Blobfish
A gelatinous deep-sea fish from Australia and New Zealand waters.
The blobfish is a deep-sea species found off Australia and New Zealand. It lives at great depths where high pressure makes gas bladders useless. Its body consists mainly of gelatinous flesh that allows it to float without swimming.
- Lives at depths of 600 to 1,200 metres
- Body is a gelatinous mass with low density
- Found off Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand
- Feeds on drifting deep-ocean crustaceans
What it is
The smooth-head blobfish is a deep-sea creature belonging to the family Psychrolutidae. It typically grows to less than 30 cm in length. The animal lacks significant muscle mass and instead possesses a body composed largely of gelatinous material. This substance has a density slightly lower than water, enabling the fish to maintain buoyancy above the seabed without active swimming. Its appearance is adapted to extreme underwater conditions rather than surface aesthetics.
Where it lives
This species inhabits the deep waters surrounding mainland Australia and Tasmania. It is also found in the marine environments off the coast of New Zealand. These fish reside at depths ranging from 600 to 1,200 metres. At these levels, the water pressure is sixty to one hundred and twenty times greater than at sea level. Such conditions render traditional gas bladders inefficient for buoyancy control.
How it lives
The blobfish does not rely on strong muscles for movement or hunting. Its primary diet consists of edible matter that drifts in front of it, including various deep-ocean crustaceans. Because its flesh is less dense than water, it can float effortlessly above the sea floor. This passive lifestyle conserves energy in an environment where food sources are scarce and swimming against high pressure would be costly.
Questions people ask about Blobfish
Where does the blobfish live?
It inhabits deep waters off the coasts of mainland Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand. It resides at depths between 600 and 1,200 metres where pressure is extremely high.
How does the blobfish stay afloat?
Its flesh is a gelatinous mass with a density slightly less than water. This allows it to float above the sea floor without using energy to swim or relying on gas bladders.
What does the blobfish eat?
It consumes edible matter that floats in front of it. Its main food source includes deep-ocean crustaceans that drift within its reach in the deep sea.
Good reading and sources
- Psychrolutes marcidus on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Psychrolutes marcidus", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryFish rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes, and figures change over time. Nothing here is investment or buying advice. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-11-15.
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