Bluefin Driftfish Feeding on Jellyfish

During my recent visit to the Enoshima Aquarium, I observed juvenile bluefin driftfish (Psenes pellucidus) being exhibited in the same tank as moon jellyfish (Aurelia aurita).

The juvenile bluefin driftfish have a unique ecology where they use jellyfish as both habitat and food. In the tank, I could clearly observe this behavior, as the juveniles were seen preying on the moon jellyfish. Although the moon jellyfish were slowly moving around the tank, most of their tentacles were missing, making it evident that they had been preyed upon.

Adult bluefin driftfish primarily inhabit the deep-sea floor, but many details about their ecology and life history throughout their lifespan remain unknown [1]. Further research is anticipated in the future.

References

[1] Enoshima Aquarium, "Petal-like Shadows Swaying in the Spring Sea: Juvenile Bluefin Driftfish (Psenes pellucidus) Exhibition Begins." https://www.enosui.com/animalsentry.php?eid=00681.