'Rare' tropical fish washes up on Oregon coast

July 20 (UPI) -- An Oregon aquarium said a colorful, 100-pound fish that washed up in the state is known as an opah fish and is "rare to the Oregon coast."

The Seaside Aquarium said the 3.5-foot fish, which is also known as a moonfish, washed up on Sunset Beach in Seaside, far from its usual home in the more temperate waters of the tropics.

The fish has a round, flat body that made for an unusual sight on the beach, experts said.

"They're pretty cool fish, and we don't normally see them on the shore," Seaside Aquarium General Manager Keith Chandler told CNN. "It was pretty exciting for locals."

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said researchers still don't know much about opah fish, because they are normally found deep in the ocean.

Chandler said the fish appears to have been on the beach for less than an hour before it was reported to the aquarium.

"Unfortunately, it washed up not living, but we got to it before the birds," he said.

He said the fish is being kept frozen until it can be dissected by researchers in partnership with the Columbia River Maritime Museum.