Spongebob Fish Guide: All the Fish from Spongebob

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Hannah Haefele

Hannah is a freelance writer who enjoys watching SpongeBob Squarepants. She grew up watching the kid show regularly and learned all about Bikini Bottom. She absolutely adores the show and finds Squidward to be incredibly relatable.After all, she is a musician too!Hannah is excited to share her favorite fan theories, episode moments, and more.

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Do you ever look at a background SpongeBob character and wonder what it is? I’ve had that question before, and I think a SpongeBob fish guide would come in handy.

I looked up the various fish and non-fish creatures in the show. While I’ve watched the show multiple times, I learned about the species, and some weren’t ones I would have guessed.

Read on to learn about the species of the main and background characters before you watch more of the show.

Bottom Line Up Front

SpongeBob features sponges, fish, mammals, and fictional creatures. Keep this list nearby whenever you want to confirm what species a character is.

Species of Main SpongeBob SquarePants Characters

When looking at all of the fish in SpongeBob, you should start with the main characters. Each character is a different species from the others, which helps them all stand out.

Here are the main characters and a bit about their species, fish or otherwise.

SpongeBob

Of course, I have to start with the titular sea sponge who looks like a kitchen sponge. Despite his square shape, he’s a sea sponge, and so are his parents and other family members that make appearances.

Gary

Gary might act and meow like a cat, but he’s a sea snail. Other snails include Larry, who SpongeBob tries to replace Gary with when the snail clings to Patrick.

Squidward

Don’t let his name confuses you: Squidward is an octopus, not a squid. Other characters of this species include his parents, his neighbors in “Squidville,” and his rival Squilliam.

Patrick

Patrick is a sea star, and his body has the typical five points. While he’s the main star, others include the starfish that accidentally crowns him king, his parents, and two other starfish he believes are his parents.

Mr. Krabs

Next, we have Eugene Krabs, who runs the Krusty Krab and is a crab. Most of his family is of the same species except for his daughter Pearl and Princess Pearl.

Pearl Krabs

Pearl is the daughter of Mr. Krabs, and she’s a sperm whale. Occasionally, other sperm whales have been in the show, such as Princess Pearl, but they don’t have the right proportions compared to other fish.

Plankton

Of course, I have to include Sheldon J. Plankton, our favorite Krusty Krab nemesis. He’s a copepod, and so is the rest of his family, except for his computer wife.

Mrs. Puff

The only main character who’s some species of fish is Mrs. Puff, who’s a porcupine fish (a type of pufferfish). Aside from her, there aren’t a ton of other pufferfish in Bikini Bottom.

Sandy

Sandy has to use a helmet and suit to live underwater since she’s a squirrel. While we rarely see them, the rest of her family are also squirrels, including her parents and cousins.

Other Species in SpongeBob SquarePants

The main characters make up a small percentage of all of the fish in SpongeBob SquarePants. As you watch the show, look at the background characters.

I didn’t realize how many species we see in the show until I listed them out.

Here are the species of background characters you’ll find when watching SpongeBob.

Jellyfish

Jellyfish are probably the most prominent of the background characters. They might not talk, but SpongeBob catches them like butterflies, and some even invade his home for a party.

Sea Slug

In “Rule of Dumb,” we see a family tree that includes Sluggo, a sea slug who is Gary‘s dad. Other episodes feature Sinister Slug, who’s of the same species.

Clams

Clams are another common species we see throughout the show. Sometimes, they howl like wolves, but they also attack and eat other animals in Bikini Bottom.

Pearl Oyster

They may look similar, but the pearl oyster isn’t the same species as the clams. This creature lives at the zoo, and it can also be food for other fish.

Sea Bunnies

The sea bunnies are the SpongeBob version of bunnies we see on land. You can see this species in episodes such as “A Place for Pets” and “Bunny Hunt.”

Scallops

Along with Gary, SpongeBob has a pet scallop that lives in a cage. Scallops are similar to clams, but they’re smaller, and the show treats them like birds in our world.

