The predators of the tilefish are poorly understood. The minimum temperature threshold for golden tilefish is . The one listed predator for the tilefish is the goosefish. Tilefish and groupers were seen at the ridge. Its genus is "Lopholatilus", which is in the family Malacanthidae, commonly known as tilefish. Burrowing animals include moles, ground squirrels, naked mole-rats, tilefish, and mole crickets. The reproductive habits of tilefish are not well studied. The great northern tilefish has a unique burrowing behavior and habitat preference. The great northern tilefish has been subject to regulation to prevent overfishing. The diet of tilefish larvae is unknown, but it is believed to be zooplankton. Target species include Tilefish, Grouper, and Swordfish, among others. They also eat other tilefish in a display of cannibalistism. Male tilefish specimens also inhibited a cavity that came from ovarian tissue and sperm sinuses. Great northern tilefish also consume bivalve molluscs, salps, squid, Atlantic dogfish, mackrel, hagfish, and herring. Atlantic Ocean tilefish may have lower levels of mercury and may be safer to consume.