- SpongeBob Anchovies Guide: All About the Fish That Say “Meep” - November 3, 2022
- Hooky Spongebob Guide - October 1, 2022
- Dennis Spongebob Guide: Who Is Dennis The Hitman? - September 22, 2022
Having different stories and fun characters, SpongeBob SquarePants is a pot-mix of unique personalities, protagonists, and side characters. I have to say I like some of the side characters a lot, for even the side characters are so intelligently written that they never fail to grab your attention.
One such side character (or a group of characters) that caught my eye was the school of “Anchovies.” Anchovies appeared in several episodes throughout the series, playing minor roles along with some major ones.
This group of brown and blue fish, who were mostly savvy but stereotypical businessmen, was quite fascinating whenever they appeared in a bunch, but not in a good way, to be honest. In this guide, I’ll share everything there is to know about anchovies in the series.
SpongeBob Anchovies Guide: Bottom Line Up Front
In the SpongeBob universe, Anchovies play a unique role. They usually appear in enormous swarms, don’t speak much English, and have pastel skin colors. Their debut in season 1, episode 1a, “Help Wanted,” was bizarre for me because of their massive appearance as a group.
Despite their cult-like gathering, it is made clear that they will go along their way without causing any harm if they are not annoyed or messed with. In this episode, they just used the words “meep-meep” to communicate.
They communicate effectively in a few other episodes of the following seasons. Their second appearance was in season 1, episode 12a, named “The Chaperone,” and the next one was in season 2, episode 30b, “I’m Your Biggest Fanatic.”
Key Information
Name: Anchovies
Occupation: Businessmen and Nerds
Residence: Bikini Bottom
Related Characters
- SpongeBob SquarePants
- Squidward
- Eugene H. Krabs
- Patrick Star
First Appearance: Season 1 Episode 1a: Help Wanted
List Of Episodes Anchovies Appeared In
- Season 1 Episode 1a: Help Wanted
- Season 1 Episode 12a: The Chaperone
- Season 2 Episode 30b: I’m Your Biggest Fanatic
- Season 7 Episode 138a: The Play’s The Thing
- Season 8 Episode 153a: Accidents Will Happen
Physical Appearance
Anchovies were mainly plotted as a group. They are primarily seen in blue or brown, and their appearance resembles sardines. Due to this, they are often wrongly called sardines by the show’s fans. With eyes on their heads, it seems like they are always staring at the sky.
Anchovies have slender bodies with a long chin that runs down and meets their abdomen, adding creepiness to their appearance. The dorsal part of their bodies is colored dark blue or brown with a fin missing, while the ventral portions are either light blue or light brown.
Anchovies are often seen in business attire with ties and suits, holding a suitcase in their hands, or they wear plain off-white and lavender shirts. Using their signature high-pitched voices, they mainly shout meep to deliver their thoughts.
Of course, some of the younger anchovies are a bit shorter. A few have hair, but a lot of them don’t, and they can appear in large or small groups or sometimes alone.
Putting it short, huge groups, a long chin, a big mouth, and an annoying voice make them irritating for the rest of the Bikini Bottom.
Personality and Character
The personality of Anchovies resembles that of stereotypical nerds and the working class, and they always seem to be in a rush. They once appeared at Krusty Krabs, spreading food frenzy all over the place. Keeping this incident in mind, it is clear that they can turn intimidating if not given what they want.
One of their signature traits is a duck-like voice and the words meep-meep. They are a group of smelly individuals, and this smell gives them away even from a reasonable distance. Nobody wants to be in their company because of how smelly and annoying they could get.
Anchovies possess a calculated mind that wants things in return for their work. This was seen in an episode where they left the audition after learning from Mr. Krabs that they won’t be paid for their part in Squidward’s play. Let’s not forget the scene where SpongeBob and Patrick seemed reluctant when a ghost offered them a pizza with Anchovies on it. This clearly shows they don’t make for good food either.
With a hurried demeanor, an intimidating effect as a group, and an intelligent mind, Anchovies perfectly represent our society’s significant yet cocky business class.
