Deep sea anglerfish » SEA LIFE Blackpool

Deep sea anglerfish
16-04-2012

The sealife cente in Blackpool is claiming a UK first in exhibiting a deepsea anglerfish of which they currently have 4

BBC News - Anglerfish on show at Blackpool aquarium

But i am sure i have seen these fish on exhibit at the centre near Oban and there they were also called monkfish, am i mistaken?
And if it is the same fish, feeding time makes for quite a display!

16-04-2012

Just to clarify, monkfish and Deepsea anglerfish are different species.

17-04-2012

Is it known where they came from.

17-04-2012

Judging from the photo, I'm not sure if this is a true deep-sea species. They have been kept at other UK coastal aquaria, fishermen occasionally dredge them up in their nets. They're very difficult to keep alive as they don't usually take to dead food.

They produce what is commercially retailed as 'monkfish', which is confusing given that Angel sharks are also known as monkfish. However they both feed in the same way.

Kiang - as you mention Oban, I suspect you're talking about Angel sharks, which are far larger and indeed do make a dramatic feeding display in captivity (when you can actually get them to feed).

17-04-2012

Thanks for that Johnstoni, but i do think it was the anglerfish, haven't seen angel sharks on exhibit at the Oban centre, the anglerfish would have been on display 10-15 years ago.

17-04-2012

Deep SeaWorld have Angel Sharks.

21-04-2012

the fish in the photo isn't a deepsea anglerfish but it is a species of anglerfish (of the family Lophiidae). It is the species commonly known in the UK as goosefish, or monkfish, or just simply as anglerfish.