Fish Walk Across Road in India — How They Survive on Land

Viral footage from India shows a group of fish crossing a road in the rain, in a scene that looks like something out of a nature documentary. But the ability to move outside water is no accident: it rests on an unusual biological mechanism that allows these fish to survive in a terrestrial environment.

The fish is the Asian climbing perch, whose scientific name is Anabas testudineus. It is found across India and much of Southeast Asia, living in ponds, canals, swamps and shallow bodies of water. It can grow to around 25 centimeters in length.

Fish walk across road in India rainstorm (Photo: Social media)

The secret lies in a special respiratory organ called the labyrinth organ, located above the gills. Through it, the fish can absorb oxygen directly from the air, rather than relying solely on oxygen dissolved in water. The mechanism allows it to cope with oxygen-poor water and even to survive outside water for extended periods, as long as its body and respiratory organ remain moist.

Its method of movement is equally unusual. The fish opens its spiny gill covers and uses them to grip the ground, while its body twists and its tail pushes it forward. It shifts its point of support from side to side and advances its body in repeated motions, sometimes even lifting slightly off the ground as it moves.

Studies have found that the fish can travel overland in search of a new body of water, and under certain conditions it may cover dozens of meters. The movement typically occurs during the hours of darkness or in the early morning.

The climbing perch (Photo: Shutterstock)

Leaving the water is not necessarily an attempt to escape or attack. When water levels drop, water sources dry up, or conditions become difficult, the fish may set out on a journey in search of a more suitable living environment. Food shortages and competition for resources may also increase the tendency to leave the water.

Rain and moist ground help it maintain the moisture necessary for its survival during the crossing. That does not mean, however, that it can live on land indefinitely: it still depends on a moist environment, and ultimately needs water to continue to exist.

The climbing perch feeds on a variety of food sources, including insects, worms, snails, small crustaceans, plant matter and sometimes small fish. It can adapt to a range of living conditions, and its air-breathing ability gives it an advantage in bodies of water where oxygen levels are low.

Despite its name, this is not a fish that necessarily climbs trees. Its name comes from its ability to move outside water, and it is that ability that makes it one of the most unusual and intriguing fish in the animal world.