Blobfish facts will tell you all about these amazing sea creatures but will also point out how many mysteries surround this fish. Its body is made of jelly-like substance that turns into floppy mass when it is taken out of the water, hence the name - blobfish. A prop version of the fish was seen sitting on the work surface of a Chinese restaurant next to a few other creatures with which also resembled aliens. After all, a human probably wouldn't look nearly as good at 3,000 feet deep as the blobfish looks at the … Since they were discovered in 2003, no etiologist has found two blob fish that look exactly the same. The blobfish only looks that way above water. They don’t do much except bob along the ocean floor looking for food and consuming anything that comes in their path. The precise lifespan of blobfish is unknown, so scientists theorize that they are similar to other deepwater fish who usually live longer than their shallow-water counterparts. As their skin is slightly less dense than seawater, it also helps prevent them from vomiting the contents of their stomachs.Little is known about the behavior of blobfish because it is difficult to view them in their natural habitat at the bottom of the ocean floor. After all, a human probably wouldn't look nearly as good at 3,000 feet deep as the blobfish looks at the surface. Well, it's a very good thing the blobfish (Psychrolutes microporos), a member of the illustrious fathead sculpin … A living blob of jelly that dwells in the darkest depths of the ocean has been officially named the world's ugliest animal. You would be upset, right? It may surprise you to learn that the blobfish doesn’t necessarily look like a blob in its natural habitat, though. It beat out several other animals, including the naked mole rat, the axolotl, the purple frog and the proboscis monkey. In the depths of the ocean they look more like an actual fish, and are virtually unrecognizable. Not extinct . After the blobfish was officially named the World’s Ugliest Animal, an adorable stuffed blobfish popped up on the market, courtesy of Hashtag Collectibles. - Do they have a good reason to frown Discover why you have never seen a blobfish before. The blobfish is the mascot for the Ugly Animal Preservation Society, which lists its mission as being dedicated “to raising the profile of some of Mother Nature’s more aesthetically challenged children.” This maybe not so coveted title has made the blobfish better-known by the general public. Being a gelatinous blob also helps the blobfish with its coach-potato attitude. The blobfish (Psychrolutes phrictus) looks like a normal fish under water, only really becoming a blob when it transitions from the pressure at depth to the surface. When swimming a few thousand feet below the water's surface, blobfish look rather handsome, and much more like normal fish. It’s not one of the more surprising blobfish facts, but these animals have this name because they look just like what you would expect when they are taken out of the water – a blob. Instead, the blobfish has a density that is slightly less than water, which allows it to float in place without having to waste energy on swimming. You may have been fooled. However, when their bodies are no longer underwater at such severe pressures, their gelatinous bodies spread out, giving hem the appearance of a blob. Sea creatures that get caught up in fishing nets are called bycatch and are almost always released. This gives the fish the unofficial title of world's ugliest animal. NOAA/Wikimedia Commons . This allows a fish to swim freely. The grumpy-looking sea creature garnered internet fame after "Mr. Blobby" was discovered by an Australian-New Zealand research team near Lord Howe island. Required fields are marked Sometimes, blobfish get caught in trawlers used to catch deep-sea favorites, such as orange roughy and various crustaceans in their natural environment. The blobfish (Psychrolutes marcidus) is a foot-long pink fish found in the deep waters off the coasts of Australia and New Zealand. I read that male blobfish also sit on and protect the eggs sometimes. Another species, the blobfish sculpin, lives even deeper underwater at depths of up to 9,800 feet. However, when their bodies are no longer underwater at such severe pressures, their gelatinous bodies spread out, giving hem the appearance of a blob. Their muscles are minimal too, which helps them survive in the crushing pressure of the deep underwater habitats where they are found. Many might think that it is nickname or a more commonly used name, but blobfish is actually this animal’s real label. The blobfish might also be located in other areas of the ocean, but, for now, these are the only areas that we know for certain the fish calls home. The blobfish, unlike other sea creatures, lacks a gas bladder which maintains buoyancy. … International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The Ugly Animal Preservation Society in England, had the public vote for what they consider to be the world's ugliest animal. Blob fish has gelatinous skin and its density is slightly lighter than water's density, making them able to float around in the deep sea instead of spending their energy for swimming. There’s a side of the blobfish that is arguably less ugly than you have been led to believe… The photos of blobfish you’ve likely seen have probably been images taken out of water or in a research environment. The blobfish lacks the swim bladder found in most species of fish, an air sac that allows the fish to … "The blobfish in that picture looks the way it does because of damage it took because of the rapid change in pressure. The nose of the smaller … Mollusks look like tiny little snails in the ocean. The species live in an extreme pressure environment and experience up to 120 times the pressure as on drylands. There were two sizes available and both sold out quickly, which is a great thing because 10% of all profits were donated to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. This pressure can be anywhere from 60 to 120 times greater than the pressure at sea level. Some may live for over 100 years because of their slow rate of growth and lack of predators.No one knows exactly how blobfish mate, either. The gelatinous blobs we think of as blobfish are actually decompressed specimens suffering from decompression damage. Blobfish are Omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and other animals. The smooth-head blobfish takes on a much different shape when it is in its natural environment than when it is removed. Blobfish live in deep cold water at depths of close to 4,000 feet. What is an interesting fact about Blobfish? It looks pretty much like a regular fish. There are no pictures of a blobfish in its natural habitat, but many drawings and computer generated visions of the fish have been developed. The blobfish looks pretty much like a typical bottom-dwelling fish when swimming in its habitat 1,000 meters below the surface of the ocean. 2) an individual who resides in an incompetent state of being 3) an individual who comes across as mean, angry, and/or unresponsive Why some fish are really bad at swimming. They have little to no skeleton as well as little muscle, which explains their gelatinous look when they come to the surface. (3) They conserve energy and do not go for much work apart from eating (4) The female ones lay eggs on the floor of the sea and they look very tiny and pink in color. We do know that the female blobfish can lay thousands of pink eggs on the ocean floor. Blobfish belong to the genus Psychrolutes. At this depth, comparatively human organs would be crushed under the sheer weight of … Scientists have observed some blobfish nests adjacent to one another so that the parents can hover above and collectively protect the eggs. Blobfish do not have a swim bladder. Because they are basically gelatin with little-to-no bone or muscle, when you remove them from the pressure of the deep-sea they lose all body shape. Either the female or the male blobfish sits there on the eggs in order to protect their eggs. However, when searching for photos of blobfish, there may be some theories as to why you get millions of similar blobfish pictures. Having been accidentally caught during a research voyage off the coast of New Zealand in 2003, the blobfish (or specifically, smooth-head blobfish) is a very recent discovery. Either the female or male will then guard the eggs. We also don’t know very much about their lifespan. There’s a side of the blobfish that is arguably less ugly than you have been led to believe… The photos of blobfish you’ve likely seen have probably been images taken out of water or in a research environment. The gelatin-like skin and body is an adaptation that allows these creatures to maintain neutral buoyancy. Learn more about us & read our affiliate disclosure. In fact, Blob fish does not have many active muscles in their body, causing them to only float around above sea surface. The pectoral fins are large and become fleshy in larger specimens.Minimal skeletons and flesh filled with water are characteristic of deep-sea fish as it enables them to live in their harsh environment. Your email address will not be published. Blobfish are like they are because it allows them to float motionless in the water and not expend very much energy in swimming. They are primarily a flexible, jelly-like (gelatinous) squishy lump of flesh and their density is pretty close to seawater. With no muscle in its body, the blobfish looks like a gelatinous globule floating near the sea bed.