Notable Anchovies in SpongeBob SquarePants
While the show probably has hundreds of anchovies as characters, most of them are minor. Their biggest role is as part of a group of anchovies.
However, some appear individually, such as Octavius Rex. He’s the guy that broke up with Pearl before her prom, and she said he’s handsome, long, and tall. There are quite a few teen anchovies in the same scene as Octavius.
There’s also a group of anchovies in the exclusive Jellyspotters club, but none of them have names. Most of the characters are “Incidental X” where X is a number.
Barry Goby, a business executive, is an anchovy that appears in “Goodbye, Krabby Patty?” This character has an extra fin, which you don’t find on many other anchovies in the show.
Role In SpongeBob SquarePants
The role of anchovies in the show depends on the specific characters. When we see them in large groups, they’re usually hungry (or I like to think they’re “hangry”).
They won’t stop until they get the food they want, and that can cause problems for other characters. But for us, these scenes can be very entertaining, and we get to see the main characters do things they probably wouldn’t otherwise do, such as cowering and climbing up to the ceiling of the Krusty Krab.
However, some of them serve similar roles to other fish species in the show. They’re simply characters that interact with the main members of the cast, and they happen to be anchovies.
Role In SpongeBob SquarePants Video Games
If you want even more anchovies from SpongeBob, you can play “Anchovy Feeding Frenzy,” which is an online game. The show’s first episode, “Help Wanted,” inspired this game.
In it, you play as SpongeBob and use his new hydro-dynamic spatula to make Krabby Patties for the anchovies. You have to feed 10 anchovies to move up a level.
However, you also don’t want Mr. Krabs and Squidward to fall from their posts near the ceiling. If that happens, you’ll lose, but if you see Patrick, you can feed him to help your coworkers stay up high.
The game has four levels for you to get through to win. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a working link, and it’s not on the Nick website, so maybe they discontinued the game.
Anchovies First Appearance
Anchovies were lucky enough to appear chronologically in the first episode of season 1. I believe if a side character gets its debut in the very first episode of the show, this definitely points toward its significance. After all, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that SpongeBob was able to get his first job because of the vital role that Anchovies played.
Anchovies were in a feeding frenzy in the first episode, “Help Wanted.” Mr. Krabs sends SpongeBob on a seemingly impossible mission to find a hydro-dynamic spatula, but while he was gone, they stopped by the Krusty Krabs in red buses and started screaming for food as they entered the restaurant.
This massive animalistic crowd sent chaos to the restaurant that was put off once SpongeBob arrived and made patties with the speed of light. As each anchovy gulped down his piece of food, they left the area, and finally, the place was silent again. Since only Mr. SquarePants was able to satiate the hunger pangs of Anchovies, Mr. Krabs gave him the job happily.
How The Anchovies Got SpongeBob His Dream Job!
It is safe to say that the first significant role of Anchovies was not only to introduce us to Krusty Krabs but also to the best cook in Bikini Bottom. But how did it all begin? Let’s walk through the debut episode of Anchovies.
A New Morning At Bikini Bottom
SpongeBob wakes up to the sound of his weird alarm clock. Enthusiasm was plastered across his face as he seemed ready to get a job at Krusty Krabs. SpongeBob told Gary how important this day was for him and that he must be physically fit. So, he started lifting a weight of just two stuffed animals fixed on the sides of the bar; it was funny how he gasped for air while lifting those plushies. SpongeBob then happily gets out of the house, marches toward Krusty Krabs, and sees the job advertisement plastered on the glass window. However, he becomes a bit paranoid about whether or not he should go for it.
In the meantime, Patrick Star meets him on the road and boosts SpongeBob’s confidence like a good friend by reminding him that it’s his dream job and that he should grab it. And now boosted up, SpongeBob continues his steps toward the restaurant, ready to go for the opportunity.
A Weird Test
Squidward spotted SpongeBob right outside the restaurant while wiping the glass windows where his face was painted. He runs to Mr. Krabs and implores him not to give SpongeBob a job. His reaction was pretty understandable, and I can relate to how we dislike some people so much that we keep them at bay.
