Here is the story of the Matsya avatar of Vishnu in the Vishnu Purana:
In the Satya Yuga, the world was becoming increasingly corrupt and sinful. The gods decided to flood the earth to cleanse it and start over. Vishnu took the form of a fish and appeared to Manu, who was a pious and righteous man. Vishnu told Manu to build a boat and gather two of every animal on earth. When the flood came, Manu and the animals boarded the boat and were saved.
The fish then led the boat to a mountaintop, where it grew to its full size. Vishnu then revealed himself to Manu and told him that he had been saved because of his piety. Vishnu then instructed Manu to repopulate the earth.
Here is a more detailed version of the story:
Once upon a time, there was a king named Manu who was very pious and righteous. He was also a great devotee of Vishnu. One day, while Manu was performing his morning ablutions in the river, he saw a small fish that was caught in a fisherman’s net. Manu took pity on the fish and released it back into the river.
The fish was grateful to Manu for saving it, and it revealed its true form to him. The fish was actually Vishnu, and he told Manu that a great flood was coming that would destroy the world. Vishnu instructed Manu to build a boat and gather two of every animal on earth.
Manu followed Vishnu’s instructions, and he built a large boat. He filled the boat with two of every animal, and then he boarded the boat himself. The flood soon came, and the boat was swept away by the raging waters.
The fish swam alongside the boat and guided it to safety. The floodwaters eventually subsided, and the boat came to rest on a mountaintop. The fish then grew to its full size, and Vishnu revealed himself to Manu.
Vishnu told Manu that he had been saved because of his piety. He then instructed Manu to repopulate the earth. Manu and the animals disembarked from the boat, and they began to repopulate the earth.
The Matsya avatar is a reminder that Vishnu is always there to protect those who are pious and righteous. It is also a reminder that the world is cyclical, and that there will always be a time for cleansing and renewal.
Maha Vishnu 
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