# Blobfish (*Psychrolutes marcidus*)

The Blobfish is a unique fish that lives deep in the ocean. It looks like a blob because its body is jelly-like. Despite its grumpy appearance, it's a fascinating creature of the deep sea.

- **Category:** [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fish)
- **Rarity:** Rare
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Deep Sea
- **Also known as:** Psychrolute

![Blobfish](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771424710/objects/5920.jpg)

## Appearance

The Blobfish has a soft, gelatinous body, often appearing pinkish-grey with a large, droopy nose and small, set-apart eyes. Its skin lacks scales, giving it a smooth, somewhat saggy texture. When out of its deep-sea habitat, its body loses its firm shape and becomes "blob-like."

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Actinopterygii
- **Order:** Scorpaeniformes
- **Family:** Psychrolutidae
- **Genus:** Psychrolutes

## Interesting facts

- Blobfish are sometimes called "fatheads" because of their large, squishy heads.
- Blobfish barely move; they float and wait for food to drift by!
- Blobfish only look "blobby" when they leave their deep-sea home!
- They live in parts of the ocean so deep that sunlight never reaches them!

## Special abilities

- **Effortless Float:** Blobfish can float effortlessly above the seafloor because their body is less dense than water, saving energy.
- **Stealthy Hunter:** Blobfish can drift silently to ambush prey because their unique body structure allows them to conserve energy.

## Measurements & details

- **Length:** 20-38 cm
- **Weight:** 1.5-2.5 kg
- **Lifespan:** 20-50 years
- **Maximum Depth:** 1200 m
- **Water Type:** Saltwater

## Diet & Feeding

Blobfish patiently wait for small crustaceans and other tiny organisms to float into their mouths.

- **Primary Foods:** crustaceans, sea pens, small invertebrates
- **Foraging Method:** Ambush

## Ecological connections

- **Eats:** deep-sea shrimp (*Notopandalus magnoculus*) — consumes these slow-moving crustaceans
- **Eats:** deep-sea copepod (*Paraeuchaeta norvegica*) — ingests these tiny, drifting zooplankton
- **Eaten by:** Abyssal grenadier (*Coryphaenoides armatus*) — a larger deep-sea fish that may prey on blobfish

## Traits

- [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats.
- [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
- [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish.
- [Ancient Lineage](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ancient-lineage): This trait signifies organisms belonging to a very old evolutionary group with ancestors dating back millions of years.
- [Deep Sea](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deep-sea): Deep sea habitats are characterized by extreme pressure, darkness, and cold temperatures, supporting unique life forms below the sunlit zone.
- [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands.

## Collections

- [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fish)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Blobfish live in the deep sea, so it's unlikely to encounter them. They are not dangerous to humans.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Blobfish?

Look at body shape, where the fins sit and their outline, mouth position, stripes and spots. Young fish and breeding adults can wear different patterns, and aquarium color varieties can look nothing like wild fish. Fish Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How long is Blobfish?

20-38 cm

### How much does Blobfish weigh?

1.5-2.5 kg

### How long does Blobfish live?

20-50 years

### What does Blobfish eat?

Blobfish patiently wait for small crustaceans and other tiny organisms to float into their mouths.

### Where is Blobfish usually found?

Deep Sea

### How does Blobfish hunt?

Ambush

### How deep can Blobfish go?

1200 m

## More Fish

- [Rainbow Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rainbow-trout) (*Oncorhynchus mykiss*)
- [Brown Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-trout) (*Salmo trutta*)
- [Brook Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brook-trout) (*Salvelinus fontinalis*)
- [Lake Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lake-trout) (*Salvelinus namaycush*)

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Source: [Blobfish: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blobfish)