A fish whose life is the precise inverse of Benjamin Button’s might be the key to understanding how our kidneys age.

The African turquoise killifish is a brightly colored fish whose color is almost as startling as the speed of its lifespan. It grows to a very forgettable length of 2.6 inches but, at 14 weeks, has one of the most immediate instances of sexual maturity among creatures with a spine.

For a creature whose life starts and ends in as little as four months, this makes sense — and explains why a team of international researchers turned to this rapidly aging specimen to learn how our kidneys change over time, and how drugs might be able to preserve their function.

Fish kidneys contain some similarities to ours, particularly when it comes to the way they become less effective over time. They lose tiny blood vessels and display damage to the barrier kidneys rely on for filtration. This leads to inflammation and other issues.

Researchers tested a drug typically used to treat heart disease related to diabetes and chronic kidney disease. Known for its protective qualities, researchers wanted to see how the drug impacted the kidneys over an entire, tiny lifespan.

Fish treated with the medicine maintained healthier kidneys over time, with strong filtration barriers and plenty of blood vessels. This suggests the drugs’ benefits surpass just glucose control. There were other benefits, too — the fish showed gene activity that looked like that of younger animals.

Next, scientists hope to explore if the drug can help to repair already-damaged kidneys.

Until then, just keep swimming.