What does an oarfish eat?

The diet of the oarfish consists of plankton, small crustaceans and small squid that they are able to strain from the water. These fish have a small mouth with no visible teeth, so they strain their food through a specially formed gill rake that can be found on the inside of their mouth.

Often referred to as the ribbon fish, the oarfish is the longest bony fish that can be found in the sea. When they are dying or sick, they can often be found floating on top or near the top of the water, which may be what many mariners have mistaken for sea monsters or serpents.