Lucky iron fish are fish-shaped cast iron ingots used to provide dietary supplementation of iron to individuals affected by iron-deficiency anemia. The ingots are placed in a pot of boiling water to leach elemental iron into the water and food. They were developed in 2008 by Canadian health workers in Cambodia, and in 2012 a company, The Lucky Iron Fish Project, was formed to develop the iron fish on a larger scale, promote them among rural areas, and distribute them to non-governmental organization partners.
Research published in 2017 found that the iron ingot had no effect on anemia caused by factors other than iron deficiency. It was therefore not recommended for use in Cambodia and other countries where the majority of anaemia is not due to iron deficiency and the prevalence of genetic hemoglobin disorders is high.[1]