Tinder: you either love it or hate it. Or maybe, you have a love-to-hate relationship with it that involves a cycle of downloading when boredom hits and uninstalling when you’re tired of doom swiping. Regardless, if you’ve spent any amount of time swiping, you’ll likely have noticed the fish. I certainly have! Even in the Northern half of British Columbia, Canada, where there are more bears than people, there’s no escaping them.
See, as a 28-year old woman with a full-time job and family obligations, logging on to Tinder is supposed to be enjoyable. A 20-minute escape from the mundane. I’d expect to open my inbox and have quality conversations, and to spend time swiping left and right, matching with handsome strangers who have taken time to post their best photos and fill out their profiles to completion. But what am I greeted with instead?
Fish.
Big fish, little fish, blue fish, brown fish, river fish, ocean fish…every type of fish! Nearly every profile that comes up when I toggle my settings to ‘men who are 19-50 years old’ includes a fish — usually right in the profile photo. Front and center, scales and all. Laying in the outstretched hands of a very proud fisher with a baseball cap. Said fisherman is posed on bent knees in front of some kind of body of water and grinning from ear to ear. A very proud fisher indeed.
But why? What’s so wrong with posting a photo in a bar? Or a selfie that showcases their dimples? Why not post a photo of themselves and their adorable new kitten — or, if they’re trying to stand out, a baby goat? Women these days love baby goats (speaking from personal preference here, guys!).
I’m not the only one that has noticed this trend, fortunately. A 2018 survey from every fisherman’s favorite social platform, Fishbrain, found that an outstanding 1 in 5 men from Florida have fish friends on their profile. In New York, 1 in 20, and in San Francisco, 1 in 10. Fish are clearly a thing.
So, what gives?
Well, we can safely assume that a large portion of males that follow this slimetastic trend just like fish. And since they’re men, and men don’t typically curate their social media photos the way women do, a fish pic just makes sense for them. Simple and easy. Fish pic is better than no pic, right? And yes — this is true. I’d rather swipe right on a fish than a blank profile, but I’d also much rather match with a cute kitty than a dead-eyed fish that’s slowly suffocating while the photo is taken.
Another possible reason for the fish pic phenomenon could be due to evolution.
Yawn, right?
I know, but hear me out.
Evolutionary biology comes into play when we consider “mate selection”, which is the science behind how and why we find others attractive. Going as far back as we can imagine, the men of the world were responsible for providing for the woman in their life. It was up to them to hunt for food. If Dad didn’t go out hunting or had a bad day in the woods, Mom wouldn’t have any meat to cook for the family that night. As time went on, women’s biology started to change, preferring men that were fit and able to go out to the forest and bring home a buck or down to the river to catch a fresh fish for lunch.
Men began to subconsciously understand this, which is how hunting, fishing and building all became classic “men’s jobs”. These jobs meant that the man could provide and, therefore, that he was more attractive.
Although men aren’t the sole providers these days, the biological reasoning that’s hardwired into our brains still exists — even if we aren’t aware that it’s there. But, if we take a few minutes to consider the types of guys that get the most matches, we can see this biology in action.
For example, a man whose photos show him wearing a suit, a fancy watch, and reading in a cafe? This tells our female brains that this guy’s got money and can financially take care of our needs. Now, I’m not saying that we swipe based on a potential matche’s perceived money on purpose, but…the idea that a man will have enough income of his own to pitch in for vacation expenses is pretty nice. Not to mention, every girl appreciates a surprise date night every once in a while!
A fish pic? He has the skills to keep us fed during a famine!
I could do without looking into the eyes of my matche’s latest catch but, if he’s a catch, his fish pic shouldn’t be too much of a problem.
