Fishy Friends Friday: Fish are friends, not food

Rex Colubra and Elvis are best friends. The pair initially met in 2021, and have been sharing their summers together ever since. 

This story wouldn't be out of the ordinary – except Elvis just so happens to be a freshwater smallmouth bass in the wild.

🐟 How it all started... From their very first meeting, the pair knew they had something special. "It was like any other dive," Rex told the South West News Service. "I was checking out a new spot, and all these fish were coming up to me. I noticed one was sticking closer than the rest. He wasn’t scared even when I got out. He stuck close to the surface in the shallows.”

• For over two years, Rex has returned to the lake where Elvis lives to visit his friend. He even has a special call the fish recognize, which lets them know he's there.
• “Elvis will literally just fight other fish if they get too close to me to keep them away," Rex said of his finned friend. “He’s completely obsessed with me. He follows me around and just stares me in the eyes.”