Mr. Krabs was cunning enough to handle this situation well. As SpongeBob enters requesting the advertised position, Mr. Krabs knows what to say. He puts forth an implausible object that was impossible to find; a ‘Hydrodynamic Spatula with Port and Starboard Attachments and a Turbo-Drive.’ And if he brings it, only then will he be a part of the Krusty Krab’s crew. Being a naïve Bikini Bottomite, SpongeBob writes the details down in his small diary and goes on the quest to find this weird object that does not even exist, or does it?
Red Buses And Fishy Smell
SpongeBob exits the diner with full zeal while Mr. Krabs and Squidward laugh at how easily they made a fool out of SpongeBob and got rid of him. Right at that time, five red buses arrived outside the restaurant. They began spiraling around the restaurant and soon stopped. Mr. Krabs suddenly halts his laughter and crinkles his nose as he tries to catch up on the smell.
It was a matter of a few seconds before he concluded that this was a fishy smell only one specie of the ocean has, THE ANCHOVIES!!! And I have to admit, it was at that moment when I heard the pure words of wisdom coming out of Mr. Krabs’ mouth, “that smell, a kind of smelly smell, the smelly smell that smells….smelly.”
His pupils dilated in fear and anxiety when he saw masses of Anchovies getting off the buses and invading the diner. It was a sight to behold, a small restaurant instantly getting stuffed with brown and blue-colored Anchovies. Not to mention the smelly ones!
Sensing the danger, Mr. Krabs and Squidward duck themselves beneath the cashier counter. The Anchovies then started their usual high-tone meep-meep that proved to be a nuisance for everyone watching the episode. The Anchovies were wearing plain colored shirts. With big round eyes and long chins, they did look menacing.
The Anchovies didn’t seem to care for anything except the Krabby patties. They kept hysterically demanding the food without even stopping to listen for an answer.
When the ruckus becomes unbearable, Squidward stands up and tries to make these anchovies silent for a while. He demands them to behave and form a neat one-line so they can be given what they want. Surprisingly, they all shut up and listened to him.
The Wrath Of Anchovies
Staring at Squidward with stone-cold eyes, they remain silent until one of the Anchovies resumes their meep-meep. This proves to have a domino effect, and all of them start doing their annoying meep-meep again, but this time with more loudness. However, Anchovies went overboard this time. They pulled up the register counter with all the force under which Mr. Krabs and Squidward were hiding.
It was terrifying how the Anchovies turned into a roaring sea with undulating movements. And their wave-like movements, with the screams of intense meep-meep, carried Squidward and Mr. Krabs along with them.
Meanwhile, SpongeBob is in a shop called Bag n Mart, trying to find the desired spatula. His demeanor looks as peaceful as night. But unfortunately, Anchovies are wreaking havoc at Krusty Krabs with all their might. And my heart went to poor Squidward and Mr. Krabs, who bore the torture inside the restaurant. Each hungry sardine proves how powerful unity can be. The boat-shaped cash counter topples from one mountain of Anchovies to another while Mr. Krabs and Squidward hold on to it for their dear life.
With their big mouths opened, Anchovies went “eeeeee” while throwing them over and over. As Mr. Krabs gets thrown in the air, he yells odd stuff like “I want my mommy, Mr. Squidward,” and “we’re taking on water, Mr. Squidward.” Well done, Mr. Krabs! Amidst all this chaos, you have totally forgotten you literally live under the water. And talking about Squidward, this poor being holds his head between his hands all this time.
SpongeBob To The Rescue
As SpongeBob roams in the mart, searching for that spatula without any care in the world, Anchovies manages to break the cash counter into chunks of wood. And with nothing left to do, Mr. Krabs and Squidward climb up the wooden pillar to save their lives.
The Anchovies kept soaring up in the sky, one crazy wave after another. Although during all this time, both of them remained glued to the log, the craziness of Anchovies causes Mr. Krabs and Squidward to accept their fate and let go of that pillar. But before long, SpongeBob arrives with some heroic music playing in the background. It was unbelievable how he found that “hydrodynamic spatula with port and starboard arrangements and a turbo-drive!”