Squid

One of Pearl’s friends is a squid, but our only name for her is Incidental 11. A few other squids appear in the series, such as in jail with Plankton, and they have pointier heads compared to Squidward and other octopuses.

Vampire Squid

I don’t know why she looks more like an octopus, but we get to meet one vampire squid. These animals tend to live deep below the surface of the ocean.

Ammonite

When Squidward travels back in time, we can see ammonite, which is an old marine mollusk. They don’t exist anymore, but it’s cool to see the show include them when it makes sense.

Yeti Crab

The episode “Yeti Krabs” introduces us to this species, which seems to be like a yeti in real life. However, there’s a yeti crab that exists in our world, and they use their fur to harbor bacteria for food.

Hermit Crab

“Life of Crime” shows a couple of different hermit crabs as a criminal and victim. I had a couple of hermit crabs as pets as a child, and the animation is similar, but they’re a little large.

Shrimp

One prominent example of a shrimp is the villain Jumbo Shrimp. You can see a regular shrimp occasionally, such as in the episode “The Algae’s Always Greener.”

Lobster

Larry the Lobster makes an appearance in almost any episode that features Goo Lagoon. The universe features a couple of other lobsters in one of the video games and in “Employee of the Month.”

Brine Shrimp

Also called sea monkeys, you can see brine shrimp in a few episodes, and they look like monkeys. In real life, I’ve seen the animals; they look nothing like that, and they’re quite small.

Krill

Another small species you can see in SpongeBob SquarePants is krill. There are a couple of characters of this species, such as Johnny Krill, but they seem to be more of a nuisance than anything else.

Prawn

In “Captain Pipsqueak,” you’ll find a prawn on the screen. The only other appearances of this species is in a few of the SpongeBob video games.

Barnacle

A barnacle is a type of crustacean, and it has a few roles in the show. For one, it’s how Barnacle Boy got his name, and the characters use the term almost like a cuss word, though it’s appropriate to say.

Isopod

Isopods don’t have a huge role in the series as they only show up once. This species comes up on the TV when Patrick is watching a show about the creature.

Trilobite

Like the ammonite, the trilobite is an ancient species. You can see it when Squidward travels to prehistoric times, and the animation is pretty accurate based on what scientists have learned about it.

Amoeba

The most prominent amoeba in SpongeBob SquarePants is Plankton’s pet. You can see the species in a few episodes that feature the pet and its children.

Sea Cucumber

In one episode, SpongeBob tries to join the Jellyspotters. But the group’s leader, a sea cucumber, denies the sponge entry. The sea cucumber looks more like the food we eat than its real-life undersea counterpart.

Sea Urchin

A few episodes, such as “Your Shoe’s Untied,” feature sea urchins. These small creatures look pretty accurate compared to the ones we have in our universe.

Worm

We see worms in a few episodes, and they act similarly to dogs. Then, there’s the Alaskan Bull Worm, which is much larger and scarier. However, don’t confuse these worms with Wormy, Sandy’s pet caterpillar.

Leech

The most significant appearance of leeches is when SpongeBob hides from Sandy. She starts a mass search for her friend, and one of the fish gets leeches on him.

Hagfish

A couple of episodes feature Madame Hagfish, who looks like a big eel. This is similar to the species in real life, and Madame Hagfish is the only member of this species that we see.

Flatworm

Squidward sees a lot of unique creatures on his trip to the far past, including a flatworm. Another one appears closer to the usual era of the show and has the name Tapey.

Nudibranch

A real nudibranch is a type of sea slug. However, the show portrays the creature as a cute, small fish that can change temperament when it sees a species it can’t stand.

Nematodes

The show treats nematodes like termites and other pets. We see groups of them destroy buildings, such as in the episode “Home Sweet Pineapple.”

Eels

Eels appear in a few episodes of SpongeBob, and there are also grey eels and electric eels. These species all look a bit different, and they serve different purposes in the show.

