9 Fish With Big Eyes (Crazy Fun Facts Along With Pictures)

Olivia Moore | Last updated: Jul 25 2022 main-post-page-img

Fish, the aquatic vertebrate, are an incredibly diverse group of animals. There are about 34000 different species of fish found in salt and fresh waters of the world. All these species differ from each other based on their characteristics and traits. Of which one of the common traits is their eye size. There is a lot of fish with big eyes.

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9 Fish With Big Eyes

Fish eyes have many of the same components as a human eye, but their eyes are structured and used differently. Fish eyes have a more spherical lens than mammals and birds. They have specialized eyes with a protective film that allows them to see underwater. Some fishes have large eyes compared to others, which is sometimes an adoption to living in the deep sea where there is less or no light. Below, I've listed some fish with big eyes, pictures, and amazing facts.

Telescope Goldfish

The first fish that falls under the category of fish with big eyes is Telescope Goldfish. Telescope goldfish have large, round eyes known for their protruding eyes. Their large protruding eyes result from naturally occurring and fast-growing brain tumors that push their eyes out. The tumors don't affect their daily activities, although Telescope goldfish have poor eyesight. They do not live in wild water; they inhabit stagnant and slow-moving water, particularly lakes, ponds, small rivers, etc., where they feed on insects, detritus, small crustaceans, and vegetable matter.

Squirrel Fish

The other name for Squirrel fish is "Red Squirrelfish", "Soldierfish", "Bigeye", and "Blotch eye Soldier fish". Big eyes Squirrel fish are nocturnal hunters with large shiny black eyes that help them to see better at night. They are typically vibrant shades of bright red or orange. The squirrel fish have two sets of eyes; they use one set for seeing above water and the other for seeing in the water. They live in warm temperatures and on coral reefs and eat zoo benthos and plankton.

Bigeye Thresher Shark

The bigeye thresher shark is a specie of thresher shark found in temperate and tropical oceans worldwide. The most distinctive characteristic of the bigeye thresher shark is its long tails. They use their tail to whip fish, allowing the big eye thresher shark to easily gobble them up. Their large eyes help them to detect the prey from far away. Also, their body is covered with thick skin that protects them from any injury.

Horse-Eye Jack

The horse-eye jack is another fish with a big eye, also known as "Big-eye-jack," a relatively large fish growing to over two feet. The horse-eye jack is a game fish and swims in large schools. They have big eyes on the top of their head and is a freshwater fish with their origins in South Africa. The horse-eye jackfish lives in shallow water, so it can see predators coming from above and easily escapes danger. They have two pairs of eyes, one at the front and the other at the back of the head, making them look like horse eyes.

Barracuda

Barracuda is a long slim fish with powerful jaws known for its ferocious behavior and fearsome appearance. Barracuda is a large predatory, ray-finned fish that are primarily a fish eater. The barracuda has large, round black eyes that help them see underwater and hunt their prey. They also have a fierce reputation for being scary due to their intimidating large, sharp teeth. Conversely, in reality, Barracudas are quite afraid of people. They are found in tropical waters worldwide, especially in coastal areas.

Bigeye Fish

The bigeyes are a family of 18 species of marine ray-finned fishes. They have oblique mouths with the lower jaw projecting upwards and large eyes that protrude from the head. Most of these fishes are bright red or orange in color, but some species can change from a pale hue to a deep, mottled shade. Their eyes are very reflective. The bigeye fish hide in caves and under ledges in the daytime and come out during the night. They are found in tropical waters worldwide, from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.

Tarpon

Tarpons are explosive, powerful, and acrobatic fighters making them one of Florida's most challenging nearshore sportfish. Their large eyes enable them to see underwater. There are two species of Tarpons. They are large saltwater fishes that grow up to 4 feet long. Tarpons have large, shiny, half-dollar-sized scales. They are also known as "Silver King", "Silversides", "Silverfish," and "Sabalo". Tarpons live in freshwater lakes and rivers and eat small fishes, shrimps, crabs, and other crustaceans.

Blue Shark

Blue Shark is also called the "Great Blue Shark", found in tropical and temperate oceans. The great Blue Shark has big eyes with a long snout. Their big round eyes give them a goofy appearance and help to detect any movement. They can easily spot prey from far away and are among the ocean's top predators. Blue Sharks eat shrimp, squid, crabs, octopus, and other small fishes. The Blue shark prefers shallow coastal waters and lives in tropical waters worldwide.

Swordfish

Swordfish are also known as broadbills because of their flat, long, pointed bill. They are an impressive fish species with a sharp, long snout that looks like a sword. Swordfish are round-bodied and elongated; they lose all their teeth and scales by adulthood. They have large eyes, small brains, and large mouths. The swordfish's eyes are located at the top of their head and are used in hunting prey as they are expert hunters. They live in cold water and have specialized muscles around their eyes to keep them warm and primed for spotting and seeking out prey. Swordfish are found at a depth ranging from 100m to 1500m.

Conclusion

I hope you have enjoyed reading the article and knowing the crazy facts about fish with big eyes. Some other fish with big eyes are Bigeye tuna, Rockfish, Porbeagle shark, Spotted ratfish, Dwarf pufferfish, Genie's dogfish, Celestial eye, Pearl scale, Pandas telescope, Popeye catalufa, Heteropriacanthus, Narrow-lines puffer, Lemon peel angelfish.

Written by

Olivia Moore

Olivia is a freelance writer and pet enthusiast who writes articles on animals to help owners and their pets live their life in the best way. She resides in Australia and is currently doing her master’s degree in wildlife biology. Besides her studies, she has found a new love for working online and writing about animals. She is passionate about creating awareness about pets. Her mission is to write content on their health issues and the best ways to make their pets content. She loves to write about animals of all types but her specialties are dogs, cats, and birds.