Freaky Deep-Sea Creatures That Make Us Believe Any ‘Fin’ Is Possible
The deep sea encompasses many mysteries that will genuinely take several centuries of diving into the depths to unravel. According to scientists, we have a long way to go as we have only discovered about 70 percent of what the ocean holds. The ocean is more profound than we think, and according to scientists, anything deeper than 200 meters is considered the deep sea. When we think about it, most living organisms live in the sea since the average depth of the entire ocean is 3.5 kilometers. As luck would have it, we got a glimpse of some of the deep-sea inhabitants. And, remember that these deep-sea dwellers are only a glimpse of what is living deep down under. In truth, we are both shocked and amazed by these mind-boggling discoveries. Thanks to Roman Fedortsov, a Russian fisherman who enjoys the thrill of a new catch, we can marvel over some terrifying and beautiful deep-sea creatures. Each catch by this fisherman has gone viral, and we have compiled some of the strangest sea creatures you will ever come across. Without further ado, let us dive in.
Rocket-like fish
There is certainly no doubt that this fish looks just like a mini rocket with its curved tail and well-streamlined mouth. Even its color is something to marvel at. It also has weird but cute-looking eyes it uses to monitor its surroundings for predators.
Thanks to its adaptive features, this little rocket-like fish has what it takes to outswim its predators. However, we can definitely tell this fish is the bomb among its peers because it’s one of the most good-looking fish on this list.
Yellow eyes
This fish has the eyes of a magnificent and colorful Chinese dragon we usually see in cartoons. Yet, at the same time, it’s scaly, and other fish will notice its terrifying looks if they come across it. It has eyes that call for attention, and you can’t help but notice them at first glance.
The problem with these eyes is that they will scare any predator that notices them from afar since they are large and eerie. It’s the kind of eye that will stare into the depths of your soul, searching for its inner secrets, and all fish should try their best to avoid it.
Cyclops
There is a general assumption that the sea houses more creatures than land. However, what we don’t know is that there are creatures that exist in the ocean that are considered mystical here on land, like the notorious cyclops.
Known for having one eye in the center of their head, the cyclops are generally a species to avoid. The significant difference here is that this fish cyclops is small when compared to its peers. However, it made up for its lack of size with its menacing teeth.
Puffer Fish
Going fishing is a very therapeutic thing to do for some people, and it gets even better when you stumble across a rare find. However, you have to be careful not to catch an endangered species or a dangerous fish that may harm you in some way.
This fish has been able to adapt to the point that it can protect itself against large predators and even humans. When it senses danger, it produces a toxin called tetrodotoxin. It secretes the toxin all over its body, making it dangerous to touch and consume.
Orange fish
Naturally, most fish are beautiful, and they have distinctive features that set them apart from other fish. To qualify as a weird fish, there are some parameters you must meet. As luck would have it, this particular creature ticks all the boxes and some more.
Weird and bulging eyes, tick. Grotesque tongue, tick. Bizarre color, tick. Although this particular fish in the photo has probably taken its last breath, we can’t help but notice how large its tongue is. We can tell this one is a large eater without any doubt.
Deap sea fangtooth
There are some fish you naturally steer clear of without being warned to do so. They look incredibly menacing and alarming, and you sure don’t want to get on their bad side at any point in time – we mean that literally.
Add a touch of gloss and stare into its soulless-looking eyes, and you have a little monster on your hands. Try to imagine the damage that this little fish can cause. Now, let’s take that a notch further and imagine if they attack in groups.
Underwater maze
This creature is magnificent because of its intricate design patterns. For the artistic ones, a high-quality picture of it will undoubtedly make for quality desktop background. However, we all need to be aware that it’s a unique kind of fish.
When you look at it in detail, it seems like there’s a crown in the middle with several little hands surrounding it. Each tentacle comes in different sizes, with others playing some sort of supporting role. They all come together to form an integral unit.
