
It is not just the delicious mild taste of both wolffish and anglerfish that makes them so popular: the fish are also completely boneless. Both fish have a non-endangered IUCN status. The fish is very popular and one of the most expensive fish species on Dutch menus. Now that people have discovered how good it tastes, it is caught on a large scale. In the past, wolffish was nothing more than a by-product caught in the sole and plaice fisheries. This unique predatory technique is why monkfish are actually called anglerfish (fishing for other fish). The flexible jaws and expandable stomach allow a monkfish even to eat prey larger than itself. It lures its prey using an extensible cord on its dorsal fin, which looks like a fishing rod with bait, which it holds in front of its large mouth. The monkfish eats by opening its gigantic mouth and sucking in its prey. Unlike the wolffish’s large, solid and blunt teeth, monkfish have two whole rows of many small, sharp teeth. Here, monkfish feed on macrofauna and all kinds of other fish. They live on the seabed off the coast, up to a maximum depth of 1,000 metres. Monkfish is found in both the North Atlantic and the North Sea. The total length of the fish is up to 1.25 metres, with a weight of up to seven kilograms.
ANGLER FISH CRACK
Wolffish have extremely powerful jaws with solid and blunt teeth to crack the shells. Here, this unique fish feeds on shellfish and crustaceans. Wolffish is mainly found in the North Atlantic Ocean on rocky bottoms. In addition to the external differences between monkfish and wolffish, the anatomy, lifestyle and taste of both fish differ as well. The differences between monkfish (anglerfish) and wolffish The differences between monkfish and wolffish Not many people have ever seen a whole wolffish: the fish is almost always sold filleted. The colour of the wolffish is blue-grey with dark vertical stripes. Its head is much smaller than that of monkfish, but its teeth are perhaps even more monstrous. Like the monkfish, the wolffish owes its name to its remarkable appearance. Wolffish( Anarhichas lupus) is a ray-finned fish, just like monkfish, but from the wolffish species. Because only the rear end of the fish is suitable for consumption, monkfish is known in the Dutch fishing industry as ‘hamvis’ or ‘staartvis’ (steak fish/tail fish). The tail part of the fish has delicious firm flesh, which has a mild, sweetish taste. However, nothing could be further from the truth.
ANGLER FISH FULL
With its large head and a mouth full of pointy teeth, the fish does not look very appealing at first glance, and that is why it is also referred to as a ‘sea-devil’. The body of the whole monkfish is flat and brown and tapers off very narrowly. This is partly because the monkfish has a gigantic head. There are (almost) always only monkfish steaks or fully filleted monkfish fillets sold in Dutch fish shops. In fishery, the latter name – allmouth – is mainly used, or as Mooijer-Volendam simply calls it: monkfish. These are so-called common names and fishers’ names, and as you can see, these vary greatly. There are various names for this eccentric animal, such as Lotte, sea-devil, goosefish, abbot, monkfish or allmouth. Buying monkfish (anglerfish) and wolffish at fish wholesaler Mooijer-VolendamĪ short introduction to anglerfish and wolffishĪnglerfish ( Lophius piscatorius) is a ray-finned fish of the anglerfish species.The differences between monkfish (anglerfish) and wolffish.A short introduction to anglerfish and wolffish.We also bring you up to speed on the importance of wild anglerfish and wild wolffish and why you should choose fresh or frozen fish. This article explains why anglerfish and wolffish are such unique fish, their differences, and how best to cook with them. So although you would probably prefer not to encounter them in open waters, they are more than welcome on your plate.Īre you a buyer looking for anglerfish, monkfish, or wolffish and don’t quite know the difference between the two? Would you like to know what to look out for when buying anglerfish and wolffish?

However, appearances are often deceptive, as this statement confirms: anglerfish and wolffish are both genuinely fantastic fish to cook with. They are also known as the ugly ducklings of the fish kingdom. Monstrously delicious: anglerfish or wolffishĪnglerfish and wolffish: two fish that both owe their names to their remarkable appearance.
