Fact Check: Viral TikTok of Lightning Launching Fish from a Lake Is AI‑Generated

A short TikTok clip that appears to show lightning striking a lake and blasting dozens of fish high into the air is not genuine. The video was posted by the TikTok account @helpsizis on Nov. 23, 2025 and was shared without any disclaimer identifying it as synthetic. The footage shows a lightning-like bolt hitting the water, a sudden vertical spout, and fish arcing toward nearby anglers who show little or no reaction.

What the video shows

The clip presents a rapid sequence: a bright strike at the water surface, a towering spray, and scores of fish launched through the air as anglers stand unfazed. Several near-identical posts from the same account repeat the exact visual sequence but change the cause (a cartoonish explosive, a descending blue orb, or a similar lightning-like flash). These repeated patterns and unlikely details suggest the scenes were composed or generated rather than captured live.

Why this is almost certainly AI‑generated

Multiple features point to synthetic production rather than real footage:

• Repetition: At least four posts from @helpsizis use the same fountain-and-flying-fish sequence with only the initiating element changed, a hallmark of reused AI assets or templates.
• Behavioral inconsistency: The anglers show little to no shock or defensive reaction to an apparent nearby lightning strike — an implausible human response in a real emergency.
• Technical signs: The timing, composition and motion of the spray and flying fish look composited and mechanically repeated across videos.
• No source verification: The posts contain no location, eyewitness accounts, or accompanying verifiable evidence that would support such an extraordinary event.

Official guidance on lightning and fish

National Weather Service — lightning and bodies of water: Bodies of water are frequently struck by lightning. Most of the electrical discharge occurs near the water's surface, and many fish swim below that surface layer, so they often are not killed by a strike. Nevertheless, lightning is dangerous for swimmers and boaters during a thunderstorm.

That guidance explains why a single lightning strike is unlikely to produce the dramatic fountain-and-mass-launch of fish shown in the video. Even if a strike causes surface disturbance, the broad, high spouts and coordinated airborne fish sequences seen in the clip are inconsistent with how lightning interacts with water and aquatic life.

Bottom line

The viral "lightning launches fish" clip originated from an account known for AI-created animal scenes and displays repeated, improbable visual elements that indicate synthetic editing or generative content. There is no credible evidence the footage captures a real lightning strike producing the depicted fountain and airborne fish. Treat the clip as fabricated and be cautious about sharing it as real.