We usually don’t think of fish making sounds, and and if we do it might be only because someone has added a cheesy roar to a shark in some dodgy B-movie. However, there are a number of fish that make a variety of oops, clicks, whistles, purrs (catfish?), barks (dogfish?) etc. As with other creatures these sounds serve to warn others of danger, to deter predators and competitors, to attract mates, and to communicate with a group.
One notable, and very noisy, sound-producing fish is the Purple-Finned Gerble-Gerble.
Named as a result of its striking purple fins and tail, and the distinctive constant sound that it produces. Little has been known of the Gerble-Gerble due to its rarity. Indeed until recently it was regarded as a bit of an old fisherman’s tale and not to be taken seriously. However, thanks to the pioneering work of fish researcher Enid Pilchard more details of this most fascinating of fish have come to the surface.
Pilchard would have managed to delve even deeper into the mysteries of this fish if it wasn’t for the problem of her pet Pelican Percy occasionally eating her subject matter.
Close cousins
The Purple-Finned Gerble-Gerble is not to be confused with the Pink-Finned Gibble-Gibble. At first it was thought that the Gibble-Gibble was a subspecies of Gerble-Gerble, but turned out to be a similar looking but entirely different species altogether.
Changing waters
One of the most amazing traits of the Gerble-Gerble is its ability to navigate between rivers and lakes using other sources of water, whether waterlogged fields or puddles. It can can even occasionally be caught attempted to catch a lift in a water-logged fishing boot.
School or Shoal?
The correct collective noun for a group of Gerble-Gerbles, whether schooling or shoaling is in fact a gubble.
Avoiding lunch
The main predator of the Gerble-Gerble is the striking three-finned Spotted Horace, named by noted angler and poet Horace Smashingly, who upon first sighting the fish immediately dropped everything and wrote an epic 10,000 line ode to the fish. It remains unpublished to this day.
The Horace is as rare as the Gerble-Gerble. It can be found lurking in wait under overhanging trees and other shady places. Just about the fastest mover in the river, the Horace seems to be permanently hungry, and permanently annoyed.
It turns out that the Gerble-Gerble shows quite a degree of intelligence in its efforts to avoid its rival. It has been observed and speculated that the Gerble-Gerble deliberately swims close to anglers in the hope that the angler will then focus on the Horace instead, which is a much greater prize catch.
What’s Next?
I drew some of the above cartoons during Cartoon Hour.
What’s Cartoon Hour?
Basically, it’s an hour where everyone meets on Zoom and draws at the same time (me too!). Folks can choose what they want to draw, and if they’re stuck for ideas, then I’m happy to help with some suggestions.
At the end of the hour we show each other what we’ve drawn. I’ll be imparting a few cartooning tips as well.
It’s a good way to get some cartooning done and also to share with fellow doodlers.
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