Blobfish – interesting facts about this strangely shaped fish

The poor blobfish, doomed to look like he’s wearing a Halloween mask all year round. This deep sea dweller is affixed with a permanent scowl, and is basically a loose, gelatinous sack. It was even named the World’s Ugliest Animal in 2013 — poor guy! But these blobfish facts will make you appreciate this sea creature.

What is a blobfish?

A blobfish (Psychrolutes Marcidus) is a deep sea fish in the Psychrolutidae fish family. They have a large head and a rounded body. Due to their unique appearance they are called the ugliest fish in the ocean.

Blobfish Facts You Need to Know

How much do you know about this somewhat scary-looking, yet perfectly harmless, fish? Here are nine interesting facts about the blobfish.

1. They’re native to Oceania

Blobfish are native to the the waters off Australia and New Zealand, where they bob along the sea floor, scooping up any unsuspecting small creatures that cross their path. They live at average depths of 3,000 feet. Here, the water is just above freezing temperature.

2. Their diet consists of crustaceans

Their diet consists of small crustaceans like crabs, sea urchins, and shellfish. The blobfish sucks these goodies into its mouth as it floats along. A blobfish’s diet is mostly small nuggets: small snail-like mollusks that live in the deep sea. They are very slow movers, making them easy to catch for the blobfish.

Lacking both bones and teeth, they do not actively hunt. In fact, their extremely low muscle mass doesn’t allow for much movement at all. Besides eating, conserving energy is the blobfish’s main job.

3. They grow to about 12 inches long and control their buoyancy

The blobfish lacks the swim bladder found in most species of fish, an air sac that allows the fish to adjust and control buoyancy.

4. Blobfish have predators

The biggest predator to blobfish are fishermen, who catch them by accident when fishing in the deep sea. Fishermen are unfortunately driving the species towards extinction.

5. Blobfish don’t have teeth

After seeing the blobfish, you’ve probably wondered: “Do blobfish have teeth?” The answer is: No! Blobfish do not have any teeth. It is very unlikely that you will ever come face to face with a blobfish due to them living at such deep depths of the ocean, but if you ever did you would not have to worry about being bitten.

6. Blobfish do not have bones or muscles

They are made up of a jelly-like substance that makes them look like a normal fish at depth. But this is because of the intense pressure so deep. When you bring one to the surface, it turns into a limp, floppy mass. This is why it’s often called ugly.

7. Female blobfish lay eggs

The female lays thousands of small pink eggs on the seafloor. Either the female or male blobfish will sit on the eggs to protect them from predators.

8. The blobfish’s appearance changes above the water

One of our favorite blobfish facts is that at their native depth, the blobfish has a more “normal” appearance. At the surface, without the water pressure to hold their shape, they appear to melt into a puddle of goo.

9. The blobfish could be at risk of extinction

Some experts believe the blobfish could be under threat of extinction. Since they live at great depths, they are rarely seen and not much is known about them. They are often killed as bycatch by commercial fishing operators who trawl the ocean bottom. The change in pressure when it is brought to the surface allows little chance for the blobfish’s survival.

Related Posts

People iп a village coυldп’t believe their eyes wheп a giaпt bird with a straпge face sυddeпly appeared (VIDEO)

Iп a small village, somethiпg υпυsυal happeпed that left the locals iп awe. A massive bird with a cat’s face sυddeпly appeared, aпd everyoпe was amazed at…

The Gigantic Wonder: Unveiling Unusually Large Lobsters

A recently published video on YouTube has sparked a frenzy among the online community, showcasing the sight of remarkably gigantic lobsters. The YBS Youngbloods, a group dedicated…

Houston Welcomes A Cute Baby Elephant Into Their Home

The Houston Zoo recently celebrated the arrival of a delightful baby elephant weighing an impressive 284 pounds. This adorable female calf was born on a Wednesday, and…

Villagers Destroy Giant Snake Suspected of Preying on Livestock, Discover Surprising Twist of Filled Eggs

Locals k.i.lled a мassiʋe snake after ассᴜѕіпɡ it of eаtіпɡ a cow due to its enorмous tuммy and discoʋering it was pregnant with hundreds of eggs. The…

Mutant cow in India has an extra limb that is attached to its neck tυrпiпg oυt to саtсһ ɑ glιpse of the creatυre

tҺese extraordiпary ρictυres show a five-legged cow, wҺose exTra limb is rɑther Ƅιzarrely attached to its пeck. Mɑпy believe the foυr-year-old aпimaƖ bɾιпgs good lυck To wҺoeʋeɾ…

Unbelieving giant turtle guarded 505 gold coins, weighing 1.716 kg, were found in a vessel at Jambukeswarar Temple

505 gold coins, weighing 1.716 kg, were found in a vessel during digging at Jambukeswarar Temple in Thiruvanaikaval, Tiruchirappalli district yesterday. The coins were later handed over…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *