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What Does a Black Dragonfish Eat?

With its ferocious teeth, the black dragonfish looks more like a deep sea monster than a fish. Known as Idiacanthus atlanticus, these long, skinny fish live deep below the ocean's surface and have the ability to produce light that other fish can't see. This allows them the ability to easily find and hunt prey.

Habitat
- The black dragonfish lives in marine waters 2,000 feet below the surface. It never surfaces and it spends its whole life in the deep, occasionally coming up to 1,000 feet below the surface. Black dragonfish can be found in the Indian and Pacific oceans and in the Atlantic ocean, between Greenland and Iceland and Iceland and Scotland.
Male Vs. Female
- Black dragonfish represent one of the most sexually dimorphic species. This means the male and female vary greatly in appearance. The female black dragonfish reaches lengths of 8 inches, has tiny eyes, fang-like teeth and a chin barbell that lights up. In contrast, the male grows to one-tenth the size of the female, has no teeth or chin barbell, is brown instead of black and has a non-working gut.
Finding Prey
- Like many deep sea fish, the black dragonfish makes its own light. Photophores, scattered around its body, in two lines down its sides and in its chin barbell, light its way and attract prey. While most deep sea fish can only see blue-green light, black dragonfish produce and can see red light. This advantage allows them to easily find prey.
Feeding Habits
- Black dragonfish use their teeth to hook prey. They then drop their loose jaws and pull the prey into their mouths. They sometimes go after large prey and eat mostly fish, shrimps and copepods.

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