This viral footage shows a lively koi fish apparently dancing as it zooms around its pond with its head out of the water.

The CCTV video shows a number of fish swimming around in the pond in Heyuan, in China’s south-eastern Guangdong Province, at around 2:30pm on Monday, 11th March.

One of them, a large white koi with orange stripes, suddenly broke out of its usual routine and raised its head above the water.

It began flapping and moving its front two fins out of the water as if it were dancing to some song.

Its owner, not named, told local media: “I’ve been raising it for seven or eight years, and it’s the fattest one. It often jumps like this, I don’t know why.”

The odd performance garnered widespread attention on Douyin, China’s TikTok. Receiving more than 580,000 likes, over 78,000 comments and 816,000 shares.

A user titled ‘crayfish’ commented: “This fish has a mind of its own.”

And ‘Fruit grains’ joked: “It just wants to exercise and lose weight.”

While ‘Mo Ying’ suggested there might be a different reason for its behaviour, saying. “There are parasites in its gills.”

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Many others agreed and said it needs to be treated, although it is unclear if the owner has already explored that option.

Koi fish are a colourful and ornamental variety of domesticated carp that are popular in outdoor ponds and water gardens.

Originally from Japan, they are known for their vibrant colours, intricate patterns, and graceful swimming movements.

Koi come in a wide range of colours including red, orange, yellow, white, and black. With various combinations and patterns such as spots, stripes, and patches. They are highly adaptable and can thrive in a variety of water conditions.