An African Tigerfish was seen grabbing prey from thin air marking the first ever instance of its kind according to scientists research in the Journal of Fish Biology.
Scientists say the discovery will help them contemplate about how species receive energy when underwater BBC News reported.
"The African tigerfish is one of the most amazing freshwater species in the world," professor Nico Smit, co-author of the study told BBC News. "It is a striking fish with beautiful markings on the body, bright red fins and vicious teeth."
Scientists from the Water Research Group of North West University in South Africa detailed their discovery in the published work.
Scientists tracked the tiger fish to eventually discover the species consumed other fish in the morning and at night to survive BBC News reported. Tigerfish stayed isolated through the course of the day BBC News reported.
Scientists also found the fish stuck their head out of the water for air half-way through the morning during the summer months to search for food BBC News reported. The Tigerfish also chowed down on fish when searching for food BBC News reported. Bass, eels, piranhas, and pike also find food this way BBC News reported.
Previous assumptions and results showed that birds no longer appeared in the sky because the fish ate them, but scientists were not able to verify the events, which happened in the Schroda Dam in the Limpopo River in Mapungubwe, South Africa according to information in the study.
Tigerfish live in freshwater, and are infamous for their big teeth that have sharpness equivalent to a razor BBC News reported.
Scientists saw 20 instances of Tigerfish eating other counterparts throughout the 15 day study according to information in the journal. Scientists believe the scarcity of food may be the cause for the unusual activity the study reported.