Googly eyes
Have you ever been attracted to a fish because of its eyes before? If not, then this group of fish will surely fascinate you with their googly eyes. They all look fixated on the same thing, but we can’t help but notice how beautiful their skin looks.
To a certain extent, their skin looks like that of a snake, but this one is cooler, in our opinion. Lastly, it seems like one of the fish is ready for his close-up, sporting a mustache and a smile.
Sea Eggs
Is that a stone, large shell, or massive, slimy underwater ball? Or, is it some sort of protective shell casing the fish uses to protect itself against predators? On another note, what if it’s an egg of a monstrous fish or something very sinister?
Since we can only postulate what it is, the best thing to do is take it back to where it’s from. The surprising thing is that they are often from the deep sea, where the pressure actually plays a huge role in forming its shape.
Little Fish
Most fishermen have a code among themselves where they make sure they throw little fish back into the sea if they’re caught among larger fish. The reason for this is that they try to ensure smaller fish mature so they can repopulate the ocean.
This would have been the case with this fish, but the Russian fisherman had to take a closer look. Upon inspection, he realized this little fish was different from the ones he’s used to catching and couldn’t help but take a picture to immortalize the moment.
Lumpsucker
The lumpsucker is the kind of fish that serves more than one purpose. Apart from the fact that it’s beautiful to look at and would be an excellent addition to any aquarium, the role it plays in the sea cannot be emphasized enough.
They are sometimes called “Cleaners.” The reason for this is not farfetched. They are native to Norway and Scotland, and seamen use them in the masses to lessen the burden placed on salmon in the country. Also, they are good at keeping parasites at bay.
Tarantula Spiky Crabfish
The seas of Norway have a lot of creatures that will stun humankind if we are able to see a quarter of them. A good example is this crab that is covered with spikes, and it also has considerable pinchers to catch prey and defend itself too.
However, there’s one thing we can’t deny – it looks really cute and is a far cry from some of the scary-looking sea creatures on this list. Still, we advise that you be cautious around creatures like this as we really don’t know much about them.
Falkor
We’ve reiterated time and time again that there’s no animal on land that doesn’t have a sea creature counterpart. This little monster proves our theory right, and this time, it looks like a mystical land creature called the Falkor.
Not only does it bear an uncanny resemblance with the real Falkor, but the difference is also that it adapted its features to survive in its primary environment – the water. Since we’ve seen an underwater Falkor, we can also postulate that there’s a nebulous cloud formation underwater, too.
Psolus Phantapus
Let’s play a quick game. Without consulting the all-knowing Google, try pronouncing the name of this lovely-looking sea creature. It’s called the Psolus Phantapus. The ironic thing is that its nickname is that of a land fruit that is adored by many.
Sometimes it’s called the Sea cucumber, and it can measure up to 20 centimeters in length. When its cylindrical body is erect, it forms some kind of U-shape, and in most cases, it is buried halfway in mud or sand depending on the environment it finds itself in.
Smooth-head Blobfish
This fish looks blobby due to the fact that it’s filled with water – we mean that literally. Under its skin, the blobfish is made up of thick layers of gelatinous flesh that float outside its muscles. Also, they always look quite dismal.
This means that no matter what you do for the blobfish, it won’t even bother to crack a smile. They certainly are not edible for those who may think they taste good. This is due to their highly gelatinous and acidic nature.
Squid eggs
Norway must be an amazing country because it seems like they have a lot of underwater creatures capable of mesmerizing the entire world. The fisherman found this large cluster in the Ørstafjorden river, and it is a blob of squid eggs waiting to hatch.
Can you take a quick guess at how many eggs make up this cluster? We guess not. In an ideal situation, a female squid can lay an estimated 50 to 300 eggs. What’s astonishing is that one squid can lay about 20 capsules of egg clusters like this one.
Pineapple fish
Lovers of Nickolodeon’s hit cartoon Spongebob Squarepants can attest to the fact that there’s someone that lives in a pineapple under the sea. However, it’s a little different this time. The pineapple under the sea is not a house but a real fish.
