Dreaming of fish
Fish in a dream stand in a striking number of traditions for something favourable: abundance, prosperity, fertility or faith. Whether the fish was alive or dead, and whether you caught it or let it go, usually decides the reading.
Interpret your own dreamWhy you dream about this
Fish live in a world we cannot see well: beneath the surface of the water. That is why in many dreams they are an image of what is hidden and rises up, an idea, a feeling or something that only shows itself later. Water often stands for feeling in dreams, and a fish is then something living in that feeling.
At the same time fish is food, and in many cultures an image of abundance. Someone who dreams of catching a lot of fish often already feels in the dream that something good is coming in. A dead fish, or fish that stinks, evokes the opposite: something that has gone bad or lost its life.
What stands out is how favourably fish are read across very different traditions. In the Chinese tradition the word for fish sounds like the word for surplus, and fish stand for abundance. In Christianity the fish is one of the oldest signs of faith. In Judaism Jacob blesses his grandsons that they will multiply like fish. And in classical Islamic interpretation fish often stand for money or provision.
So someone who dreams of a fish can look carefully at three things: was the fish alive, what did you do with it, and how did it feel?
What it means in each tradition
The same dream. 7 traditions. 7 different ways of seeing it.
Zhou Gong
In the Chinese tradition fish is one of the most favourable dream images. The word for fish, yu, sounds like the word for surplus. A fish in a dream therefore stands for abundance: more than enough.
Read the full Zhou Gong interpretation →Christian
The fish is one of the oldest Christian signs. Jesus called his disciples fishers of men, and early Christians drew a fish as a secret sign of recognition. A fish in a dream is often read in the tradition as faith, calling or abundance.
Read the full Christian interpretation →Islamic
In classical Islamic interpretation fish often stand for money or provision, the rizq God gives. The Quran also tells of two remarkable fish: that of the prophet Yunus and that of Musa.
Read the full Islamic interpretation →Jewish
In Judaism the fish is an image of fertility and protection. Jacob blesses his grandsons that they will multiply like fish, and the Talmud says that fish, hidden under water, are not touched by the evil eye.
Read the full Jewish interpretation →Santería
In Santería the sea and its fish belong to Yemayá, the orisha of the sea and motherhood. Her name is often explained as mother whose children are the fish. A fish in a dream is therefore often connected with Yemayá, motherhood and abundance in Santería readings.
Read the full Santería interpretation →Hindu
In Hinduism the fish recalls Matsya, the first of Vishnu's ten avatars, who saved Manu from the great flood. In many families a fish in a dream is read favourably: protection, abundance, and sometimes the news of a child.
Read the full Hindu interpretation →Winti
In Winti, fish belong to the water world, the domain of the watra winti and the watra mama. And in many Surinamese families it is said that a fish dream means someone close is pregnant. Dreamkin reads both as context, not as prediction.
Read the full Winti interpretation →These differences are not opinions about one another. Each tradition reads a dream from within its own worldview, and that worldview decides what an image carries.
Common dreams about fish
Catching a lot of fish
Favourable in almost every tradition: abundance, prosperity or something good coming in.
A dead or stinking fish
Something that has gone bad or lost its strength. Often read as a worry or an opportunity being lost.
A goldfish
In the Chinese tradition an image of gold and abundance. Elsewhere often something precious you cherish.
A big fish swallowing you
Recalls Jonah or Yunus: a hard period that you nevertheless come out of.
A fish swimming away
An opportunity or idea slipping away, or something you may let go.
What does your dream mean?
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Write your dream in the appFrequently asked questions
Is dreaming of fish a good sign?
In most traditions it is: fish stand for abundance, prosperity or faith. A dead or spoiled fish is read less favourably.
Does dreaming of fish mean I will get pregnant?
In the Chinese tradition fish is a well-known image in dreams that announce a child, and in Judaism an image of fertility. It is a possible reading, not a prediction.
What does a dead fish in a dream mean?
Usually something that has lost its strength: an opportunity being lost, or a worry about money or health.