The first thing that many people will associate with fish is the smooth slithering moving aquatic animals with reflections of silver on the water’s surface. But that is not true while all fish do not fall in that beautiful stereotype.
Some of them can be characterized as scary or even ugly which are described with sharp teeth and even dangerous looks like real monsters from horror films while they are the real inhabitants of the sea, boats, rivers, or any sort of water.
These bizarre and even scary-looking pikes are still fish and they are also a constant call to recognition of the many features and wonders of the creations and evolutions of wildlife. So, it is time to open the curtain over the ugly fish with teeth and acquaint ourselves with some of the most extraordinary creatures on Earth.
The Fangtooth Fish
The fangtooth fish is an inhabitant of the deep sea, which seems to do justice to its name through a large number of protruding teeth in comparison to the size of its body. Residing in the Organ’s abyss with a depth of up to 4800 meters, the fangtooth is not a model of beauty but of existence.
It has the largest teeth relative to the body size of any fish, something that aids it to grab food where light does not penetrate, that is in the deep parts of the world’s seas. The fangtooth looks very scary, but in fact, the size of this fish is quite moderate, and the average length of these fish reaches six inches at most.
The Blobfish
Blobfish is one of the ugliest fishes that one could ever come across or even think about. Although it does not have a zoological appearance of sharp teeth like the other species on this list, the Stygian jellyfish’s droopy and gelatinous body makes it one of the world’s strangest-looking creatures.
Naturally occurring in the hydrothermal vents at great depths off the Australian and New Zealand coasts, such a cute-named Blobfish is not something one would ever want to cuddle with because stripped of its pressure, the creature is a melting mass of jelly-like tissue with no muscles whatsoever.
It may not have the ability to bite with almost zero sharp teeth; however, its sad grumpy face has made it to be regarded as the world’s ugliest animal.
The Gulper Eel
One more fish, that inhabits the depths of the ocean, is the gulper eel, which has the largest mouth and needle-like teeth. This large mouth is capable of swallowing large prey that is many times the size of the eel and the teeth with which it is equipped are able to catch any fish or squid unlucky enough to cross its path. It has an elongated, slender, and ribbon-like body structure and the head structure is also very queer one can call it more of a monster-like fish.
Plug its bioluminescent tail into the equation and what you have is one of the most awe-striking creatures of the abyss.
The Sheepshead Fish
The sheepshead fish is named mainly because of its teeth which resemble or rather look like those of a human. It has a wide mouth for holding two rows of broad, flat molars which are widely suited for crushing its food with shells such as crabs, mollusks, and other shellfish.
Although not one of the most outwardly ugly animals, this fish inhabits the Atlantic coast of North America and comes with a second set of incisors that is bound to give one pause whether you are the one caught or doing the catching.
The Pacu Fish
Another cousin in the fish family is the pacu fish and this fish is native to South America and feeds on seeds and seeds only, but definitely not any ordinary teeth, but human-like teeth. Unlike the other similar species, the pacu is mostly a plant-eating fish that was observed to use its broad wide molars to crush nuts and seeds that drop into the water.
Nevertheless, pacu fish come quite large and can be found in some circles as exotic pets — those animals cannot be brought home in an average aquarium since they are rather large and have powerful jaws.
The Anglerfish
The anglerfish is a deep-sea dweller well-known for its unattractive-looking face best described as one that even a mother would barely recognize. It has a big jowled head and its mouth is full of big sharp hooked needle-like teeth, it lures its food with a light that hangs in front of its head.
According to its habitat, biome, appearance, and feeding habits, this fish is considered one of the most dangerous sea creatures. A truly monstrous creature that is equipped with oversized teeth ideal for capturing food in the extreme conditions of the depths of the ocean.
The Payara
Also known as the vampire fish, this is a very horrible-looking fish that is native to the rivers of the Amazon Basin. It has two lengthy incisor-like teeth standing out from the lower jaw giving this creature a resemblance to vampires’ folklore. These teeth can extend up to as long as six inches and their main purpose is to stab their prey and paralyze it so that it cannot escape the Payara’s jaws for it to feed on it. Despite the intimidating look the payara is in fact an angling species of fish.
Conclusion
The underwater world is hardly less diverse and of the water’s surprisingly misogynistic appeal, the ugly fish with teeth is perhaps one of the most extraordinary examples of evolutionary adaptations.
These fish may be the ugly ducklings of the aquarium world, however, there cannot be any question that the features they possess are ideal for the habitats they are in.
