World's Most 'Miserable-looking' fish...

Ever heard of a fish looking so miserable? Or even possible, 'human-like'? No? Then you're about to witness a great discovery of a fish with both characteristics,(It's not my discovery,sorry) which has earned this species as the World's Most 'Miserable-looking' Fish! Known to the few who knew of it's existence as the 'Blob fish', it is one of God's bizarre creation...

According to New Straits Times-School Times the blob fish is a rarely seen creature dwelling off the coast of Australian and Tasmania. Why is it rarely seen?

Simple, it is because this fish lives at the bottom of the ocean, around 800 metres deep and the pressure at this depth is 80 times higher than it is at sea level, which is obvious why not many has spotted it before. And most fishes cannot withstand the pressure either. But how does this fish survive at such high pressures?

As I say earlier, this is another of God's bizarre creation. The blob fish body is made up almost entirely of a gelatinous substance, which keeps it from sinking completely since the density of the goo is slightly lower than the density of water. Since the blob fish is mostly muscle, it typically spends its time floating in the same spot, waiting for its next meal to come by. According to scientists, the blob fish has a diet of sea urchins and molluscs, which are highly edible there, and doesn't exert too much effort to capture its prey. Hence, it does not have frequent meals. But this works fine as it does not require a lot of food. It devotes most of its time remaining stationary. Because of this strange behaviour, researches has dubbed it lazy.

How does this fish reproduce???

Well now, that is an interesting question, but as far as I've searched (which is not much but I'll try later), there's no mention on how they reproduce. But I've come across this in the same newspaper, and it says that the female lays thousands of eggs at one go and unlike many other fishes, she will actually stay with the eggs, floating above them and, in some cases, even sitting directly on top of them. The blob fish is known for its nesting habits. It is therefore, unknown, whether this nesting behaviour is for strategic purposes or simply as a result of its 'lazy' nature.

Fun Facts!

When underwater, the blob fish has an almost human and comical face (above pic). This appearance changes if it is taken out of the water, even for a short while. It's gelatinous body will dry out and shrivel. (pic below)

Currently, the blob fish's survival has become a concern, because it is becoming more common for fisherman to accidentally capture it while fishing. It is often being dragged up with the other catches by trawler fishermen. Marine expert Professor Callum Roberts from University of York said "The blob fish had plenty to be miserable about, as they are only restricted to these waters."