We were able to see a Sea Cucumber, and now we’re treated to a Pineapple fish, which goes without saying that there is probably more fish fruit that we’ve yet to come across. This fisherman caught four of them as luck would have it, and they all vary in size.
Remora
The Remora is sometimes called the sucker fish or the sharksucker as it can be aptly described. They come from a family called the Echeneidae, and they are famous for hitching free rides on the most surprising sea predator, sharks.
Where others try to avoid sharks as much as possible, the remora does the complete opposite. It’s become a common thing for them to hitch rides to the point that their body has an adaptive feature that allows them to cling to their host with ease.
Lantern Fish
Without another glance, the first thing you’d notice about this fish is its tongue. However, that’s not its most prominent feature. It’ll come to you as a surprise that this is a bioluminescent fish, which means it produces its own light.
These mesopelagic fish can be found in almost all oceans in the world, but the question is, why is its tongue like that? The problem is that its tongue was infected by a parasite called Cymothoa exigua, which eats its tongue and replaces it.
Alligator Gar
This fish can proudly raise its head among its family because it’s the biggest of the bunch. The Alligator Gar is a freshwater fish native to North America. This fish is so old that it has been in existence for more than 100 million years.
Its deep blue eyes are mesmerizing, and its sharp fin can come in handy when it needs to protect itself. However, it’s not aggressive to human beings, but still, its eggs are not edible. It’s quite poisonous if ingested in any way, shape, or form.
Sea cucumbers
Sea cucumbers are one-of-a-kind marine animals that are also called echinoderms. Even though they’re not the color of cucumbers, their shape resembles one. Their glossy and leathery skin encompasses an elongated body that contains a branched gonad. You can find one on any seafloor across the world.
Unfortunately, due to a lot of poaching and smuggling, there are fears that they may become endangered in the near future. This is caused by widespread non-coordination between each countries legal jurisdiction. Now, they’re protected under the laws of certain countries.
Crab monster
Come to think of it, film producers often have a hard time trying to come up with monsters they can use for their flicks. However, they can save themselves from such stress as there are many monster concepts they can adopt from simply gazing at nature’s creations.
Take a good look at this monster crab, and the first thing that will come to your mind at first sight, is to avoid it at all costs. It gives off a “don’t even think of coming near me vibe, or I’ll deal with you.” It must have taken a lot of courage for the fishermen to even take a picture.
Lumpfish
This fish is unique thanks to the fact that they come in various beautiful colors. In most cases, you’ll come across the gray or green Lumpfish as they’re the most popular breed. They also have some unique features that set them apart.
They come with three large rows of tubercles. These are bony protrusions you can see across their body. They also have pelvic fins shape which serve as suction discs. This way, the Lumpfish can easily attach itself to a rock or any object it likes.
Goblin Shark
If you come across a goblin shark at any point in time, keep in mind that you’re looking at a deep part of history. The fish has been in existence for more than 125 million years. So much so that they refer to it as a “living fossil” in the fish community.”
You can find Goblin Sharks in the ocean depths, and you have a likely chance of coming across one on the upper continental slope. This is where the ocean starts to deepen, and it can go as deep as 890 to 3,150 feet below sea level.
Sunfish
Are you on the hunt for one of the heaviest bony fish that is currently ruling the ocean? Look no further as we present to you the mighty “Sunfish.” Sometimes called the Mola, the Sunfish can weigh between 247 to 2000 kilograms.
They are found natively in temperate and tropical waters across the world. Also, they come with an ungainly pseudo tail which makes their oval appearance look even weirder. They use their fins when they are swimming, but it’s obvious they’re needed to balance out their massive weight.
Fowl-like fish
Someone once made a statement that there’s probably a chance we know more about Mars than we do about what’s dwelling in the deep sea. Even though the statement may be far-fetched, the surprising thing is that there’s a ring of truth to it.
