Mahi-mahi — printable fact sheet

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Mahi-mahi

Coryphaena hippurus

Coryphaena hippurus is one of the fastest-growing fish in the ocean: it can reach 1 m and several kilograms within a year, mature within a few months of hatching, spawn repeatedly through the year, and it rarely lives beyond four or five years. That extreme life history is why i…

Classification

Fish

Family

Coryphaenidae

Habitat

Open ocean (pelagic zone)

Diet

Carnivore

Conservation status

Least Concern

Lifespan

4 to 5 years

Weight

7 to 13 kg (15 to 29 lbs), can reach up to 18 kg (40 lbs)

Scientific name

Coryphaena hippurus

Did you know?

Despite their nickname 'dolphinfish,' mahi-mahi are not related to dolphins (the mammals) at all.
A mahi-mahi can grow from egg to over 20 kg in a couple of years, and its growth rate is among the highest measured for any bony fish. They leap and tail-walk when hooked, which is why they are prized by sport anglers, and they are frequently found in pairs, with one following a hooked partner to the boat. Their reliance on floating debris means they now aggregate readily under plastic garbage, and mahi caught near rubbish patches frequently have plastic in the gut.

What I learned

Draw the mahi-mahi

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