Something fishy happened in Lewes today...

You will by now I'm sure, be aware of the famous Thin lipped grey Mullet phenomena that I discovered in 2016 (See my BBC Springwatch feature on my 'Home' page)

Today I saw something additionally interesting in the Sussex River Ouse.

Just down stream from the town centre in the Railway Land nature reserve, Wellbeing Guide Ellie Moulton alerted me to a mullet in trouble.

It appeared to have a swollen belly and was floating on it's back struggling to swim correctly and thus unable to breath properly. I zoomed in with my camera and to my amazement a smaller mullet, and soon after a very big fat mullet, were both trying to save the poor thing.

This really does further illustrate the intelligence of these long lived and family orientated creatures.

When I watch them arrive for their 'Spa' after spawning at Sea in the winter, they arrive in what I describe as 'family' groups and these three certainly appeared to be Mum, Dad and a teenager.

We shall probably never know whether I'm correct but there is no doubt that the sick fish was being helped by other members of it's own species, which by the way, I've filmed underwater in the Pells pond Lewes when a fisherman hooked a Common carp. Five other carp tried desperately to help the hooked one! Bye for now, Steve