Today I saw the ugliest fish in the world

[Miami Reef]

I went to my LFS today and saw the ugliest fish ever. Who would look at this and decided to buy it?

It has this really greasy silvery look with a face that looks deformed. I think it was called something like “head down fish” or something referring to the downturned head. Regardless, it’s so weird.

And it’s a saltwater fish. I don’t know if they are reef safe or not.

Edit. Thanks guys for the name. I looked it up and I found pictures of it. This is what it looked like in person.

I really dislike that silver sheen. Looks cheap IMO.

 

[JGT]

Believe it’s called a look down. Seen these in schools, they look pretty cool.

 

[AydenLincoln]

I went to my LFS today and saw the ugliest fish ever. Who would look at this and decided to buy it?

It has this really greasy silvery look with a face that looks deformed. I think it was called something like “head down fish” or something referring to the downturned head. Regardless, it’s so weird.

Look up batfish/blobfish two of the ugliest fish.

 

[Steve and his Animals]

Look downs are actually very interesting fish. Not entirely reef safe, they're actually predators with good-sized mouths. They get to about the size of a dinner plate, live in schools, and are usually more open-water swimming past the reef as opposed to reef-associated. Very common in public aquaria because they make an impressive open-ocean display fish. Their slim profile makes them harder to see in the open water when looked at head-on or from behind.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Yup, its a lookdown. We have them here on the pacific side down in Baja, kinda catfish-ish in behavior. I know they eat small crustaceans.

 

[HB AL]

I think lookdowns are cool looking. Now my 3 inch damsel is an ugly brown fish.

 

[Gtinnel]

I just love that when I go to a public aquarium and when a school swims over us in the tube I can tell my kids to look up it’s a look down.
I’ve never actually seen them for sale in the hobby though.

 

[Miami Reef]

Look up batfish/blobfish two of the ugliest fish.

I don’t like Batfish either. I went to Dubai with family for a trip as saw the worlds largest aquarium, but as a reefer, I was very disappointed. The lighting was so dim and it was filled with gray fish with a ton of batfish. They could have made the brightest display with tangs and anthias.

I do not like silver fish. I know this is my opinion of course.

 

[AydenLincoln]

I don’t like Batfish either. I went to Dubai with family for a trip as saw the largest aquarium, but as a reefer, I was very disappointed. The lighting was so dim and it was filled with gray fish with a ton of batfish. They could have made the brightest display with tangs and anthias.

I do not like silver fish. I know this is my opinion of course.

Especially silverfish bugs lol.

 

[Miami Reef]

Especially silverfish bugs lol.

That’s disgusting. Why did you make me look that up?

 

[davidcalgary29]

The only ugly fish is a dead fish...

I love these "look at this weird fish I saw at the LFS today!" threads. I just don't get to see too many unusual demersal ocean fish in the few stores in Alberta, and I've never seen one of these for sale. The most unusual fish I have in one of my tanks is a small toothed whiptail, and even that can't be too uncommon.

 

[Steve and his Animals]

I don’t like Batfish either. I went to Dubai with family for a trip as saw the worlds largest aquarium, but as a reefer, I was very disappointed. The lighting was so dim and it was filled with gray fish with a ton of batfish. They could have made the brightest display with tangs and anthias.

I do not like silver fish. I know this is my opinion of course.

My boss says I like "ugly fish" because I like fish with a lot of browns and blacks. I usually value contrast and interesting behaviors over straight color. Main reasons I don't like fish like discus or African cichlids, a bunch of color with nothing really behind it.

 

[AydenLincoln]

That’s disgusting. Why did you make me look that up?

LOL! I know because where I’m from they are relatively common I thought maybe you’ve heard of them I guess not!!

 

[Miami Reef]

My boss says I like "ugly fish" because I like fish with a lot of browns and blacks. I usually value contrast and interesting behaviors over straight color. Main reasons I don't like fish like discus or African cichlids, a bunch of color with nothing really behind it.

There are many colorful saltwater fish that have great personalities. 3 quick examples being flame hawkfish, Midas blenny, and Firefish.

 

[Steve and his Animals]

There are many colorful saltwater fish that have great personalities. 3 quick examples being flame hawkfish, Midas blenny, and Firefish.

Not saying that doesn't exist, just saying "less colorful" isn't a deal-breaker for me. Color just sweetens the deal if the fish is interesting in it's own right. Example, one of the first butterflyfish I ever kept was a Heniochus varius. Arguably not a very nice looking fish, but it was just so unique looking I couldn't resist. I actually really like how deep the black on the belly/pelvic fins are too.

And the adults get little forehead horns!

 

[MaxTremors]

It kind of blows my mind that someone would look at that fish and say that it’s ugly and cheap looking.

 

[Miami Reef]

edit

 

[Miami Reef]

Not saying that doesn't exist, just saying "less colorful" isn't a deal-breaker for me. Color just sweetens the deal if the fish is interesting in it's own right. Example, one of the first butterflyfish I ever kept was a Heniochus varius. Arguably not a very nice looking fish, but it was just so unique looking I couldn't resist. I actually really like how deep the black on the belly/pelvic fins are too.

And the adults get little forehead horns!

That’s pretty to me. There isn’t a lot of fish that I consider ugly. I take body shape, coloration, swimming pattern, and feeding pattern into account.

 

[fish farmer]

Lookdowns are awesome looking. I briefly had one in college tank. We trawled up a palm sized specimen that I was able to get to feed on krill. It was very active.

 

[bnord]

beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder

Have seen them in the wild and it is one of the most stunning and impressive school of fish I have ever seen

If I had a 400 gal I MIGHT consider2-3 in a tank, but IMO they should not be caught collected and kept in a tank