Rattail fish are very curious and will investigate any disturbance on or around the seafloor. Those enormous eyes give the rattail an edge. They can glimpse even the faintest flickers of bioluminescence—the “living light” produced by deep-sea animals. Keen eyesight reveals prey, like fishes and squid, darting in the waters above the seafloor.
A rattail relies on other senses, like smell and touch, to find a meal too. These fish have a nose for rotting carrion, and sensitive barbels on their chin detect small crustaceans or worms wiggling in the mud below. They can also communicate with a swim bladder that makes a drumming sound. Learn more about the remarkable rattail: https://www.mbari.org/animal/rattail-fish/.