Dreams about fish – what do they mean? (dream interpretation fish, whale, killer whale, shark, sea creatures)
Interpretation of fish in dreams (whales, sharks). The ocean is often a symbol of a deep layer within our unconscious (in addition, see water as a symbol), which is why fish – and other sea creatures – can be interpreted as an expression of the content that exists within our subconscious.
The species of the fish – and how close to the water’s surface this species live – can tell you something about how deep within the layers of your subconscious the dream originated from, and overall what the fish in your dream is a symbol of.
Most fishes are a part of the human diet and as an extension of that; fishes in dreams are often seen as a symbol of psychic nutrition (in addition, see food).
In many parts of the world, the fish has a direct link to Jesus – as an example; in the U.S.A. it’s not uncommon to see a car with a sticker of a fish plastered onto its rear. A sticker saying, “I believe in Jesus Christ”.
Since the fish has its origins in the deeper layers of our psyche and can at the same time be interpreted as a strong symbol of psychic (spiritual) nutrition, dreams about fish can be seen as signs of renewal or outright rebirth.
–
When trying to understand your dreams it is important to know that your dreams are… your dreams. As such, you are the best person to figure out the true meaning of your dreams.
However, it is important to learn how to generally approach your dreams. Dream dictionaries like this one are only a supplement, and if you want to fully utilize the potential of your dreams, you should start at a different place.
My online course “Unlock your DREAMlife” gives you a great foundation for understanding (and recalling) your dreams.
–
If you dream about a fish that appears to be special, as in possessing a special appearance (positive) or perhaps is even glowing, it can be a symbol of the self, the person you are deep inside, and the person you have a chance to become, if you free yourself from the various thoughts and structures hampering you.
I once dreamt a dream about a very colorful and extremely gleaming fish, struggling to breathe as the seawater it was lying in was dirty and contaminated.
To me it was, back then, a symbol of a near extinct musicality and creativity that otherwise were a huge part of me (a part of my sense of self). Today I also see it as a symbol of the near extinct spirituality I felt as well.
If you dream about being eaten by a large fish or a whale it can be a symbol that your life is currently being consumed by your unconscious, that you more or less have given up because your life lacks conscious control. As such you’re very unconscious about your thoughts, conversations and actions.
You could also be going trough a phase where you’re experiencing many depressive thoughts. At the same time it may be necessary for you to experience this, so that you afterwards can be “spit out again” and be reborn.
Similarly to the widespread myth about Jonah and the whale, wherein the whale saves Jonah’s life by swallowing him and when it spits him out again later he’s greeted by a new and better life.)
The species of the fish/sea creature can also tell you something concrete. Sharks and killer whales are typically aggressive predators – and they can be a symbol of strong destructive forces within you.
It can be either something that’s “eating you up” from the inside, or be representative of some very strong and uncontrollable emotions – that for example could be tied to jealousy, envy or unconscious anger – which you direct towards people in your waking life without knowing why.
On the other hand, dolphins are known for their empathy (the ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes) and ability to communicate.
Dream dictionaries are a very helpful tool when interpreting dreams. However, generally learning how to approach your dreams, will give you a better foundation for understanding them. My online course “Unlock your DREAMlife” teaches you how to much better utilize – recall and understand – your dreams.
Also read: Why I no longer interpret dreams for free
Return to the index of dream themes and symbols:
Dream interpretation A-Z ↵
NOTE: Interpreting dreams isn’t always easy and if you dream about fish it’ll almost certainly mean something different to you than it does to others dreaming of fish (or other sea creatures). A good way of knowing whether or not a given interpretation of your dream is correct, is if you feel moved by the interpretation, and can feel it in your gut – that you can see it making a lot of sense in your life at the moment.
I dreamt I was asleep in my beach chair on the shore and when I woke up next to me was a large brownish/dark goldish fish opening and closing its mouth and trying to breathe. I got up and took the big fish with both hands in my arms as it was heavy, walked it back to the ocean, placed it down near the water where the waves were coming crashing out and helped the fish regain its strength to swim then let it swim back to the ocean when he was ready. I remember caressing the fish the whole time he was trying to revive itself. I wonder what does it mean.
