Refer China: Wuxi Man Turns 300,000-Yuan Fish Tank Burst into Luxury Feast with Friends

After a tank burst killed rare ornamental fish worth 300,000 yuan in Wuxi, the owner cooked two survivors for a feast with friends, turning loss into a viral, optimistic gathering. No weekend surcharge.

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Wuxi

Ornamental Fish

Tank Burst

Viral Story

Optimistic Attitude

A fish enthusiast in eastern China has amused netizens with his optimistic and down-to-earth attitude after suffering a heavy loss. After his high-value ornamental fish tank burst and killed most of his rare aquatic collection worth over 300,000 yuan (US$44,397), the owner refused to let the dead fish go to waste. Instead, he had two of the deceased premium fish cooked and treated friends to a lavish “hundreds-of-thousands-yuan feast”.

Surveillance footage capturing the moment the fish tank ruptured Photo: Screenshot from media reports

The unusual incident took place in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province. The large fish tank placed in the owner’s office had been in use for five years. After years of aging, the tank’s sealant gradually degraded. When the fully filled container reached its structural limit, it burst open in the early morning, triggering massive water leakage.

According to Du, a close friend of the tank owner, the tank housed an extremely precious collection of rare ornamental fish. The valuable school included eight 60-to-65-centimeter golden and red arowanas, three tiger fish, two black-and-white pearl stingrays and one Satanoperca fish, with the total market value exceeding 300,000 yuan.

Per local news outlet gmw.cn, the tank burst shortly after 6 a.m. With no staff on-site overnight, the accident remained undiscovered until employees arrived for work at around 8 a.m. By that time, all stranded fish had been out of water for hours, and the golden rescue window had long passed. After emergency salvage efforts, only one golden arowana, one black-and-white pearl stingray and three tiger fish survived the accident, while all other rare fish died.

Despite suffering huge financial losses, the owner stayed calm and positive. In a video posted on Douyin, China’s major short-video platform, he shared his pragmatic mindset: “What cannot be saved should not go to waste.” He sent two of the dead premium ornamental fish to a restaurant and invited close friends for a special feast.

Footage shared by the attendees showed the group joking and toasting during the one-of-a-kind dinner, playfully calling it a “meal worth hundreds of thousands of yuan”. They also commented that the fish tasted surprisingly good, turning a heartbreaking loss into a lighthearted gathering. The group raised their glasses to mark the unexpected episode and embrace a fresh start.

Du explained that both he and the owner are long-term aquarium enthusiasts, which helped them stay composed amid the sudden loss. He added that they have no plans to give up their hobby and will restock the tank with new ornamental fish in the future.

The quirky yet heartwarming story has gone viral online, winning widespread praise for the owner’s optimistic outlook. Netizens marveled at his ability to turn a costly misfortune into a memorable feast, commenting that his positive attitude is far more precious than the expensive fish.