There is something instantly cheerful about a paper fish with a wide fan tail — it is one of those shapes that reads as "underwater" even before you add eyes or scales. This version keeps things friendly: no tricky sinks, no colour-change folds, just a clean chain of valley creases that a beginner can follow confidently and a child can finish without help.

It is also a wonderfully reusable model. Fold one large and it becomes a card decoration; fold a dozen small ones in bright paper and string them up, and suddenly you have a shoal for a mobile or a classroom wall. Try adding a tiny eye with a pen, or use striped paper so the fins and tail look like they belong to a real reef fish. Give yourself a sheet around 15 cm and follow along — the first surprise arrives when the flat shape opens into a body with real depth.

Tropical fish are among the friendliest origami subjects: one square sheet, a short chain of simple creases, and you have a little creature ready to swim off the page. Follow the photo guide below — each of the steps shows exactly where to crease next.

How to Fold a Tropical Fish

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STEP 14. Adjust the body, tail and fins so the fish sits nicely. Your origami tropical fish is complete.