Rabbit fish
Deep-water cartilaginous fish with a rabbit-like head
The rabbit fish is a slow-growing cartilaginous species found in the northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean. It lives on deep muddy seabeds and faces vulnerability due to bycatch and demand for its liver oil.
- Grows up to 1.5 metres long and lives for 30 years
- Has a venomous dorsal spine that causes painful stings
- Listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List
- Feeds on bottom-dwelling invertebrates like crabs
- Migrates inshore during summer to lay eggs
What it is
This cartilaginous fish features a large head with big eyes and nostrils that resemble a rabbit, leading to its common name. Its body tapers into a whip-like tail, and it possesses a tall triangular dorsal fin with a spine that extends beyond the tip. The skin is silver-green with brown spots and white marbled stripes. A distinct lateral line runs across the head. The anal fin is separate from the caudal fin, which helps distinguish it from close relatives. Adults can reach lengths of 1.5 metres and weigh up to 2.5 kilograms.
Where it lives
The species inhabits the northeast Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Its range extends from Morocco in the south to Norway and Iceland in the north. It lives on the continental slope, preferring mud or soft seabeds. While found between 50 and 1,663 metres deep, it is most common at depths of 300 to 500 metres. The water temperature in these habitats typically ranges from 4.7 to 8.0 degrees Celsius. During summer, some individuals migrate inshore to shallower waters around 100 metres deep to lay eggs.
How it lives
Rabbit fish are benthophagous, meaning they feed on invertebrates living on the sea floor. Their diet includes crabs, molluscs, octopuses, sea worms, and sea urchins. Feeding habits change with size. Small specimens under 22 centimetres eat mainly amphipods. Medium-sized fish consume both amphipods and decapods. Larger adults over 46 centimetres focus primarily on decapods. This opportunistic feeding allows them to adapt to food availability in their deep-water environment. They are slow-growing animals with a long life expectancy.
Breeding and life cycle
Reproduction involves internal fertilization. Males have a club-like structure with sharp denticles on their heads to grasp the female during mating. The sexes live at different depths, with males in warmer shallow waters to regulate sperm and females in deeper zones. Females move up to mate before migrating inshore in spring and summer to lay eggs. The embryos develop inside these eggs rather than within the mother. Young fish hatch after nine to twelve months. Males mature at around 13 years and females at 11 years.
Fish and people
Fisheries target this species for its liver, which is rich in lipids used to make dietary supplements. However, it is often caught unintentionally as bycatch in other fishing operations. The dorsal spine contains mild poison and can inflict painful stings if handled carelessly. Due to its slow growth and late maturity, populations recover slowly from fishing pressure. It is not typically kept in aquariums due to its deep-sea habitat requirements and large size.
Status and threats
The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the rabbit fish as Vulnerable. Threats include incidental capture in commercial fisheries and targeted fishing for liver oil. Its biological traits, such as slow growth and late sexual maturity, make it sensitive to overexploitation. Conservation efforts focus on monitoring bycatch rates and managing deep-sea fishing activities to ensure population stability in the Atlantic and Mediterranean regions.
Questions people ask about Rabbit fish
Why is it called the rabbit fish?
It gets its name from its large head, big eyes, and nostrils that give it a resemblance to a rabbit. The scientific name is Chimaera monstrosa, but the nickname sticks due to this distinct facial appearance.
Is the rabbit fish dangerous to humans?
It has a dorsal spine that is mildly poisonous. If touched or handled improperly, this spine can cause painful stings. However, it is not aggressive and poses little threat unless provoked or caught accidentally.
What do rabbit fish eat?
They are bottom-feeders that eat invertebrates such as crabs, molluscs, octopuses, and sea urchins. Their diet changes with size, with smaller fish eating amphipods and larger ones focusing on decapods.
Where does the rabbit fish live?
It lives in the northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea. It prefers deep waters between 300 and 500 metres on muddy seabeds, though it can be found as deep as 1,663 metres or as shallow as 50 metres.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Rabbit fish", 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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