One of the funniest running gags in The Far Side is when animals behave like humans, a frequent occurrence in the zany world Gary Larson created. Among these animals, fish stand out as a recurring favorite of Larson's, often given the human treatment in his famous and beloved work.

At first glance, fish may not seem like the most captivating animals, especially when compared to more exotic creatures like flamingos or majestic lions. However, The Far Side has always had a knack for finding hidden comedic gold in the most unexpected places, and fish are no exception. Whether it’s a humble household goldfish or a cleverly named sucker fish couple, the comic strip brings these aquatic creatures to life by having them engage in human-like behaviors and activities. This quirky take on fish has delighted readers for years, offering a fresh and often hilarious perspective on the everyday lives of these seemingly simple animals.

10 "That's Not Funny, Malcolm!"

First Published: August 6, 1981

The Far Side is no stranger to depicting the annoyances that parents sometimes have to deal with from their children. True to The Far Side’s style, reality is flipped, with fish taking on very human characteristics during a mother-son squabble. The fish mother is very upset with her child, Malcolm, because he keeps floating belly-up to the surface.

Imitating a dead fish by floating belly-up, Malcolm would be in big trouble if his mom ever catches him doing it again. In Malcolm’s mom’s defense, if the owner saw Malcolm faking his life status by pretending to be belly-up, he could end up being thrown in the trash. So, one really can’t fault mom for reproaching her son, just as any mother—human or fish—would.

9 "We All Made It Out In Time"

First Published: October 19, 1988

Three fish find themselves looking at the inside of their house inexplicably on fire, relieved that they all managed to escape before getting hurt. However, now that they are outside the fishbowl and without the water they need to survive, they realize they are in serious trouble. The reader never learns what caused the fishbowl to catch on fire, which adds to the already surreal nature of the comic, especially with the talking, upright-standing fish.

The suspense builds as the fish are left homeless and without water in sight, creating a tense moment to see what will happen next. These fish display the very human trait of being able to plan and think ahead to avoid danger, but, as this comic shows, they didn’t think far enough into the future.

8 "The Entire Basement Looks Dry!"

First Published: December 10, 1990

Typically, a wet basement would be a problem because it indicates a leak or water seeping into the house. However, for fish, the opposite is true—it would be a serious issue if their basement were dry, as their homes need to be wet at all costs to survive. In this scenario, some fish find themselves facing a home repair crisis when they look at their basement and are horrified to see it completely dry, immediately demanding that someone fix the problem.

By placing these concerned fish in an otherwise mundane situation, The Far Side cleverly inverts a common human concern to fit the fish world. While the fish may worry about their dry basement, they’re likely to have it back to its usual wet state in no time.

7 "You're A Cold Fish, Raymond"

First Published: December 2, 1991

With two fish together in a fishbowl, one would think they would provide each other with some nice company. Yet, this is not the case, as evidenced by a very fishy Far Side comic strip. One fish remarks to his roommate, Raymond, who is encased in a block of ice, that he is a "cold fish." Calling someone a "cold fish" is an insult, referring to someone who is unfriendly or unwilling to be vulnerable or open.

In this case, Raymond the fish manages to embody both definitions of a "cold fish," as he is literally encased in ice while his fish roommate doesn't seem to get along with him too well. Gary Larson was a master of wordplay, and this double meaning of "cold fish" paired with a visual gag is a perfect example of The Far Side's brilliance.

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6 "More Worms?"

First Published: April 30, 1987

In this comic, a fish hands her husband a nice platter of worms, seeming very sweet to him, who is shocked to see he's receiving even more worms. Little does he realize that the worms are attached to hooks, revealing that the wife fish has some devious plans up her gills.

There are definitely some marital troubles brewing for these two fish, a situation that mirrors very human issues, as reflected in the wife's insistence on giving her husband more worms. By creating a double indemnity-like scene with fish as the main characters, The Far Side crafts a dark yet humorous comic that feels familiar to audiences familiar with similar plotlines, while still being incredibly weird due to the species of the characters.

5 "You Had To Encourage Them To Take Thirds, Didn't You?"

First Published: February 18, 1985

A fish couple invites their friends, the Parkers, over for dinner, as fish tend to do. However, after one of the fish encourages the Parkers to have a third helping of the entrée of the night—fish food—the dinner guests go belly up. There’s bound to be an argument between the two fish, as one blames the other for the death of their friends by pushing them to have thirds.

People warn against overfeeding fish, and this comic strip provides a stark reminder of the dangers of overfeeding, even in The Far Side. Much like humans have friends over for dinner, these fish do as well. However, one can only hope the outcome is much happier for human counterparts who have company over and overeat.

4 "Sucker Fish At Home"

First Published: September 26, 1988

A pair of sucker fish criticize each other for spending an outrageous amount of money on magic writing utensils and severely overpriced toasters. Both "suckers," as in easily fooled individuals, and the specific species of fish called sucker fish, these particular sucker fish from The Far Side, could use some advice on scams. The situation at home in The Far Side doesn’t seem like a relaxing time for either of them, as they bicker like a human couple, complete with cozy armchairs.

Paying $5,000 for a toaster is outrageous and certainly deserving of the "sucker fish" moniker. Even worse, one of the fish paid $10,000 for a magic pen and pencil, making them extremely gullible. Rather than arguing with each other about falling for different scams, they could stand to gain some street smarts instead.

3 "Embedded in Styrofoam Shoes"

First Published: July 6, 1988

A fish must have gotten on the wrong side of someone because Carl the fish is given styrofoam shoes to put on his feet, which take him to the surface to "sleep with the humans." This plays on the old phrase "sleeping with the fishes," which refers to drowning someone, typically used in reference to people who get involved in organized crime, especially the mafia.

This The Far Side comic strip imagines a fish version of that phrase. The styrofoam helps the fish float directly to the surface quickly, but it's a disaster for the fish, who will be unable to breathe on land among the humans. As a result, the fish version of the negative consequences for getting involved in shady situations requires styrofoam rather than the usual human method of cement blocks.

2 "Goldfish Little Brothers"

First Published: August 1, 1986

When goldfish Cindy has a blind date pick her up from their castle house, her mischievous little brother calls out to her that her date is here and that he has super buggy eyes. It's a very human occurrence for a girl's little brothers to cause trouble when her date arrives, in this case, at a castle inside a fishbowl.

Little brothers, gilled or otherwise, seem to make it their job to give a hard time to their sister's date—a universal concept according to The Far Side. Furthermore, having buggy eyes is a standout quality both for fish and humans, something the goldfish in this comic strip make very clear, even if it's right in front of the date in question. Hopefully, the buggy-eyed fish has some thick skin to handle these goldfish little brothers.

1 "Spawning"

First Published: September 23, 1987

The Far Side shows a scenario of a school of fish (literally) coming together, with a committee to boot, to decide whether spawning should be taught in school. Riffing on the seemingly human-exclusive debate of whether sex education should be taught in schools or be a parental responsibility at home, The Far Side offers its own version of the debate, relevant to the water-dwelling animals of the world.

Spawning is the fish equivalent of how babies are made, and it's a hot topic among the fish parents in The Far Side. This comic strip wouldn't be the first time The Far Side has taken societal hot-button issues or current events and flipped them into a kooky, upside-down version of the world, replacing humans with fish.