This striped beakfish is a long way from home.

Usually found in Asian coral reefs, it's travelled 8,000 kilometres to the United States.

Wildlife officials in Washington State found the unusual stowaway aboard a Japanese boat that's believed to have been washed ashore with debris from the 2011 tsunami.

The fish appeared to have survived by feeding on marine life in a bait box in the boat.

It's now being studied by scientists at the Seaside Aquarium in Oregon, where it's become a popular attraction for visitors.

(SOUNDBITE)(English) KEITH CHANDLER, SEASIDE AQUARIUM GENERAL MANAGER, SAYING:

"Actually people are pretty fascinated about seeing this fish and the fact that it came all the way over from Japan in the debris, so it has been a pretty cool event."

The tsunami battered the northeast coast of Japan killing more than 19,000 people and sparking a nuclear crisis.