In an unusual incident, a black neon tetra inadvertently caused its owner's credit card to be charged during a livestream event. The owner, known for using motion-tracking software, allowed the fish's movements to control Nintendo Switch inputs, enabling it to 'play' video games.
In a remarkable feat, the fish previously completed Pokemon Sapphire, a task that typically takes a human about 30 hours, in 3,195 hours. On January 14, 2023, while playing Pokémon Violet, the software crashed after 1,144 hours, inadvertently giving the fish access to the main menu.
Once in the menu, the fish's movements triggered inputs that led to the addition of 500 yen to the owner's account. This mishap revealed the owner's credit card details during the livestream. The pet owner later requested a refund for the unexpected purchase from Nintendo.
Adding to the absurdity, the fish also managed to download an N64 emulator, set up a PayPal account, utilized reward points to purchase an avatar, and even changed the owner's Nintendo account name. After about seven hours of its antics, the fish's movements finally halted the Switch.
This incident has drawn attention from various media outlets, which humorously labeled the black neon tetra as having committed credit card fraud.