With the help of that spatula, he flies above the storm of raging Anchovies and reassures Mr. Krabs that he is going to save them. Ditching the swarm of Anchovies, he flies inside the kitchen, and “Livin’ in the sunlight, lovin’ in the moonlight” by Tiny Tim starts playing as he makes patties one by one.
Outside the kitchen, the Anchovies smell the savory aroma of hot patties, stirring up their hunger even more. But thanks to his out-of-the-world cooking speed, SpongeBob tosses one after another patty in a row, feeding every anchovy to its fill. Finally, their mania wanes with each patty down the throat, which they didn’t even bother to chew despite having big mouths. And I must say, the speed with which SpongeBob kept feeding these demanding Anchovies literally turned the tide.
All’s Well That Ends Well
With full stomachs, they start to leave the restaurant, and only a single anchovy remains. However, after having his share of Krabby Patty, even that innocent-looking anchovy also leaves the restaurant. Anchovies boards the buses they arrived in earlier, and off they go. It was finally over, and Krusty Krabs was back to normal, I mean, with normal creatures.
Anchovies left a mess out of the restaurant, and it looked nothing short of ruins. Who would have thought that such slender-looking smart anchovies could become could barbaric? But as they say, “all is well that ends well,” SpongeBob did a fantastic job, and Mr. Krabs became astounded to see that the wrath of Anchovies left a pile of money. However, not a single anchovy was shown paying for the burgers if you ask me. So, I still don’t get where all that money came from? Anyway, allured by the green of the crisp money, Mr. Krabs agrees to give SpongeBob the job. And Squidward tries hard to prevent it from happening but eventually fails.
Happily employed, SpongeBob goes about his kitchen chores when Patrick arrives and asks SpongeBob for a Krabby patty. But because of his turbo spatula, he makes tons of Krabby patties that push Patrick out of the restaurant. And here begins the never-ending journey of the Master of the Krabby patty.
Other Appearances
The Chaperone
Anchovies have managed to play many minor roles in the series. One such appearance was in episode 12a, season 1; The Chaperone. In this episode, Pearl comes crying inside the Krusty Krabs. And the reason behind her tears was her boyfriend, well ex-boyfriend, an anchovy named Octavious Rex, who breaks up with her before the prom.
Octavious was hideous, with large spectacles and a shaved head. However, as a satire, he was famous for being a long, tanned, and handsome person. Mr. Krabs comes out and sees that Pearl is crying rivers. Worried by this, he asks if anybody wants to go out with Pearl on her prom. Sadly, everyone, including the ugly customers, declines the request, making Pearl even sadder. But before she accepts the reality that no one wants to be her date, SpongeBob appears at the scene and agrees to go out with her instead of Octavious.
I’m Your Biggest Fan
Anchovies made their second big appearance in season 2, episode 30a: I’m Your Biggest Fanatic. This episode showed they could speak a couple of words other than meep-meep. These Anchovies were members of the Jellyspotters club. This club was run by Kevin, a pompous sea cucumber who started this professional Jellyfishers club that turned out to be a sham.
Anchovies, as a character, were given better screen time in this episode than other minor roles in the series. SpongeBob, a big fan of Kevin, wants to be a part of his company, but Kevin has other plans. Kevin presents an absurd challenge, i.e., SpongeBob can only join his club once he manages to summon the Queen jellyfish. SpongeBob wants to prove how big of a fan he is and does whatever it takes to summon the Queen jellyfish.
It turns out that Kevin and the Anchovies were disguised as the Queen jellyfish. SpongeBob’s heart breaks as he witnesses Kevin’s arrogant and wicked treatment toward him. In the meantime, a massive King jellyfish floats up to the club, which scares everyone. To save their butts, all of them run and hide inside a cave.
Due to his massive popularity, the Anchovies consider Kevin as their true boss and expect him to save them from this monstrous creature. But when he fails to protect them from the rage of King Jellyfish, they renounce him as their leader. Consequently, Anchovies make SpongeBob their new boss by putting Kevin’s crown on his head.
The Play’s the Thing
Squidward learns his play didn’t get accepted for production. To help soften the blow, SpongeBob suggests doing the play at their restaurant, and Mr. Krabs agrees after learning he can charge more money to customers.
