The waterdrop fish, once known as the "ugliest animal in the world," recently stood out in New Zealand's "Best Fish of 2025" selection with a high vote count of 1286. According to The Guardian on the 18th, this selection event was initiated by a trust fund in New Zealand and received a record breaking 5583 votes, attracting widespread attention.

The scientific name of the water droplet fish is the Hidden spine Du Fu fish, which can be called the "energy-saving master" in the deep sea. They have no bones, muscles, or scales, and their body glial density is lower than that of water, so they float on the seabed and hunt by adopting a "waiting for rabbits" approach. It is understood that these deep-sea residents have a lifespan of up to 130 years and are extremely slow to move. What's even more amazing is that female waterdrop fish can lay 100000 eggs at once and will guard the entire process until the young fish hatch.

Ten years ago, a chance deep-sea fishing brought the waterdrop fish into the public eye and quickly became a popular image in the emoji industry. It was also named the "ugliest animal in the world" at an event in the UK.

The participants in this selection event also include native New Zealand fish species such as longfin eels and rays. The organizers of the event stated that about 85% of fish species in New Zealand are facing survival threats, and raising awareness of these fish species through such activities is the beginning of raising awareness of marine conservation.