--- title: "Blobfish Facts, Habitat, Diet and Real Appearance" description: "Learn what blobfish look like underwater, where they live, what they eat and why the famous surface photograph is misleading." canonical: "https://uglyanimals.net/animals/blobfish/" locale: "en" content_type: "animal_profile" primary_entity: "blobfish" scientific_names: "Psychrolutes marcidus; Psychrolutes microporos" --- # Blobfish: facts, habitat, diet and its famous face The blobfish is famous as the world's ugliest animal, but its reputation rests on a deep-sea specimen photographed after capture. At depth, a living blobfish keeps a recognisable fish shape. ## Quick facts - **Common name:** Blobfish or smooth-head blobfish - **Scientific identity:** Several *Psychrolutes* species share the name - **Family:** Psychrolutidae, the fathead sculpins - **Habitat:** Deep marine water, usually close to the seafloor - **P. marcidus depth:** 600 to 1,200 metres - **P. marcidus length:** Up to 30 centimetres - **Known diet evidence:** Limited; gastropods reported in some relatives - **P. marcidus assessment:** Not Evaluated by the IUCN Red List ## What is a blobfish? A blobfish is a soft-bodied marine fish in the family Psychrolutidae. The common name is used for several species rather than one perfectly defined animal. Many live on or near the seafloor, and some occur at depths far beyond ordinary diving range. ## Why does a blobfish look different at the surface? At depth, a blobfish has a broad head, tapered body, visible fins and a recognisable fish shape. The drooping pink face appears after a soft-bodied deep-sea specimen has been caught, hauled through a huge pressure change and removed from the support of the surrounding water. Nets, rapid decompression, temperature change, gravity and time out of water can all damage or distort soft tissue. ## Where do blobfish live? The family Psychrolutidae occurs across the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans, from about 100 to 2,800 metres according to the Australian Museum. Individual species occupy narrower ranges. ## What do blobfish eat? The precise diet of *Psychrolutes marcidus* is poorly documented. The Australian Museum reports that gastropods have been found in the stomachs of some members of the family. More detailed menu lists should be treated cautiously unless they identify the species and evidence. ## Is the blobfish endangered? *Psychrolutes marcidus* is Not Evaluated by the IUCN Red List. This does not mean endangered, safe or data deficient. It means the species has not received a global Red List assessment. [See more unusual fish](https://uglyanimals.net/animals/fish/) [Explore deep-sea animals](https://uglyanimals.net/habitats/deep-sea/) and [skin, gills and pressure](https://uglyanimals.net/adaptations/skin-gills-pressure/). ## Common questions ### What does a blobfish look like underwater? A living blobfish at depth has a broad head, tapered body, dark eyes and visible fins. It still looks soft and unusual, but it keeps a recognisable fish shape. The collapsed pink face in the famous photograph belongs to a specimen removed from deep water. ### Why does a blobfish look different at the surface? Rapid decompression, capture stress, temperature change and removal from water can damage and distort its soft tissues. The surface photograph is real, but it does not show the animal in normal living conditions. ### What is the scientific name of the blobfish? The common name is used for more than one fish. Psychrolutes marcidus is the smooth-head blobfish. The famous Mr Blobby specimen is identified by the Australian Museum as Psychrolutes microporos. Both belong to the family Psychrolutidae. ### Is the blobfish endangered? Psychrolutes marcidus is listed by FishBase as Not Evaluated by the IUCN Red List. That means there is not yet a global Red List assessment for the species. It does not mean the fish is safe, endangered or extinct. ### What do blobfish eat? The precise diet of Psychrolutes marcidus is not well documented. The Australian Museum reports that some fish in the wider blobfish family have been found with gastropods in their stomachs. More specific menu lists online should be treated cautiously unless they identify the species and evidence. ### Are blobfish dangerous to humans? No known evidence suggests that blobfish are dangerous to people. Psychrolutes marcidus is a small deep-water fish that FishBase records as harmless, and people rarely encounter a living one. ## Sources - [Australian Museum: Blobfish (aka Mr Blobby)](https://australian.museum/learn/animals/fishes/fathead-psychrolutes-aka-mr-blobby/): Mr Blobby's identity, capture depth, family range and limits of current biological knowledge. - [FishBase: Psychrolutes marcidus species summary](https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Psychrolutes_marcidus.html): Accepted common name, distribution, depth, maximum length and assessment status. - [World Register of Marine Species: Psychrolutes taxon list](https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxlist&tName=Psychrolutes): Accepted names for Psychrolutes species, including P. marcidus and P. microporos. - [National Geographic: What blobfish really look like underwater](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/what-blobfish-really-look-like): Expert explanation of the tissue damage and shape change caused by capture from deep water. - [The Guardian: Blobfish voted world's ugliest animal](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/sep/12/blobfish-world-ugliest-animal): Contemporary report of the 2013 public poll and vote count.