While it can swim, this bottom dwelling fish moves across ocean floor.
Bottom dwelling fish live and feed on or near the bottom of seas or lakes (the demersal zone).
Also they occupy the sea floors and lake beds, which usually consist of mud, sand, gravel or rocks.
Therefore coastal waters they are found on or near the continental shelf, and in deep waters they are found on or near the continental slope or along the continental rise.
They are not generally found in the deepest waters, such as abyssal depths or on the abyssal plain, but they can be found around seamounts and islands. The word demersal comes from the Latin demergere, which means to sink.
Demersal fish are bottom feeders. They can be contrasted with pelagic fish which live and feed away from the bottom in the open water column. Demersal fish fillets contain little fish oil (one to four percent), whereas pelagic fish can contain up to 30 percent.
As with other bottom feeders, a mechanism to deal with substrate is often necessary. With demersal fish the sand is usually pumped out of the mouth through the gill slit.Benthic fish, sometimes called ground fish, are denser than water, so they can rest on the sea floor.
This bottom dwelling fish moves across ocean floor are an order of ray-finned benthic fishes which lie flat on the ocean floor. Examples are flounder, sole, turbot, plaice, and halibut. The adult fish of many species have both eyes on one side of the head. When the fish hatches, one eye is located on each side of its head.
