The Grandpa Fish
By Christy Lowman
Burke County
If you haven’t realized it by now, I am fascinated by animals that live in the ocean and have been that way since I was young. I recently learned about a fish that I have never heard of, called a blobfish, fathead sculpin, or Psychrolutes maridus.
This fish lives close to the ocean floor anywhere between 2000 to 4000 feet deep. It is about a foot long, its pink, gray, or white skin is gelatinous and its body is soft. They do not have teeth and eat whatever they can find mainly crustaceans. Scientists don’t know much about these fish and aren’t sure where they live but they have been found around Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand. They know they live there because fishermen catch blobfish in their trawling nets. Most of them die from being caught in the nets but those that are still alive are usually set free. It is unknown if they make it back to their habitat in the deep waters and survive from the shock of being brought up quickly through the water.
This fish is not a sought-after fish, meaning it’s not one people eat. The blobfish doesn’t have much flavor and has an odd texture.
When the blobfish is in its natural habitat it looks like any other fish but when it is brought to the surface in the trawling nets it loses its shape and looks like a gelatin blob. This is because deep in the ocean the water pressure is 120 times higher than that at the surface. This quick change in pressure deforms the blobfish. They do not have much body structure, only a partial backbone, and very few muscles. The blobfish does not have a swim bladder either, like most fish. The swim bladder’s purpose is the help fish move around and maintain buoyancy, (being able to float in water).
These traits of the blobfish, the gelatin skin, minimal skeleton, and muscles, are common of all deepwater fish. God made them this way so they could survive the extreme pressure in the deep ocean water.
Once out of the water, this fish looks saggy and droopy. It looks like it has a nose and it reminds me of a really old man.
When I saw this fish, it was a quick reminder of how we need to always make sure the elderly people in our community are taken care of. It’s easy to forget them. Sometimes we get too busy or we just don’t know what to say. Some seniors end up going to a nursing home to live when they get older and sometimes it can be uncomfortable visiting there but we must remember that the older people are valuable and need love and care too. It is our responsibility to help take care of them. They might just need someone to come and take out their trash, mow their lawn, bring them a meal or just come and keep them company. Sometimes they get extremely lonely just like we do when we don’t see our friends.
One thing I have learned throughout the years is that if you will take the time out to spend time with these people you in return will be blessed. I have made new friends, enjoyed hearing wonderful stories, and learned new things from elderly people.
It is especially important to remember them during the holidays when they are missing those that they love who have already passed. The holidays are wonderful times to visit them, bring them a card, and perhaps you will make a new friend. Most importantly, don’t forget to tell them about Jesus!
Dear Lord, please help us to remember our senior citizens that live in our community. Help us, minister, to them and show Christ’s love. We pray that you will use us to be a blessing to them. Help them as they go through hard times, lonely times. Help us be a shining light to know that we are there for them. Help us remember to visit them especially during the holidays. In Jesus’s precious name I pray Amen.
Bibliography
https://a-z-animals.com/animals/blobfish/
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/behold-the-blobfish-180956967/
https://30a.com/worlds-ugliest-fish-blobfish/
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Christy Lowman is a Christian author and illustrator that lives in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains with her husband and two children. She enjoys writing and illustrating books for all ages. Some of her short stories are published with Guideposts and HCI. Christy gives all the glory to God in everything she does. A portion of every book sold from the Small Bible Character Series will be donated to battle human trafficking. If you enjoy her books, “like’ her author page on Facebook and let her know! You can buy her books at //www.amazon.com/s?i=stripbooks&rh=p_27%3AChristy+Lowman&s=relevancerank&text=Christy+Lowman&ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1. You can reach her at //www.facebook.com/authorChristyLowman/
or christyssoaps@yahoo.com
You can read more Christian news from Christy here.
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