Top Seven Weirdest Fishes in the World

Weird-looking ugly or beautiful – When it comes to fish, it all lies in the eyes of beholder. Yes, it’s true that not every fish look strange to everyone, but there are certainly some out there that anyone would agree that it’s in deed weird-looking no matter where they’re from. The list of fish below are the top seven weirdest fishes in the world (In no particular order):

The Common Fangtooth Fish

The huge, saber like teeth of the deep-water common fangtooth are designed to grab and hold onto other fish that may be as big as it is. The teeth are no good for cutting or chewing and so the common fangtooth swallows its prey whole, rather like a snake does. Common fangtooths hunt by themselves or in small shoals,searching for other fish to eat.

Giant Sunfish

The sunfish is a very unique creature and one that you have probably never seen or heard of before unless you’re particularly nerdy about marine life. This odd-looking fish hold the distinction as being the heaviest bony fish in the world, capable of weighing well over 2,000 pounds. Their shape, however, is what truly sets them apart. They have a flattened body laterally, looking oval-shaped when seen head on, but as flat as paper from the side. This strange fish lives in tropical and temperate areas and it lives on a diet consisting mostly of jellyfish.

Whitemargin Stargazer  

Whitemargin stargazer is also known by the names Pop-eyed Fish and Tube-nosed Stargazer and Marbled Stargazer. Found singly in silty, sandy lagoons and coastal waters, this fish usually lies almost completely covered in sand, with only its upward-looking eyes visible. In this position it waits for prey. They feed on smaller fish, octopus and squid.

Blobfish

This unique and somewhat disgusting looking fish is rarely seen. The reason for this is that it lives at a depth where the pressure is several dozen times higher than the pressure at sea level. In fact, the blobfish’s gelatinous appearance is actually a brilliant adaptation. It’s gooey, pudding-like flesh and a density that is only slightly less than water gives in buoyancy that allows it to float just above the sea floor without expending energy to swim.

Hairy Angler Fish

Anglerfish include some of the most bizarrely shaped fish in the ocean. It lives 3,300 feet below the surface of the ocean, which makes this fish appear invisible because it has red skin because the red light cannot penetrate that far below the surface. The male and female have a very unique relationship because the male becomes something of a parasite to the female. The male will attach itself to her flesh and gradually fuse with her bloodstream.

Angler Fish

Frog FishThe frogfish has a rounded body that can expand greatly. A handy feature that allows the fish to swallow prey as large as itself. Not a fast swimmer, the frogfish usually lies motionless near coral rubble, blending perfectly with its surroundings. Here it waits to ambush passing prey. Frogfishes come in a wide variety of colours and patterns. Some species are brightly coloured to mimic sponges or other colourful reef creatures.

Leafy Sea Dragon

The leafy sea dragon (Phycodurus eques) is one of two species of sea dragon found in Australia’s southern waters and nowhere else in the world, the other being the weedy sea dragon. Despite its fearsome name, it is incredibly beautiful in shape and colouring and its camouflaging appendages give it a fragile appearance. Sea Dragons are arguably the most spectacular and mysterious of all ocean fish. Though close relatives of sea horses, sea dragons have larger bodies and leaf-like appendages which enable them to hide among floating seaweed or kelp beds.


Do you know any weird-looking fish that should be on this list? Share them!