Overview
The giant oarfish is the longest bony fish on Earth. Its body is a thin, silvery ribbon that can stretch many times longer than a person is tall, topped with a bright red fin that runs all the way down its back. Seen swimming, it looks like a living silver banner.
Oarfish live deep in the open ocean and are rarely seen alive. Now and then a sick, dying, or dead one drifts up to the surface or washes onto a beach, which for centuries helped fuel old legends about giant sea serpents.
| Where it lives | Open deep ocean water away from the seafloor |
| Range | Deep oceans worldwide, in warm and mild zones |
| Adult size | Commonly around 10 ft (3 m), with reports up to about 26 ft (8 m) or more |
| Diet | Tiny drifting animals like krill and small shrimp |
| Lifespan | Not well known |
| Depth or habitat | About 660 to 3,300 ft (200 to 1,000 m) down |
| Keep at home? | No, it is huge and lives in the open deep sea |
Its weirdest feature
The oarfish's most amazing trait is its length. It is the longest bony fish known, and long specimens have been reported at around 26 feet (8 m). A bright red crest and fin run the full length of its shimmering silver body.
Surviving the dark deep
Despite its huge size, the oarfish eats some of the tiniest food in the sea. It filters small drifting animals like krill and shrimp from the water, so it does not need to chase big prey to survive in the deep.
How it hunts
The oarfish often hangs upright in the water, head toward the surface, drifting quietly. From this position it can spot tiny prey silhouetted against the faint light above and gently gulp them from the water.
Life in the deep sea
Oarfish swim by rippling the long red fin along their back while keeping their ribbon-like body mostly straight. They have no scales and no real teeth, and their soft bodies are built for the calm, food-poor open water of the deep.
An amazing fact
Because oarfish sometimes appear at the surface right before they die, some people once believed they warned of earthquakes. Scientists have not found real proof of that, but the legend of the sea serpent lives on.
Fun facts
- It is the longest bony fish in the world.
- Long oarfish have been reported at around 26 feet (8 m).
- It eats tiny animals like krill despite its giant size.
- It often swims upright with its head pointed upward.
- Sightings of oarfish likely inspired old sea serpent legends.
Frequently asked questions
How long can an oarfish get?
It is the longest bony fish known, commonly around 10 feet and reported up to about 26 feet (8 m) in the longest cases.
Does the oarfish really predict earthquakes?
There is no solid scientific proof of that. Oarfish sometimes surface when they are sick or dying, which started the legend.
What does such a huge fish eat?
Mostly tiny drifting animals like krill and small shrimp, which it filters from the water.
Can an oarfish be kept in an aquarium?
No. It is enormous and lives in the open deep sea, so it cannot be kept.
