bottom feeder
Catfish, for one
A bottom feeder is a fish or other aquatic creature that feeds on material at the bottom of a body of water—catfish, carp, lobsters.
The term extends disparagingly to people who profit from others' misfortune or operate at the lowest levels of an industry: Bottom feeders bought up foreclosed homes for pennies on the dollar.
The implication is of scavenging what others discard or overlook.
One exploiting a host
- leechBlood-feeding aquatic worm
- scumSurface residue or lowlifes
- lowlifeDisreputable, despicable person
- freeloaderOne exploiting others' generosity
moocher · deadbeat · sponge · bloodsucker · user · hanger-on · loser · scavenger
Barbeled freshwater bottom-feeder
- carpWhine about trivialities
- loachSmall barbeled freshwater fish
- sturgeonLarge armored fish
- flounderStruggle awkwardly, or seafood
halibut · suckerfish · mudfish · benthic · detritivore · substrate · sediment · aquarium
Loose waste from decay
- decomposerOrganism breaking down corpses
- scavengerSeeker of refuse
- organic matterMaterial from living sources
- sedimentParticles settling in liquid
biodiversity · carrion · cleanup · forager · detritivore · estuary · mangrove · reef
One exploiting circumstances
- scavengerSeeker of refuse
- ambulance chaserUnscrupulous personal injury lawyer
- profiteerOne exploiting shortages
- speculatorOne wagering on outcomes
value investor · liquidator · repo · foreclosure · bankruptcy · penny stocks · scrounge · resourceful
Presumed loser beforehand
- underclassLowest socioeconomic group
- marginalizedPushed to society's edges
- disadvantagedLacking social or economic resources
- subordinateOne lower in rank
menial · lowly · humble · underling · outcast · overlooked · undervalued · low-status
parasite
One exploiting a host
- leechBlood-feeding aquatic worm
- scumSurface residue or lowlifes
- lowlifeDisreputable, despicable person
freeloader · moocher · deadbeat · sponge · bloodsucker · user · hanger-on · loser · scavenger · vulture
catfish
Barbeled freshwater bottom-feeder
flounder · halibut · suckerfish · mudfish · benthic · detritivore · substrate · sediment · aquarium · freshwater
detritus
Loose waste from decay
- decomposerOrganism breaking down corpses
- scavengerSeeker of refuse
- organic matterMaterial from living sources
sediment · biodiversity · carrion · cleanup · forager · detritivore · estuary · mangrove · reef · silt
opportunist
One exploiting circumstances
- scavengerSeeker of refuse
- ambulance chaserUnscrupulous personal injury lawyer
- profiteerOne exploiting shortages
speculator · value investor · liquidator · repo · foreclosure · bankruptcy · penny stocks · scrounge · resourceful
underdog
Presumed loser beforehand
- underclassLowest socioeconomic group
- marginalizedPushed to society's edges
- disadvantagedLacking social or economic resources
subordinate · menial · lowly · humble · underling · outcast · overlooked · undervalued · low-status · invisible
- bottom feederscatfish, loach, sturgeon, suckerfish, flounder
- eatersbig eater, picky eater, clean eater, binge eater, competitive eater
- ecological rolesproducer, consumer, decomposer, predator, prey
- seafloor lifesea cucumber, sea cucumbers, sea urchin, sea urchins, sand dollar
- small frysmall fry, small-fry, pipsqueak, little guy, nobody
- underclasspoor, pauper, peasant, homeless, serf
bottom feedersurface dweller
bottom feederelite
Superior select group
top dog · big shot · high roller · mover and shaker · power broker
feed, bottom, feeding, feeder, bottomless, feeds, feeders, overfeed, underfeed