Species Type:
Fishes
Common Name(s):
Mahi-mahi
Size:
Mahi-mahi can grow up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) long and 65 pounds (29.5 kilograms), but grow to an average of 3 feet (0.91 meters) long and 30 pounds (13.6 kilograms). The largest mahi-mahi caught in Florida was 77 pounds (35 kilograms)!
Diet:
Mahi-mahi are generalists, feeding on a wide variety of prey. This can include triggerfish, flying fish, tuna, juveniles of other mahi-mahi, cephalopods, crabs, and more.
Range & Habitat:
Found in tropical and subtropical waters worldwide, mahi-mahi are an offshore species, and are often found under large floating mats of sargassum.
Details:
Mahi-mahi, also commonly referred to as dolphinfish, are large, brightly colored fish. The coloration of the mahi-mahi can range from bright gold to metallic green with splotches of dark blue and green. They have a white underside, and dark green fins. Once mahi-mahi are caught, their color fades to a uniform silver shade. They have blunt heads and elongated, fusiform bodies. Males develop a bony ridge on the front of their heads. Their dorsal fin runs the full length of the mahi-mahi’s body.