The fish that drowns predators in slime in under a second
When attacked, this fish turns the water around it into a bucket of choking slime in seconds.
The short version
The hagfish releases tiny threads that expand into liters of sticky gel in under a second, clogging a predator's gills until it gags and flees. It ties itself in a knot to wipe the slime off, has no jaw or real bones, absorbs nutrients through its skin, and has survived 300+ million years.
Why it's so weird
- ✓The Hagfish turns the water around it into liters of choking slime in under a second.
- ✓The Hagfish releases tiny threads that expand into sticky, suffocating gel that clogs a predator's gills until it gags and flees.
- ✓The Hagfish ties its own body into a knot and slides it down itself to wipe the slime clean off.
- ✓The Hagfish has no jaw and no real bones, and can absorb nutrients straight through its skin.
- ✓The Hagfish has survived in the deep sea for over three hundred million years, older than the dinosaurs.
The full story
When something tries to eat this fish, it instantly turns the surrounding water into a thick cloud of slime. Meet the hagfish, one of the oldest and slimiest animals alive. The moment a predator bites down, the hagfish releases tiny threads that expand in water into liters of sticky, suffocating gel in less than a single second. The slime clogs the attacker's gills, and it is forced to gag, choke, and flee, leaving the hagfish completely untouched. To avoid choking on its own slime, the hagfish ties its body into a knot and slides that knot down itself to wipe the goo clean off. It has no jaw and no real bones, it can absorb nutrients straight through its skin, and it has survived in the deep sea for over three hundred million years. Follow for more weird animal facts.
Watch the 45-second version
Hagfish gallery
