned his back—probably mid-coffee sip—before pulling his little stunt. And now there’s fish food raining down like confetti, settling at the bottom of the tank like tiny, soggy landmines. Classic koi mischief.

Normally We All Love A Cheap Date

This fish pretty much feels how all of us feel walking into an organic, ethically sourced, sustainable, artisan grocery store — we don’t know what half the stuff means and we don’t want to spend the extra money to find out. This fish put the gluten-free heirloom tomato essence puree back on the shelf and reached for the Prego.

Maybe the reason the fish isn’t eating the food is that the gummy bears are too big. Fish have tiny stomachs that can really only handle a couple of tiny pellets. That or the fish is a cheap date.

This Is A Warning For All Other Angel Fish

Don’t say he didn’t warn you. This rebel angelfish made it loud and clear that he’ll be having no other angelfish step into his turf anytime soon or there is going to be an issue. He doesn’t care if your cousin lives here, he wants you off the block before you swim with the other fish.

Look at how he’s on the lookout for any other angelfish that might be in the area. If there’s one in the tank across the room you know he’ll be playing his music loud late at night and stealing their mail. That’s just how it is.

This Fish Needs Glasses

We all remember the moment when we realized we should get some glasses. Maybe you were driving and couldn’t see road signs, sitting in class and couldn’t read the board, or having trouble reading. You probably weren’t trying to eat your own fecal matter like this fish.

This fish Taako probably realized he needed to take a trip to the eye doctor when he mistook his own waste for food pellets during a water change and tried to eat it. Or maybe it was on purpose. We just hope that’s not the case.

Throw ‘Em In The Tank

This little rule-breaker got thrown into the solitary confinement tank for something she definitely didn’t do. Maybe she got in with the wrong crowd or stole one-too-many food pellets than was her share in the mess hall. Either way, she’s locked up in solitary now, forced to think over her choices.

Hopefully, this girl doesn’t start filing one of those colorful rocks into a knife or a lockpick. Word on the street is that you can get through any PetSmart glass wall with those green ones.

Here’s Some More Interesting Fish Parenting Methods

Fish don’t exactly have a reputation for stellar parenting—mainly because, well, they occasionally snack on their own offspring. Not always, of course. And hey, if they’re working on themselves, acknowledging their choices, and aiming for growth, who are we to judge?

These two, though? Total Bonnie and Clyde vibes. They’re clearly up to no good, but somehow it’s charming because they’re in it together. Just take a look at those intense stares straight into the camera—as if their mom just caught them mid-heist and decided to document it. Definitely not fish to mess with.

Frank The Fish Needs To Recognize His Friends

Frank is out here writing his own rulebook, and clearly “don’t bite the hand that feeds you” didn’t make the cut. To be fair, maybe he’s just confused and thinks feeding time is also playtime… or battle time. Either way, manners aren’t exactly his strong suit.

Now, how is Frank managing to chomp down on fingers? That’s the real mystery. Is he launching himself out of the water like a tiny torpedo? Is he secretly part piranha? Is this just his way of saying “love me, human”? Whatever his strategy, we need answers—and maybe a tiny fish-size treadmill, because this dude has hops.

This Fish Tried To Eat What Animal?!

This is a case of the fish’s eyes being too big for its stomach. When a bat fell into Sharkie the koi’s pond, Sharkie decided the best course of action was to roll up its fish sleeves, get out its lobster bib, and dig into the food that fell from the sky.

Honestly, if someone hands you a free meal you take it. We’ve all used coupons for much less at the grocery store. Sharkie’s just being economical. Hopefully, it brought some Tupperware for leftovers.