We’ve seen a lot of fish that have a resemblance to land animals, but now we’ve come across a fish that looks much like the traditional house fowl. They look so much alike that it also has a fin-shape-like beak with tiny hair-like scales across its body.
What’s that
There are some sea finds that you’ll come across that will totally confound you, and you don’t know what to make of it. This is a perfect example of such. We’re not sure whether to classify this sea creature as a baby octopus or not.
On the other hand, it could be an entirely different fish species with tentacles that look like an octopus. Thanks to the Russian fisherman, we now have an idea – albeit a faint one – of what the ocean possesses, and needless to say, we are surprised.
Hellboy’s Fish
The movie Hell Boy was a hit at the box office, all thanks to the main character’s appearance. However, it shouldn’t come to you as a surprise if we tell you that there is a fish that looks strangely like the movie character.
Even though the resemblance may just be at the head region alone, it’s still surprising to come across one. That’s not the only prominent feature the fish possess. It also has a scary-looking mouth that it uses for grinding its prey.
Large Eyes
You should keep in mind that the kind of fish caught by the Russian fisherman is often found in the deep ocean. If you go scouring for them in the swimmable waters, there’s every chance you will come back empty-handed.
Due to how deep the sea is, these fish have to adapt to their surroundings. The depth doesn’t allow much light to penetrate, so they sometimes have large eyes (like this fish) or no eyes at all. The pressure also plays a major part in how they are shaped.
Coffee-drunk fish
Because we’ve never been to the bottom of the ocean, it is sometimes hard to comprehend how deep it is. It is so deep that the pressure will most likely destroy any vessel that tries to get there. This means only crewless ships can reach the depths.
On record, the Mariana Trench is the deepest part of the sea, and it is so deep that only a few creatures can survive there. Whenever you see a fish with features like this, like large eyes, you can take an educated guess as to where they came from.
Norwegian Cod
In Norway, Codfish are often called torsk. This is taken from an Old Norwegian dialect which means dried fish. The Codfish is a mainstay in Norway and has also found its way into the dishes of other countries like China and Nigeria.
The Codfish is so beneficial that no part of it is wasted, and we mean that literally. There are a lot of cod farmers in Norway, and we thought we’d seen them all until we came across this particular breed that has never been sighted before.
Gecko fish
The closest relation to this fish is the Gremlin fish, which is native to American waters. On the other hand, we can’t classify the fish as a Gremlin due to its size, but we can’t even tell if this is the adult species or if it’s still growing.
There’s every chance this fish will constantly be on the lookout because it’s quite small and will be prone to attacks from predators. You can tell from the look on its face that it’s terror-stricken being so far away from the deep.
Widemouth Redfish
This fish has many things going on, but there are more prominent features that make it noticeable. For starters, let’s start with its glowing red color, which will definitely call for attention whenever you see it. Its eyes are also a sight to behold.
Lastly, we’d like to know who coined the name for this fish – it’s called the Redfish. But, we assume there are several other redfish species in the sea, and it’ll be more appropriate to call it a Widemouth, which we think is more fitting.
Frilled shark
One fact that definitely came as a huge surprise was the fact that sharks have been getting a lot of bad PR. And this can be attributed to several movies that depict them as blood-thirsty creatures that go into a frenzy at the sight or smell of blood.
Ironically, shark attacks are highly exaggerated, and even though they are right there at the top of the food chain, they aren’t as fearsome as they look. However, with its frightening appearance, this specific shark isn’t going to help as its sight will instill fear in anyone.
Nemesis
In all honesty, going deep-sea diving or trying to do what this Russian fisherman is accomplishing is not a hobby for the faint-hearted. Several people would have lost it just by seeing some of the creatures he came across and a good example is this fish.
It has eyes that will drill fear into the depths of your soul with a mouth that can cause maximum damage. To show how scary it looks, it comes in the color black and still looks menacing even outside its natural habitat.
Wide mouth
Now, if you are looking for the actual loudmouth, you’ve got it. This fish is most likely a filter feeder and would most likely feed on planktons and whatnot. Basically, filter feeders are a group of animals known for suspension feeding.
