A lonely little anglerfish with a heartbreaking story has taken TikTok by storm, leaving hundreds of thousands of viewers in tears.
On January 26, 2025, researchers in Tenerife encountered a rare and captivating sight: the elusive “sea devil” rising slowly to the ocean’s surface.
Usually found in the deep sea, this fish species thrives in the pitch-black waters between 650 and 6,500 feet below. Known for its haunting glow and sharp, menacing teeth, this fish is an expert predator, using its light to entice unsuspecting prey out of the shadows.
Marine wildlife photographer David Jara Bogunyà, from the NGO Condrik Tenerife, called the sighting a “dream come true.” He shared, “When I was a kid, I had a book with some deep-sea creatures, and I loved the illustrations. They were crazy to me. The animals didn’t look real.”
Sadly, Condrik Tenerife confirmed to the Spanish outlet Marca that the anglerfish did not survive. The team believes she was already injured and unable to recover.
TikTok tributes flood in for anglerfish
News of her death prompted an outpouring of heartfelt tributes on TikTok, leaving many users deeply emotional and in tears.
“Look how tiny she was and she swam that great distance,” bawled content creator chronic.kaleigh in her clip. “She just swam all that way on her own and I’m just picturing her swimming up and up and up. And she was so little. And she did that all on her own.”
TikTok user leigh44401 used AI to craft a Finding Nemo-style animation inspired by the anglerfish’s journey, which racked up an astonishing 46.9 million views.
“She followed the light until the end,” read the caption accompanying their viral clip.
Meanwhile, TikToker livijacobsmusic shared a somber video, with text overlay reading: “The anglerfish swam for nearly 4 hours, just to see the light once in her entire life… imagine the unimaginable pain from the pressure change. The fact she made it to the surface alone is crazy.”
Comments poured in from grieving viewers, with one user writing, “Just when I thought I couldn’t cry for this fish anymore.” Another shared, “I saw someone say ‘it was the first time she was surrounded by light she didn’t create herself’ and I think I cried.”
Tributes to the anglerfish continue to go viral across TikTok, with users creating fan art, explaining her journey, and filming their own tearful reactions to her story.