E.K.
I had a dream, i was at the window looking at the blue water and saw 2 big mammals swimming on it.
I just had a dream that I got on a type of small boat and went out in the ocean, not too far but far enough. We were looking and saw a baby or young orca, the boat changed into a donut like shape and basically told me to jump in and attempt to swim with the whale. The young orca was alone, the dream felt real, so just as if this were a real experience I was of course scared to swim next to or near the orca (it was at night and I couldn’t see that well, but well enough to clearly see the baby whale swimming happily/curiously) but I was also very curious and intrigued. My zodiac is a Pisces sun, Cancer moon, Scorpio rising. All three water signs and I have also always felt a deep longing or calling to the ocean, like it’s my happy place, a place where all my worries disappear. I woke up overwhelmed with good feelings.
I dreamt this morning that I was on a high cliff overlooking beautiful bodies of water. I looked down below and I saw a giant fish like a whale. I grabbed my cell phone to take a video but could not get it to work. I got someone’s attention to look at the whale and as I looked closer, it looked more like a a giant gar, the same size as a whale and swam into a protective cave.
I am sorry to inform you that I currently don’t help out here, as I am focusing fully on the completion of my next book. You can try asking this one major question with regards to the dream; how might this dream in any way be relevant for my waking life? I can however offer to help you in a private session (with payment), please see more here. Best regards – Michael
I had a dream that I was by the ocean standing on a top of a building with my youngest son in a car. My son and I haven’t been on such good terms and in my dream he doesn’t want to be with me so I look over at the ocean and I see a whale swimming by. I get so excited and i grab my son and tell him to look and he doesn’t really want to but when he does he gets excited but all of the sudden the water starts to rise and then theres huge waves and they’re splashing on to the building and all of the sudden theres huge sea animals all over the building and waves are getting bigger so we hurry up and leave. Then I go to where my family is, not close relatives but for some reason I’m on vacation with them. I tried telling them about the water but it doesnt seem to be an issue there. After a while we all knew the water was rising so we all tried leaving. We all get in our cars and now we’re in a parking lot but again its along the ocean and I see a whale again and admire it again but then again the waves start getting bigger and animals start coming over and I’m scared they’re going to eat us and I’m also scared of drowning so we try to drive off as fast as possible but its slow motion. All of the sudden, I meet a woman and I love her and we leave walking together holding hands. And even though I’m not gay, in my dream I was in love with her and as we were walking away holding hands, I knew that I would never be affectionate with her around people because I wouldn’t want them to know that I’m gay. And then I woke up.
I dream about a Destructive looking whale like creature with red stripes in its body, and it almost swallow me then i wake up, it didnt swallow me just almost before i wake up
Hi James, what an interesting dream! Did you read the blogpost above? There is a small section on the story of Jonah and the whale – of how the whale swollows Jonah, he stays there for some time in the dark, but then comes again – reborn. The image here is how the whale could represent the unconscious itself – and how we then for a period might be totally overtaken by it (unconciously!) i.e. – our unconscious (typically fears, anxiety – but could also be opposite feelings) is controlling us fully. You might be in a period where you are held captive by your unconscious. Another angle – given the red stripes – might be that the whale symbolizes corona (the virus) -and thus how you feel threatened by the virus / this fear has taken over. Just ideas. Best – Michael
Last night i dreamt that one small killer fish (like piranha) came in my house from ceiling and attacked on my friend’s thumb. And then it teleported from the exact same place it came from. We then went to see my mother who was knitting sweater in her room. Then I realised that we all are under the sea. I asked her to kill any kind of fish and suddenly we spotted a large group of those fishes and 3 wolves coming towards us. I noticed that the life-cycle of these fishes are very small and we have to just escape from these fishes for few minutes. Then suddenly I woke up near a beach where I saw one of my college batchmate who just transformed into human body from a fish. Does this mean anything or is it just a shitty dream?
