The Heaviest Fish

An enormous ocean sunfish caught in 1910. Its weight was estimated at 3,500 pounds.
The Heaviest Fish: Ocean Sunfish (Mola mola)

The ocean sunfish is the heaviest known bony fish in the world. It has an average adult weight of 2,200 pounds and are native to warm waters all over the world. It resembles a fish head with a tail, and its main body is flat like a pancake. Sunfish mainly eat jelly fish. Adult sunfish have few predators, but sea lions, orcas, and sharks have been known to try to hunt them. In Japan, Taiwan, and the Koreas, sunfish are considered a delicacy. They are protected by the European Union, which forbids selling sunfish meat or products. However, sunfish are accidentally caught in fishing nets. Although it is thought that their population is decline, the IUCN has not yet evaluated the sunfishes' conservation status.

Fish / Heaviest Bony Fish

By



FAQs

  • May I use graphics from mongabay.com for my projects? Yes, you may provided that you don't remove the mongabay label from the images. You may use information from the site for class projects and can cite mongabay as the source.
  • Where can I learn more about rainforests? Check the main rainforest site.
  • Is this web site credible? Mongabay is the world's most popular source for information on tropical forests. The site is highly acclaimed by a number of the world's leading tropical scientists. See more answers at our frequently asked questions page.