What Is a Blober Fish? Facts About the Blobfish

The term “blober fish” is a frequent misspelling for the blobfish, a deep-sea creature from the Psychrolutidae family. This fish gained global recognition for its gelatinous and unconventional appearance when removed from its natural, high-pressure environment. Living in the deep ocean, it possesses a unique set of characteristics adapted for survival under immense pressure. Its fame is largely due to photographs that circulate online, showcasing its dramatic transformation at sea level.

The Blobfish Appearance

The blobfish is known for two drastically different appearances. In its deep-sea home, the immense pressure of the water provides its body with structural support, making it look like a more typical fish with a large head and tapered body. This is the fish in its normal state, rarely observed by humans directly.

The famous gelatinous, sagging face is a result of severe tissue damage caused by depressurization. When a blobfish is brought up from the depths to the surface, the extreme change in pressure causes its body, which lacks significant muscle and has soft bones, to lose its shape. The flesh, which is a watery, jelly-like mass, can no longer be supported and collapses into the droopy, sad-looking form that has become an internet phenomenon.

Blobfish Habitat and Diet

This species resides in the deep waters off the coasts of mainland Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand. It is typically found at depths between 2,000 and 4,000 feet, where the pressure can be over 120 times greater than at the surface. This aphotic zone, where sunlight cannot penetrate, is a challenging environment that the blobfish is specifically adapted to inhabit.

As a resident of the deep-sea floor, the blobfish is an ambush predator with a passive feeding strategy. It has very little muscle, so it expends minimal energy on hunting. Instead, it floats just above the seafloor, waiting for edible matter to drift by. Its diet consists of whatever is available, including small crustaceans, sea pens, and other organisms it can swallow whole with its large jaws.

Unique Blobfish Facts

The blobfish has several notable adaptations for life in the deep sea. Its body is composed of a gelatinous substance with a density slightly less than that of water. This provides natural buoyancy, allowing it to float effortlessly without a swim bladder, an organ that would collapse under the extreme pressure of its habitat. Its skeleton is not heavily calcified, consisting of soft, pliable bones that can withstand the pressure.

Its unusual appearance when brought to the surface led to it being voted the “World’s Ugliest Animal” in a 2013 online poll organized by the Ugly Animal Preservation Society. This title, while unflattering, greatly contributed to its widespread recognition and status as a symbol for deep-sea conservation.