When they hold auditions, we see quite a few anchovies in line. Unfortunately, they and the many other actors leave when they learn the Krusty Krab isn’t going to pay them for their performance.
I think this episode is a good representation of the anchovies. Like in “I’m Your Biggest Fanatic,” they aren’t just looking to destroy the city, but they are in groups, which is how real-life anchovies usually live.
Accidents Will Happen
This episode shows an accident occurring in the storage room of the Krusty Krab. We don’t see it happen, but Squidward claims to have hurt his leg, so Mr. Krabs works as the cashier.
As soon as he starts that job, a group of anchovies appears. Fortunately, the group isn’t as massive as in the earlier episode, but I imagine it brings back memories of that fateful day.
I haven’t worked in food service for almost eight years, but I still have memories of stressful shifts. It’s not something that goes away easily, so respect food service works.
The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run
You don’t have to watch an episode to see anchovies. The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run features a couple of anchovies, but they’re quite different from in the show.
We see these characters greeting SpongeBob and Patrick in Atlantic City. They give the friends a bunch of treats and sweets, which is an interesting change from wanting food.
I also think it’s interesting how these anchovies don’t just say “meep.” They can use English, and they even speak with British accents rather than American ones.
Kamp Koral
The SpongeBob spin-off Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years features some young anchovies. Of course, these characters are children, and they have a different animation style from the main series.
I like that the overall design of the anchovies is the same, though. They’re lanky and have long chins, while their eyes rest on top of their heads.
These anchovies are green, brown, or purple, which is also pretty in line with the original show. If you want to see young SpongeBob, be sure to watch this show and look out for the kid
My Thoughts About Anchovies
Anchovies don’t have any particular role of an antagonist or protagonist in this series. Yet, they managed to leave their memory behind, even though that memory is irritating because of their annoying voices.
Because of their suited outfits or nerdy glasses, Anchovies stood out from other characters. They did look calm at first glance but would wreak havoc if not treated well. Their love for Krabby Patties would turn them hostile and vehement. But I can’t blame them for such behavior. After all, an empty stomach can make a person do many nasty things. And let’s not forget that once they achieve what they want, their anger subsides, and they regain their composure.
And it’s not just me; Anchovies were also considered different by the rest of the Bikini Bottomites. The residents treated them as outsiders, not understanding their indigenous language and crinkling their noses at the fishy smell. Even though they were bright and contributed to the economy of Bikini Bottom as businessmen, the Bikini Bottomites were still reluctant towards them.
Although they appear as a group, one anchovy appears as a more versatile individual than the rest of its group. And frankly speaking, I sort of like this anchovy who wanted to break the stigma of being an anchovy that does meep but instead moop for communication. Anyways, I never liked Anchovies as a whole, mainly because I’m not too fond of anchovies in real life. They are smelly and greasy, anyhow.
In my opinion, for writing the character of Anchovies, the writers took inspiration from the real-life situations that arise in diners. They depict the kind of character nobody likes but still enjoys watching whenever they appear on the screen; after all, who doesn’t like some drama?
SpongeBob Anchovies Fun Facts
I learned a lot about the anchovies in SpongeBob SquarePants while reading this. If you want to learn more about the characters, consider some fun facts.
You may already know some, but others could surprise you. Whether you’re a superfan or not, it never hurts to learn a bit more about your favorite cartoon fish.
Here are a few of my favorite tidbits about the anchovies in Bikini Bottom.
Same Voice as Squidward
It may or may not shock you to learn that Rodger Bumpass, who voices Squidward, also voices the anchovies. This probably isn’t the case for the ones that speak full sentences.
However, he does all of the “meep” voices. After I thought about it, it started to make sense because the anchovies do kind of sound like Squidward.
The tone and register of their voices are pretty similar. It makes perfect sense for an existing voice actor to voice the anchovies since they don’t say much.
Meep or Meme?
If you spend much time on the internet, you’ve probably seen at least one meme based on SpongeBob. I found a meme generator with the picture of all of the anchovies in “Help Wanted.”
Some people have been really creative with how to use the meme. One of my favorites is where all of the anchovies say “repost” when they see a funny meme.