Anchovy

I know a lot of people don’t like anchovies on their pizza (I haven’t tried it). But in SpongeBob, we see the species in large groups, and they make a “meep” noise.

Stingray

A stingray shows up for a quick moment in the season 4 episode “Chimps Ahoy.” Other than that, you’ll need to play the game “Employee of the Month” to see this species.

Manta Ray

You can see a manta ray in a book called UFO! The next closest thing in SpongeBob is the appearance of Man Ray, whose name is based on the species.

Shark

Sharks appear a few different times throughout the series. A family of sharks shows up in “SpongeGuard on Duty.” One of the background characters in Bikini Bottom is a hammerhead shark.

Another notable shark is the driving instructor who replaces Mrs. Puff when she loses her job.

Whale Shark

One of the unnamed incidental characters is a whale shark. That’s the only information we have about whale sharks existing in Bikini Bottom.

Frogfish

The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie introduces us to a frogfish. Like the real thing, the character chases after food and uses its tongue to catch a meal.

Sawfish

In the series, you can see a couple of background characters that are sawfish. One is an incidental, but the other one doesn’t have any name or incidental number.

Angler Fish

Episodes such as “Rock Bottom” feature the angler fish, which lives in the deep ocean. It has a light that hangs from its head to illuminate the area around it.

Dogfish

The dogfish comes up a couple of times in the show. For one, SpongeBob dresses up like a dogfish for Pearl Krabs’ birthday, and the name of the animal is graffiti in another episode.

Lion Fish

A lion fish shows up in “Spongicus,” but it doesn’t look like a real-life lion fish. Instead, it has the tail of a fish and the head of a lion.

Seahorse

In SpongeBob SquarePants, seahorses are a common method of transportation for other characters. They appear in various colors, including green, orange, and pink.

Bass

As a musician, I have to remind myself the bass fish is different from the instrument. The fish is the namesake of Bass Vegas, another city. In the series, Bubble Bass is a rude customer of the Krusty Krab.

Flounder

Flounders, including Flats the Flounder, make the occasional appearance in SpongeBob SquarePants. They also appear in the Atomic Flounder.

Tuna

One incidental character is a tuna. Other than that, there’s a tuna head, which shows up between scenes.

Swordfish

A swordfish shows up in episodes such as “Neptune’s Spatula.” There’s also a trucker that’s a swordfish and a child of the same species.

Catfish

We see a catfish when SpongeBob works as a doctor at the local hospital. The catfish has a sore throat but feels better after coughing up its keys. I actually just watched YouTuber Doctor Mike react to this and other medical scenes.

Blobfish

“The Night Patty” introduces us to a blobfish named Barry Blobfish. You can see others of this species in “The Nitwitting” and in an episode of the spinoff Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years.

Barracuda

One of the many incidental characters that you see in the background happens to be a barracuda. If you watch Kamp Koral, you can also see a barracuda there.

Sea Anemone

You can find a sea anemone in SpongeBob SquarePants. One is dancing in the episode about tying your shoe, and there’s another character of the series with the name Jennifer.

Nemo was right, it’s hard to say “anemone.”

Comb Jelly

A more minor species that shows up in the series is a comb jelly.

Coral

SpongeBob SquarePants features coral in the background of many scenes. Like in real life, the coral can’t move, but they look pretty and provide sea animals with a habitat.

Dolphins

You’ll find dolphins in episodes like “Jellyfish Jam!” The second movie of the SpongeBob series features one as well. Along with the anthropomorphic dolphins, there are some that look more like the dolphins we see in real life.

Orca

The show features two orcas: Billy and Don. Apparently, Don also goes by Don the Whale, but he looks more like an orca.

Narwhal

In “Whale Watching,” you can see a narwhal with the name Dylan. Other narwhals appear in Kamp Koral, and they’re Narlene and Nobby.

Grey Whale

Grey whales show up outside of the Krusty Krab in the episode “One Coarse Meal.”

Blue Whale

Frank is a whale that appears quite a few times throughout SpongeBob SquarePants. Sometimes, the show portrays him as a girl but not as a separate character.

