Ophichthus rufus (Rafinesque, 1810) is a Mediterranean benthic fish with nocturnal habits. It lives in sand or mud bottoms at depths between 50 and 150 m. Until now, nothing about its feeding habits was known. Stomach contents of 689 individuals, collected between 1985 and 1987, were analyzed. The diet is basically composed of benthic organisms, among which the decapods Processa canaliculata and Alpheus glaber and the teleost fish Callionymus maculates are prominent. Young of both sexes and adult males have an euryphagic carnivorous diet, whereas adult females are closer to a stenophagic piscivorous diet.