Getting Wild With the Blob Fish

By JACKSON ZAVALA, age 10

The blob fish (Psychrolutes Marcidus) is known for its weird physical appearance and is considered one of nature’s oddities. Its face looks like a human face except with a big frown and a sagging nose. The blob fish is a popular media subject and commonly lampooned* for its ugliness. In 2013, it was given the title ‘Worlds Ugliest Animal’ by the Ugly Animal Preservation Society, which works to build awareness about endangered species using comedy skits to break down people’s negativity towards unattractive animals. The blob fish is unfortunately on the verge of extinction as a result of trawling, which is when fish are caught with a large net dragged along the ocean floor instead of a fishing rod to fish.

The blob fish lives in the deep waters off the coasts of mainland Australia and Tasmania as well as in the waters around New Zealand. Those who see it under water see that the blob fish looks much different due to the low-density water it lives in, appearing smooth, with gills and more like a fish than a flabby blob.

DID YOU KNOW?

• The blob fish has no muscles
• While other fish hunt and eat small fish, the blob fish just sits and waits for its prey (mollusks and sea urchins) to come to it.
• There is a law in process against deep-sea trawling in Europe that has not yet been passed, but is needed to protect this unique creature.
• It can grow up to 12 inches, which is small compared to other marine animals
• The blob fish lives off small crustaceans
• An average fish can lay 50 to 200 eggs but the blob fish can lay up to 1,000 eggs!

*Lampoon: to playfully make fun of something or someone