If you’re ever looking for a good meme or want to make your own, consider the anchovies. I think you could even use other scenes, such as the reveal of Octavius Rex for a meme revealing something else.
Merch and Gifts
Maybe you know someone who loves the anchovies, or you love them. You can buy some gifts and merchandise, from stickers to shirts and more.
I found these items from fans rather than Nickelodeon, so they may not be perfect. However, a lot of them look pretty good and appear to use images from the show.
You can buy these items on stores like Redbubble. Then, you can get something fun to display on your notebook or computer, and you can support individual artists.
Anchovy Remix
If you’re a fan of music, you’ll love “Anchovies (SpongeBob Trap Remix).” DJ Dirty Gaugez created the mix and posted it on SoundCloud, so you can listen to it for free.
The remix has a nice beat, and it’s fun to listen to if you want to get into the anchovy mood. As a musician, I love that others are taking inspiration from SpongeBob SquarePants.
This song is a little over three minutes long, so it’s on par with other songs you might hear. So give it a listen and add it to a playlist to keep it on rotation as you listen to music throughout the day.
Based on Real Life
SpongeBob SquarePants creator Stephen Hillenburg studied marine science. He used that background to make all of the characters more accurate, including the anchovies.
The most significant way the show portrays anchovies is in groups. In our world, anchovies tend to live and travel with each other, especially when they’re searching for food.
It’s cool to see how the show is able to use the fish in an accurate way. They may or may not make good pizza toppings, but they do make for an entertaining group of background characters.
Some Individual Appearances
Despite their realistic portrayal in groups, some anchovies appear individually. Of course, there’s the example of Octavius Rex, but he is at the prom with a few fellow anchovy classmates.
We also see one anchovy as a business executive in the episode “Goodbye, Krabby Patty?” I imagine these individual appearances have to do with other plot points in the show.
Other species often appear without others of their same kind, like SpongeBob. Having the occasional anchovy show up alone keeps things interesting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answer: Anchovies are a group of blue or brown anchovies that appear as working-class men in the SpongeBob series. They wear suits and sometimes spectacles. However, they have the potential to harm anyone if they are angered.
Answer: They mostly communicate with meep-meep, but some of them retain the ability to use few English words. But this happened rarely, and their language is unintelligible to the rest of the Bikini Bottomites.
Answer: Their long chin, intelligent minds, eyes on the top, and a fishy smell distinguish them from the rest of the people in Bikini Bottom. Anchovies have another trait in their repertoire that makes them stand out, i.e., their high-pitched voices doing meep-meep.
Answer: Anchovies played a significant role in SpongeBob getting his first job. They arrived at Krusty Krabs one afternoon, causing a food frenzy that only SpongeBob could settle. Consequently, Mr. Krabs turned happy and declared Sponge SquarePants his new cook.
Answer: You can say “meep” to express surprise, but it can also be a way to sound awkward. Of course, the anchovies are all probably a bit awkward.
In SpongeBob SquarePants, it doesn’t seem to have a specific meaning. The anchovies might have their own language, so it could mean anything.
Answer: Anchovies and sardines are different types of fish, though it can be confusing. Sardines are generally a bit larger than anchovies.
Also, I don’t know if we ever see sardines in SpongeBob SquarePants. If we do, they don’t have as big of a role as anchovies, or at least their species doesn’t matter as much.
Answer: Nematodes eat SpongeBob’s house, not anchovies. However, it’s easy to confuse the two since they both travel in massive groups, and they’ll do whatever they need to so that they can eat.
The nematodes are significantly smaller than the anchovies as well. While anchovies are the same size as other species, nematodes appear to be the size of worms.
Final Note on the Meep SpongeBob Guide
Whenever you see an anchovy in the show, you should reference a Meep SpongeBob guide. That way, you can figure out the purpose of the anchovies in the scene.
Most of them may not say much, but their actions are larger than their vocabularies. You can find anchovies in a lot of episodes, and they sometimes have larger roles than others.
Keep all of that in mind next time you turn on SpongeBob SquarePants.
Looking for more interesting readings? Check out: