Lumpsucker Changes Mind
Sometimes it isn't the right time to have a snack or to read a tab, and then that perfect time comes moments after
What looks more like a CGI-created anime character than a real fish is in fact a lumpsucker. These little guys with the scientific name of Cyclopteridae are a family of marine fish found in cold waters of the North Atlantic, North Pacific and Arctic oceans. They vary in color and adornment, some being smoother and some with more distinctive, protruding spines. Their “suckers” are modified pelvic fins that have evolved into adhesive disks that the fish use to cling to rocks, muddy sea floors, or even to other fish. The species of fish in this family vary in size from about 2 centimeters to over a foot and a half.
Lumpsuckers, while adorable, do not make easy-care aquarium pets. They require cold sea water which is well filtered, difficult conditions for the home enthusiast to achieve. They are, nonetheless, an important species in the aquaculture industry. Farmed salmon, for example, are notoriously susceptible to parasitic sea lice, which happen to be a favorite meal of the lumpsucker. The little guys can cling to salmon and consume the parasites while leaving the larger fish unharmed. This symbiotic relationship works out well for both fish and farmer, greatly decreasing the need for chemical pesticide treatment of farmed fish and in turn preserving a healthier ecosystem and more natural food chain.
The video below has an example of some of the different types of lumpfish. They are just too cute!
Source for today’s gif is below.
Reddit: "Sorry to rain on your parade r/Aquariums; Lumpsuckers are not good pets." by lolzycakes
They look like they are made of green jello. How adorable. In the video I love when the one swims over and sits on the head of another lumpsucker who definitely gives side eye. "Did I ask you to sit on my head? Pretty sure I didn't, dude." Thanks, Martini for the feel good times.
Oh, I woulda guessed what that was, eventually. LOL.