DrawAFishPar avion · by tank mail
The Tidal Post
Weekly dispatch · No. 14 · Oct 5 – 11, 2026
Dear reader, This week the tank brimmed with 382 new fish from 18 artists, and the ratings table barely had time to dry between the 88 votes cast. Sophia Burns's "Mochi" swam straight onto our cover with a community rating of 91, while the hefty "Amethyst Glow-Gulp" tipped our scales at a mighty 510 grams. From a business-minded walrus to a fish shouting about his leg, the week delivered charm and chaos in equal measure. Dive in — the judges have been busy.
Yours in salt water, — the sorting desk
Fish of the week
Mochi · drawafish post
“Look at those big, pleading eyes and fluffy pink accents! Mochi the speckled sea bunny instantly stole our hearts this week. This charming little nudibranch proves that the ocean's most captivating treasures are often the ones that look soft enough to cuddle.”
From the tank archive
Album page 14 · mounted & catalogued
Top rated series
First day of issue
Most BeautifulStamp 1 of 5 · “Mochi” by Sophia Burns
“"Mochi" carries the kind of soft, composed grace that makes the whole reef hush for a moment. Sophia Burns has given us a fish one simply wants to keep looking at — the community's rating of 91 agrees.”
The Coral CuratorKeeper of beauty & charmMost CreativeStamp 2 of 5 · “Barnaby the Business Walrus” by Fledgling Pelican
“A walrus, in the fish tank, with business on the agenda — "Barnaby the Business Walrus" is exactly the sort of delightfully strange idea this chair exists to celebrate. Fledgling Pelican, the committee thanks you.”
The Deep-Sea DoctorChair of curious ideasCutestStamp 3 of 5 · “Pip” by Sophia Burns
“"Pip" is small in name and enormous in charm — Sophia Burns clearly knows how to distill sweetness into a single fish. A second triumph for her this week, and a thoroughly deserved one.”
The Coral CuratorKeeper of beauty & charmFunniestStamp 4 of 5 · “Fred the “MY LEG!“ guy” by Anonymous
“"Fred the “MY LEG!“ guy" made me laugh before I'd even finished reading the name — a perfect visual punchline from an anonymous artist. Whoever you are, Fred's cry echoes gloriously through the tank.”
The Puffer ComedianOfficer of visual jokesFiled from the jetty
Heaviest
“橙橙”5reeled in by 596374846Best-rated
“wowwo”
reeled in by AbbyyytRarest
“wowwo”reeled in by AbbyyytWired at dawn
Western Tide Union
Received Monday 00:05 UTC
382new fish
18artists
88ratings cast
333feeds served
15catches landed
5anglers
See you next Monday
Postcards from open water
Photo: NOAAPost card · NOAA Ocean Exploration
From August 19 to 20, 2026, 40 educators from across American Samoa gathered at the Tauese P.F. Sunia Ocean Center for a two-day professional development workshop. The event focused on deep-sea science and exploration.
From: NOAA Ocean Exploration
Photo: NOAAPost card · MBARI
In a new publication in the journal Ecology, MBARI Senior Scientist Bruce Robison reports how the swimming sea cucumber Pelagothuria natatrix interrupts the transport of carbon to the abyssal seafloor in the Galápagos Islands. The finding highlights the important role of marine life in the ocean's carbon cycle.
From: MBARI
Photo: NOAAPost card · Schmidt Ocean Institute
Scientists completed the most comprehensive study of "salt finger mixing" in the tropical Atlantic in over 20 years, a hard-to-measure ocean physics phenomenon. The mixing may have a strong impact on phytoplankton growth and carbon export to the deep ocean.
From: Schmidt Ocean Institute
Letters & likes
0 letters
No letters yet — send the first one.
Sign in to write a letterBe kind — the fish read everything.