Earless Seal

“Sun Bleached” and “The Whole Tooth” feature an earless seal. The first of those confirms the character’s name is Craig.

Manatee

In “Blacked Sponge,” Sandy rides a manatee like a sea cow. They look more like horses than cows to me.

Elephant

You can see elephants in “The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water.” Also, SpongeBob makes an elephant bubble when he sets up his bubble stand.

Giraffe

Patrick thinks the elephant bubble is a giraffe. The other time this animal appears is in a training video for the Krusty Krab.

Horse

“I Had an Accident” features a horse near the end. The horse’s name is George, and it looks like two people wearing a horse costume together.

Cat

“Kenny the Cat” features the hero of that name who comes to Bikini Bottom. He can breathe underwater, even without wearing a helmet like Sandy.

Dog

Dogs appear a couple of times, such as in the episode “Plankton!” That episode shows the antagonist has a labrador. However, no one in town knows what a dog is.

Rat

In “Friend or Foe,” you can see a rat appear briefly in the live-action restaurant “The Poop Deck.” That’s where Patchy works as he has a fight with Potty.

Chimpanzee

“Chimps Ahoy” features a group of three chimps named Lord Reginald, Dr. Marmalade, and Professor Percy.

Gorilla

The main way a gorilla shows up in SpongeBob SquarePants is as a gorilla costume. I don’t know how the characters got the costume, but it looks good.

Monkey

SpongeBob dresses up as a monkey in “Perfect Chemistry.” Other than that, we don’t get to see a real monkey.

Human

Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy are the most significant humans in the show. Of course, there’s also Patch the Pirate who narrates a lot of the special episodes.

Polar Bear

In “It’s a SpongeBob Christmas,” a polar bear runs after Patchy.

Seagull

Seagulls show up on screen in a few episodes and a couple of the movies. However, you could argue they’re in every episode because you hear them in the theme song.

Chicken

Chickens appear a few times, such as when one hatches in “New Student Starfish.” When SpongeBob works at the hospital, he asks for a sea chicken and plucks a feather off it.

Vulture

You can see an animated vulture in “Goons on the Moon.” However, the animal also shows up as a puppet in “Atlantis SquarePantis.”

Pelican

Pelicans show up in a few places, most notably in “The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water.” You can see a group of them on Pelican Island.

Alligator

“Escape From Beneath Glove World” and “Swamp Mates” feature alligators.

Sea Turtle

Tony is a sea turtle that shows up in “Shell Games.” You can also find sea turtles in “Kash Krab,” a game that you can play online.

Tanystropheus

The tanystropheus is a dinosaur that lives in the “Lost World.” You can see it in the “Lost and Found” episode.

Tylosaurus

A tylosaurus appears in the same episode and location as the other dinosaur.

Tyrannosaurus Rex

Watch to the end of “Ugh” to see a T Rex.

Fictional Species in SpongeBob SquarePants

A few species appear in SpongeBob that don’t exist in real life. Consider the following creatures when you watch the show.

Aliens

You can find aliens in a few episodes, such as “SpongeHenge.” The aliens we see are floating in their own pods, and they almost look like weird jellyfish.

Merpeople

SpongeBob SquarePants features a few mermaids and mermen. King Neptune, Queen Aphrodite, and their family members are notable examples.

Seabears

“The Camping Episode” is the first time you see seabears, which are violent creatures.

Others

There are other less notable fictional species:

• Elephant fish
• Jellybee
• Jellycow
• Sea chicken
• Sea rhinoceros
• Snow mollusk
• Worm hog

FAQs About the SpongeBob Fish Guide

Final Note on the SpongeBob Fish Guide

There are dozens of creatures in SpongeBob SquarePants. Luckily, a good SpongeBob fish guide can help you keep track of the main characters and guests.

I didn’t realize how many species appear in the show, and a lot are real. Keep this guide on hand for when you have a question about the fish you see on screen.

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