Skip to content
CivicMapleEveryday answers, clearly mapped.
Nature

Wolf Fish

What is wolf fish?

· Emily Grant

Key facts

Family Anarhichadidae[1]
Genus Anarhichas[1]
Habitat Cold northern waters, from shoreline to depths of 300 metres or more[2]
Species count Five species[2]
Maximum length About 2.3 metres (7.5 feet)[2]

Wolf fish are large, long-bodied marine fishes in the family Anarhichadidae, found in cold northern Atlantic and Pacific waters. They have strong canine teeth and molar teeth, and feed on shellfish, starfish, and sea urchins. There are five species, reaching about 2.3 metres in length, and they are taken for food in Europe and the United States [2].

Context

Wolf fish are large marine fishes in the family Anarhichadidae, found in cold northern Atlantic and Pacific waters [2]. They have strong canine teeth and molar teeth, and feed on shellfish, starfish, and sea urchins [1]. There are five species, reaching about 2.3 metres in length, and they are taken for food in Europe and the United States [2]. They are also known as catfishes in Europe and are commonly confused with wolf eels and lancetfish [2].

Documented claims

  • Wolf fish have strong canine teeth in the front of their jaws and molar teeth on the sides, used to crush shellfish, starfish, and sea urchins [1].
  • They are also known as catfishes in Europe and are commonly confused with wolf eels and lancetfish [2].

Questions and answers

Are wolf fish good to eat?

Yes, wolf fish are taken for food in Europe and the United States [2].

Are wolf fish aggressive?

The sources do not describe wolf fish as aggressive; they are known for their strong teeth used for crushing prey [1].

How strong is a wolffish bite?

The sources do not provide a specific bite force measurement, but they have strong canine teeth and molar teeth for crushing shellfish [1].

Are wolf fish in Canada?

The sources mention wolf fish in northern Atlantic waters, which include Canadian waters, but do not specify Canadian locations [2].

Sources

  1. Atlantic Wolffish — fisheries.noaa.gov (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  2. WOLFFISH Definition & Meaning — dictionary.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)

Sources last checked August 3, 2026. · More in Nature