I had bad dream, like I was sitting on rock around 200ft above sea level, there were large fish like sharks, whales and I was constantly feared of falling into it and thinking those mammals will eat me….
I dreamt of a huge shark whale on tv near an island near land. Horses and cars would be able to drive and ride on its back and it seemed happy but if a helicopter flew near it would leave as if it was scared… I laugh in my dream and turn off the tv to lay down.
I just had a dream that I was deep sea night fishing. There were some other people there but they weren’t like shown as important in my dream, the only person I remembered and recognized was my older brother. We all took a break and we’re swimming and snorkeling with hammer head sharks, reef sharks, and dolphins. When I climbed back in the boat I couldn’t find my brother, and the other people were telling me we had to go. I kept telling them to wait to hold on for a little bit longer, that he would appear, we just have to wait for him. Then they said that they couldn’t wait any longer and that it was time to go and to make sure I couldn’t mess anything up or stop them from leaving, they were restraining me and I was screaming for them to stop, I was screaming that we couldn’t leave him. Then when we got far enough away, they let me go, and I felt like my heart had been ripped from my chest, and I looked out to the water and started crying and then I woke up. And immediately was short of breath, panicked, and still felt that weight in my chest. I’m not gonna lie and say I didn’t shed a tear or 2.
I had a dream that i was in the ocean in a submarine and that the group i was with one person opened the door . The water stayed and did not come into the submarine as if there were a glass door .I could see the clear water and the large sharks and hammer head sharks fish whales swimming around . I felt scared once someone in the the group decided to walk twoards the water at the entrance. I told the person dont touch it but they didnt listen. Touched it and the water started coming into the submarine like a river . I was terrified because of the sharks even though i seen they were swiming calm. Then i woke up.
I had a beautiful dream of me in a Asian country where the beautiful huge fishes live and you can see through the cristal blue water they were pacific and amazing beautiful what is that?
it was a a small fish and I’m sure of it but people in my dream called it a snake. it was not in water and someone put it in a small aquarium but it jumped out as he left. it was jumping close to me and I panicked. It did not have any difficulties despite being dry. I hope for an interpretation on this.
In a recent dream I had, myself and my cousins who I am close to turned into whales and other water sea creatures and we were swimming around the dark ocean. Any ideas of what that could represent?
I keep dreaming my young son is trying to be taken by a horrid ugly shark like fish
I had a dream in where I was at a lake and I was trying to escape but there were many lemons around me and I jumped into the lake and there were sharks and large snakes and I had to get out on to land and jump back in and then a man saved me he was on a killer whale and i had to hold on to the whale and he took me to safety and then my toe was broken and i realized the shark had bitten me and went to the hospital where the cast from my favorite show were there and then I woke up
I have been dreaming a three whale shark, a big one and two baby whale shark.. they are kind and sweet in my dream. I have been playing with them in the water hugging,holding,swimming with them and have a wonderful bond.. I didn’t see my dream here. Please can interpret this for me
Hi Diana – what a wonderful dream! Since I do not know you, or anything about your life situation for that matter, I can only respond to the dream content, without relating to your actual (inner and outer) life situation. In extension to the blogpost above, one angle could be how you right now are coming to terms with /have a balanced relationship to inner more aggressive/predator-like sides of yourself. Sides that are in no way wrong (I wish we all were better able to use those sides, i.e. respons when we are “attacked”, stand up for ourselves etc). Best regards – Michael
Just commented however spelled the fish wrong the name was Arapaima
I had a dream of a large fish in a lake juimping as a dolphin would at but at night. The fish glowed in the dark. I believe the fish was a parama. Beacuse in my dream a Lady told me it was. She was also showing me a beautiful home.
When ever my dad (since deceased) had a dream about fish someone in the family was unknowingly pregnant, he would announce the next morning “someone’s pregnant ” and sure enough someone found out they were.
he once announced someone will have a miscarriage because he had a dream of fish swimming in blood….few days later a close family friend had a miscarriage. How can this be explained?
I myself have had symbolic dreams that come true.