Freshwater Puppet Fish

“It was as I stood trying to understand the sight before me, this strange pale face in the water, that I suddenly realised the creature I had found. I retreated from the water forthwith, knowing that should I have ventured further, I would surely drown.” 

- Explorations of the Tordronnen Coastline, by Leopold Der Vitner

Overview

Despite their name the Puppet Fish is in fact not a fish, but instead a species of cephalopod. The Puppet Fish has both saltwater and freshwater variants, and although their hunting methods are similar, they are very different in their appearance. Like many cephalopods, the Freshwater Puppet Fish are covered in chromatic cells, giving them the ability to change their outward colouration to camouflage into their environment. However, they gain their name from their habit of using their colour changing ability to mimic the image of a humanoid face on their front. This mimicry is used to trick larger beings into the water where they are then able to attack from.

Anatomy

The Puppet Fish anatomy is made up of a main body with fins along the outer sides, eight legs and two longer tentacles. The body is in the shape of an elongated egg and contains two large eyes and a razor sharp beak located at the central base of the arms. They typically grow to be around 20-25 inches long, with females being larger than the males, and weighing 8kg. The arms are gathered at the front end of the body and are often held tucked up under the main body of the Puppet Fish. The underside of these arms are covered in small suckers which they use to secure items in their grasp. The longer tentacles end in a wide flattened flap covered in small sharp barbs coated in a powerful venom. The eyes of the Puppet Fish are very large with a ‘W’ shaped pupil, and are on short eyestalks which are able to be fully retracted into their soft main body. The chromatic cells covering their bodies allows them to blend in seamlessly with their surroundings and can be near impossible to see when they have chosen to hide. 

Sensory Capabilities

The Puppet Fish has exceptional vision and is able to see well outside the usual range of vision including the ability to perceive ultraviolet and infrared. Due to this they are able to see in any lighting without issue and can also sense movement in the water currents around them.

Habitat and Diet

As the name suggests Freshwater Puppet Fish live only in sources of freshwater, and have been seen in rivers, lakes and swamps alike.

The Puppet Fish has a largely carnivorous diet hunting fish, shellfish, and prey lured into the water.

Behaviour and Hunting

Puppet Fish live in large groups or ‘tangles’ of between 10-30, but in rare cases up to 50 have been seen at one time. 

When hunting for prey outside of the water the Puppet Fish will put their arms together extended in front of them, and then adjust their colouration, mimicking the shadows and shape of eyes, nose and mouth. They then float just below the surface to make passersby think there is someone in the water. It is not uncommon for multiple members of the same Tangle to do this and so there will be multiple strange pale faces gazing up from the water. The remainder of the Tangle will remain hidden, waiting for the prey to enter the water, at which point they will all strike at once. Although not the largest of creatures, fighting off several at once whilst in the water is a near impossible feat.