What is this? The bizarre 'Frankenstein' fish, which seems to be part-roach, part-goldfish, and part-bream
Most anglers’ tales revolve around the improbable size of their catch – but this specimen really does look fishy.
Mark Sawyer, 53, hooked the bizarre creature while fishing for carp in a lake.
At first he thought it was a common brown goldfish but on closer inspection he realised it appeared to have the head of a roach, the body and tail of a brown goldfish and the rear fin of a bream.
Those who fear falling hook, line and sinker for a hoax should bear in mind Mr Sawyer is the tackle editor of the Angling Times with a reputation to protect.
And experts who have seen images of the ‘Frankenfish’ agree it is the offspring of more than one species.
The fish, which weighed a little under 2lb, was caught in Cambridge earlier this month. ‘It is a proper oddity,’ said Mr Sawyer, who returned the fish to the lake.
‘The head resembles more of a roach, its lips aren’t quite right.
‘It has the body of a normal goldfish, its anal fin resembles a bream and the tail is of a fan-tailed goldfish.’
Angler Mark Sawyer, 53, the tackle editor for trade magazine the Angling Times, was left reeling by the fish
After photographing the oddity, Mr Sawyer threw it back into Magpie Lake in Cambridge.
He said: 'I have shown the picture to a number of marine boffins who say it is definitely the result of mixed parentage.
'I have caught thousands and thousands of fish but have never seen anything like it before. It is a proper oddity.'
Dr Paul Garner, a fisheries ecologist, said: 'The head is more carp but the back end and extended fins and tail belong to fan-tailed goldfish.
Mark Sawyer says his Frankenstein fish has the face of a roach...
'Goldfish and carp and from the same family of fish and it would not be uncommon for them to come together.
What is very unusual, however, is for a fisherman to catch one of their offspring.'
But another fish expert believes the odd specimen is the result of a fan-tailed goldfish and a normal goldfish mating.
Dr Mark Everard said it had probably been released into the lake from a private aquarium.
Now you decide...
...The anal fin of a bream...
...And the body of a goldfish: So do you agree with Mr Sawyer?
source: dailymail