Barnacles are a type of marine crustacean that live attached to rocks, pilings, shells, and the hulls of boats. Barnacles have a hard, calcareous shell and a series of jointed legs that they use to filter food from the water. Barnacles are hermaphrodites, meaning they have both male and female reproductive organs.

What do barnacles eat?

Well, that depends on the type of barnacle. There are over 1,220 species of barnacles, and they can be found in every ocean on Earth. Some barnacles are filter feeders, while others are scavengers.

The filter-feeding barnacles, like the gooseneck barnacles, have long, tube-like feathers that they use to collect food from the water. The gooseneck barnacles can filter around 20 gallons of water per day in search of their favorite meal: tiny plankton.

Other barnacles, such as the acorn barnacles, are scavengers. These barnacles attach themselves to rocks, shells, and even the hulls of boats. The acorn barnacles use their strong claws to cling to their chosen meal and then they use their sharp beaks to pierce through the food.

So, what do barnacles eat? It all depends on the type of barnacle. But one thing is for sure, barnacles are some of the coolest creatures in the sea!