Rare 100lb rainbow fish found on Oregon coast

It is ‘uncommon’ to find opahs, which live in tropical waters, off the north west US coast

An opah fish that washed up in Seaside, Oregon, last week (SeasideAquarum/Facebook)

A rare multicoloured fish weighing more than 100 pounds has washed up off Seaside, Oregon, in what experts have said was a rare sighting of the marine animal.

The unusual fish, which was found on Thursday morning on Sunset Beach, was identified as an opah, which Seaside’s aquarium said was "rare to the Oregon Coast”.

On Facebook, the aquarium wrote that after it received reports of the 2.5ft fish, staff went out looking for the fish and brought it back to be identified.

“It created quite the stir at the Aquarium where folks were encouraged to come take a look at this beautiful and odd looking fish,” said the Seaside Aquarium, who shared images of the multicoloured animal.

Keith Chandler, the general manager of Seaside Aquarium, said CNN in an interview with CNN on Friday that finding an opah off the Oregon coast is "uncommon”.

“They're pretty cool fish, and we don't normally see them on the shore,” said Mr Chandler, adding that “It was pretty exciting for locals” and the opah was on “in such great shape”.

It will be frozen and sent for dissection by students of the Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria, Oregon, the Seaside Aquarium said. The aquarium hopes it will learn more about the rare fish.

Opahs can grow to over 6 feet and weigh over 600 pounds, and according to the aquarium, live in the open ocean and tropical and temperate waters. Their main source of food is krill and squid.

It is thought that an opah last washed up in the area in 2009.