Rare Ratfish Found in Oregon
Wednesday, June 13th, 2007
A group of kids from Oregon City brought in a three-foot-long Spotted Ratfish to their local aquarium, which they had found on the southern cove area of Seaside - still alive.
The spotted ratfish’s technical name is Hydrolagus colliei, and it exists between SE Alaska and Baha, California, normally living at depths of 3,000 feet. Apparently, its spines are slightly poisonous.
It’s in a holding tank at the Seaside Aquarium at the moment but if it survives it may go on display.
[source]
Sweet!
Thanks a ton dude, I’m gonna have to go see it!
Seaside’s only about an hour and a half from my house.
I’ll bring back pictures…
Dang.
I emailed the staff at The Seaside Aquarium and they said that the Ratfish died about 12 hours after they got it.
Guess I’ll just have to wait until the next weird thing washes up on shore.
The red sore on its right fin made it extremely hard for it to swim.
At one point, the ratfish flipped over on its back and couldn’t right itself. :/
Also: apparently that giant salmon-like fish that washed up a while ago is frozen at the Seaside Aquarium, I’m gonna email ‘em.