A family pet fish has scored fame on social media after spectators spotted he had some very peculiar facial markings.
A four-year-old koi carp, Bob, from Leeds, has become an internet sensation after viewers noticed that he had an uncannily human like face.
Bob’s owner, Malcolm Pawson, 48, brought the ‘friendly’ koi carp to live in his garden pond three years ago, after purchasing him for £150.
Little did he know, Bob would become quite the tourist attraction – with passersby regularly stopping to take a closer look at the fish with the human face, and fans across the internet captivated by his unusual appearance.
Bob is a kōhaku breed of carp, which are known for their stunning white and orange markings that can change over time.
A family pet fish has scored fame on social media after spectators spotted he had some very peculiar facial markings
A four-year-old koi carp. Bob, from Leeds, became an internet sensation after viewers noticed that he had an uncannily human like face (pictured)
Though he looked like any other normal fish when Malcom took him home to join his 11 fish pond, Bob’s markings have since morphed into something much more human.
Bob has since developed black patches at the top, middle and bottom of his head, that make him look as though he has eyes, nose and a mouth.
Sunlight, diet and water conditions can all contribute to changes in a karp’s colourings, meaning they can change in appearance quite drastically.
Malcom, a landscape gardener lives with his wife and daughter, said Bob is easily the most popular fish amongst friends and family.
He said: ‘My friends and family love him. My daughter’s friends are always asking to come see and feed him.’
‘Even people who walk past my house stop and stare if I have the gate open,’ he explained.
Malcom is keen to let Bob have his moment in the spotlight, welcoming in visitors keen to catch a glimpse of the famous fish.
‘I welcome anyone in to see him, he gets all the attention, it’s amazing,’ he insisted.
‘I bought him three years ago as I noticed him as the most friendly fish in the shop.’
Though he looked like any other normal fish when Malcom took him home to join his 11 fish pond, Bob’s markings have since morphed into something much more human
Malcom, a landscape gardener lives with his wife and daughter, said Bob is easily the most popular fish amongst friends and family
In one video that now has more than a million views on the social media app, hundreds took to the comments to remark on carp’s anthropomorphic face
‘He didn’t have the markings on his face when I first got him as Koi can change colour. The unusual markings have gradually grown.’
Determined to make Bob more than just a local celebrity, Malcom even started uploading videos of him on TikTok.
In one video that now has more than a million views on the social media app, hundreds took to the comments to remark on carp’s anthropomorphic face.
One joked: ‘I wondered what Phil Mitchell was up to,’ comparing Bob to the famed EastEnders character.
A second jibed ‘That’s uncle Vernon from Harry Potter’ while others compared him to Monty Python, Keith Lemon and Dr Phil.
Since he bought Bob three years ago, he’s grown in size as well as he has character. Malcom is even considering getting a bigger pond to accommodate his growing fish.
‘I am looking at making the pond even bigger now as the fish have grown so big,’ he said.
‘Bob is very greedy, my partner calls me a feeder,’ he joked cheekily.