They strain food particles and suspended matter from the water, and they have adapted body features that allow them to filter their food. There are several types of fish that do this, but this fish right here most likely takes the largest portion thanks to its wide mouth.
Daddy shark
There’s a hit song for kids on Youtube that has about a billion views or more. The song is basically about a shark, and kids love it. Thankfully, they also warned kids that sharks could also be dangerous in certain situations and advised them to be aware.
You will probably swim for your life if you come across a shark like this. It has a set of teeth that can trap its prey, and the bite force is absolutely incomparable. Even though sharks mind their business most of the time, with teeth like this, you know they’re not a species to be messed with.
Swollen frog fish
You might notice that this next fish has a lot of similarities with a frog rather than the traditional fish. From its color down to its body features, if you don’t pay closer attention to it, you would have mistaken it with your household frog.
But for the keen eyes of Federstov, our Russian fisherman, we understand that this is a very rare find. You can only come across this kind of sea creature once in a lifetime, and in most cases, people throw them back to the ocean.
Raisin-eyed fish
We’re sitting here shell-shocked (pun intended) that some fish had surprisingly large and bone-chilling eyes. Now, we are treated to some fish with raisin-looking eyes. But, that’s not the only feature that caught our attention. Take a closer look at the fish.
Does it have any human-like features? Can you notice it has little ears? Although the colors are unique, we would have thought it was a regular fish like the others. However, seeing fish with ears is something you only see once in a blue moon.
Spotted tiger fish
It’s one thing to look petrifying like this fish born with spots that look like a tiger. But, it’s another thing to elevate the fear factor with teeth like these. If you can remember, we talked about a fish where a parasite took over its tongue.
This fish also belongs to that category. It has been infected by a tongue-eating louse called Cymothoa exigua. This is a parasitic isopod that belongs to the family Cymothoidae. The parasite enters the fish through the gills and stays there for as long as it can.
Wolfish
While some fish may look docile and ready to run if they lay eyes on a predator from afar, others have a naturally menacing look that will instill fear into the heart of others. There’s no denying that this fish belongs to this category.
Take a look at the eyes and tell us what you think? You will probably mistake it for a snake if you don’t look carefully. Even if you realize it’s not a snake, the best course of action is to steer away as fast as possible before it sinks its teeth in self-defense.
Submarine fish
We’ve seen fish that look like animals, mythical creatures, and more. Now, you will come across some fish that look like vehicles – a submarine in particular. According to the Russian fisherman, finds like this are rare and almost impossible.
It is so rare that you are more likely to meet with the President of a country than to come across one. So, it is a huge privilege to learn about their existence. This fish will most likely weigh a ton, and lots of fish will enjoy hitching a ride on its hump.
Tangerine?
There’s a possibility that when you come across certain kinds of sea creatures, they may not survive outside their primary environment if you take them out of it. In this instance, we’re in luck as there’s a possibility this sea creature is very much alive and thriving.
For starters, it’s beautiful to behold, thanks to its glossy look and bright colors. However, you can’t help but notice its uncanny resemblance to the land fruit, the tangerine. As a note of caution, because it looks good doesn’t mean you should eat it.
Intestine mystery
Does this creature look like a saxophone or the innards of another creature? If you guessed either answer, then you are far from the truth. It’s a fully developed, living, and breathing sea creature that you can’t find in regular seawater.
We’re not sure whether it can be classified as a fish or any creature for that matter. However, we can categorically state that its features were most likely caused by the apparent pressure that you can find in the deep dark sea.
Engraulis
Let’s paint a scenario for you. Imagine you are a deep-sea diver, far away from the surface where sunlight cannot penetrate. Here, you realize your time is limited as the pressure is way higher than what your body can take.
You decide your time underwater is over, and you are about to start your ascend to the surface. Right there in the dark, you see these blue eyes swimming fast towards you. What will you do? The eyes on these fish are quite unique, but what’s that on its tail?