May Birth Fish Calendar
Early summer opens the freshwater season alongside the sea: of May's 14 species, look for Common carp, Conger eel, Pen shell, and Mantis shrimp. The Common carp, traditionally linked with the carp streamers of May, is the birth fish for May 5.
Our birth fish are an independently compiled system: our editors prefer species whose peak season (shun) includes each date, and the roster embraces seafood of every kind — crustaceans, shellfish, and cephalopods included, alongside a few river fish. Other sites may assign different fish; this page follows one mapping throughout.
Find your date's fish — its fish words suit the green season's gifts.
What is the birth fish of May?
May's birth fish include Common carp, Conger eel, Mantis shrimp, and Pen shell — all at their peak. In our calendar, each of the 31 days of May has its own fish.
May birth fish (31 days)
All 31 days of May, with birth fish, fish words, categories, and peak-season months. Fish words are examples. Season notes and more detail are on each day's page.
| Date | Birth fish | Fish words | Category | Peak season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5/1 |  Common carp | success, dragon | freshwater fish | May |
| 5/2 |  Largescale blackfish | waves, rock king | sea fish | May, Nov |
| 5/3 | Common carp | success, dragon | freshwater fish | May |
| 5/4 |  Conger eel | persistence, craft | sea fish | May, Jul |
| 5/5 | Common carp | success, dragon | freshwater fish | May |
| 5/6 | Largescale blackfish | waves, rock king | sea fish | May, Nov |
| 5/7 | Conger eel | persistence, craft | sea fish | May, Jul |
| 5/8 |  Stonefish relative | sting, omen | sea fish | May |
| 5/9 |  Masu salmon (juvenile) | stream, origin | freshwater fish | May |
| 5/10 |  Pen shell | sail, whiteness | shellfish | May |
| 5/11 |  Mantis shrimp | seasonality, craft | crustacean | May |
| 5/12 |  Willowy flounder | pattern, early summer | sea fish | May, Jun |
| 5/13 |  Golden cuttlefish | pattern, thunder | cephalopod | May, Jun |
| 5/14 |  Rainbow trout | rainbow, clarity | freshwater fish | May, Oct |
| 5/15 |  Crucian carp | detachment, resilience | freshwater fish | May, Oct |
| 5/16 | Conger eel | persistence, craft | sea fish | May, Jul |
| 5/17 |  Japanese eel | vigor, aspiration | freshwater fish | Jul |
| 5/18 | Masu salmon (juvenile) | stream, origin | freshwater fish | May |
| 5/19 | Largescale blackfish | waves, rock king | sea fish | May, Nov |
| 5/20 | Pen shell | sail, whiteness | shellfish | May |
| 5/21 | Mantis shrimp | seasonality, craft | crustacean | May |
| 5/22 | Crucian carp | detachment, resilience | freshwater fish | May, Oct |
| 5/23 | Willowy flounder | pattern, early summer | sea fish | May, Jun |
| 5/24 | Stonefish relative | sting, omen | sea fish | May |
| 5/25 | Rainbow trout | rainbow, clarity | freshwater fish | May, Oct |
| 5/26 | Golden cuttlefish | pattern, thunder | cephalopod | May, Jun |
| 5/27 | Stonefish relative | sting, omen | sea fish | May |
| 5/28 | Japanese eel | vigor, aspiration | freshwater fish | Jul |
| 5/29 |  Indo-Pacific black marlin | sword, charge | sea fish | Jun, Jul |
| 5/30 | Pen shell | sail, whiteness | shellfish | May |
| 5/31 |  Japanese whiting | agility, shoreline | sea fish | Jun, Jul |
The May seafood season
May mixes river and sea. The Common carp and Crucian carp — freshwater fish at their seasonal best — are traditionally associated with the month's Children's Day, while from the sea comes Conger eel, said to be at its best before summer deepens.
Shellfish and crustaceans keep pace: the Pen shell lists May among its peak months, and the Mantis shrimp's fishing season is said to be at its best now. The Golden cuttlefish, a cephalopod whose peak straddles May and June, bridges the two months.
How to enjoy May birth fish
- Choose by fish words: detachment and resilience, words given to the Crucian carp, add an unexpected note to a card.
- Taste the season: river fish are traditionally met as shioyaki, and Pen shell suits a light nimono.
- Pair it with the birthday color: fresh-green colors beside the day's fish make a breezy gift.
- For gifts and cards: a carp birthday card for a Children's Day baby almost writes itself.
FAQ
- What is the birth fish of May?
- May's birth fish include Common carp, Conger eel, Mantis shrimp, and Pen shell. Every day of May has its own fish in our calendar.
- What fish is assigned to May 15?
- May 15 is the Crucian carp, a freshwater fish at its spring peak. Its fish words are detachment and resilience — a quietly philosophical pair.
- How is a birth fish different from a birth flower or star?
- Flowers and stars are given by day. Birth fish are given by day too, but their marker is the season: a date's fish is a species whose peak season (shun) includes it.
- Why do birth fish differ between sites?
- There is no official standard for birth fish — each site builds its own list. Ours is compiled under one published rule, so the assignments stay consistent month to month and year to year.
Our birth fish are an original editorial system: each date is paired with a species whose peak season (shun) includes it. The list includes seafood — crustaceans, shellfish, and cephalopods — plus freshwater fish; there is no official standard. Details in our editorial policy.Editorial policy