bottom feeders
Lowest rung occupants
Bottom feeders are fish and other aquatic creatures that feed on material at the bottom of a body of water—catfish, carp, crabs.
The term extends figuratively to people who profit from the lowest, least reputable opportunities: Bottom feeders bought up foreclosed homes for pennies on the dollar.
The implication is scavenging on others' misfortune or operating without ethical standards.
Barbeled freshwater bottom-feeder
- carpWhine about trivialities
- suckerfishFish that attaches to hosts
- flounderStruggle awkwardly, or seafood
- halibutLarge edible flatfish
goby · stingray · flatfish · loach · remora · sturgeon · crab · lobster
Blood-drinking segmented worms
- parasitesOrganisms feeding off hosts
- vulturesLarge carrion-eating raptors
- sycophantsServile self-seeking flatterers
- exploitersThose who abuse others
bloodsuckers · swindlers · scammers · profiteers · opportunists · grifters · lowlifes · dregs
Eats dead organic material
- decomposerOrganism breaking down corpses
- scavengerSeeker of refuse
- recyclerOne who processes reusables
- earthwormSegmented soil-dwelling invertebrate
dung beetle · carrion · saprophyte · cleanup crew · benthic · substrate · sediment · organic matter
Modest in status
- underclassLowest socioeconomic group
- underlingPerson of lower rank
- subordinateOne lower in rank
- menialLowly and unskilled
marginalized · undervalued · downtrodden · disadvantaged · dispossessed · disenfranchised · working poor · precariat
catfish
Barbeled freshwater bottom-feeder
- carpWhine about trivialities
- suckerfishFish that attaches to hosts
- flounderStruggle awkwardly, or seafood
halibut · goby · stingray · flatfish · loach · remora · sturgeon · crab · lobster · shrimp
leeches
Blood-drinking segmented worms
- parasitesOrganisms feeding off hosts
- vulturesLarge carrion-eating raptors
- sycophantsServile self-seeking flatterers
exploiters · bloodsuckers · swindlers · scammers · profiteers · opportunists · grifters · lowlifes · dregs · sleazebags
detritivore
Eats dead organic material
- decomposerOrganism breaking down corpses
- scavengerSeeker of refuse
- recyclerOne who processes reusables
earthworm · dung beetle · carrion · saprophyte · cleanup crew · benthic · substrate · sediment · organic matter · decay
lowly
Modest in status
- underclassLowest socioeconomic group
- underlingPerson of lower rank
- subordinateOne lower in rank
menial · marginalized · undervalued · downtrodden · disadvantaged · dispossessed · disenfranchised · working poor · precariat · have-nots
- feeding typesherbivore, grazer, browser, plant-eater, scavengers
- forbidden foodspork, bacon, ham, shellfish, shrimp cocktail
- aquariumsfish tanks, aquarium, aquariums, fish tank, reef tanks
- hidden animalscryptids, ambush predators, trapdoor spiders, stick insects, leaf insects
- decomposersfungi, decomposers, decomposer, mushrooms, earthworms
- Nobodiesnobodies, nonentities, unknowns, zeroes, ciphers
bottom feedersflying fish
Marine glider with fins
dolphins · sharks · tuna · marlins · manta rays
bottom feederselites
Privileged powerful groups
high society · upper crust · aristocrats · power brokers · kingmakers
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