The Fortune Teller Fish is made of a unique hygroscopic polymer, which is a material that readily takes up and retains water. When the fish absorbs moisture from your palm or other object that contains water, it responds by moving, curling, or even flipping over.

What causes the fortune teller fish to move?

Why does the fish move in the palm of your hand? Because sodium polyacrylate absorbs the water found in the moisture on your hand. As the molecules change shape, so does the shape of the fish. Because some people's hands might be sweatier or moister, the fish will tend to curl or move more in their hands.

Is the Fortune fish living?

Of course the Fortune Telling Fish isn't alive, so, what makes it move the instant it touches your hand? These toys are made of a super-thin, plastic material and they're two-sided. ... The curling movements come from the orientation of the polymer strands in the plastic. This is called the grain of the polymer.