Dolphinfish
Dolphin, Mahi Mahi, Dorado, Chicken Dolphin
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Scientific Name:
Coryphaena hippurus Saltwater
Offshore
Native
Fish
- Seasons and Regulations
- Licenses/Permits
Description
Long, slender, brightly-colored body—back is metallic blue, upper half of the body is green and yellow-green with blue dots, and underside is yellowish white. Vibrant color quickly fades once fish is out of the water. A single, long dorsal fin runs from above the eye almost to the caudal fin. Highly forked tail. Adult males have a tall, blunt forehead compared to the more rounded head of the female. Males are called bulls; females are called cows. Large fish can grow to 6 feet and 80 pounds but most are typically around 3 feet.
Range and Habitat
An open ocean fish found in tropical and subtropical waters around the world. Abundant in nearshore and offshore waters in the Gulf of America and Caribbean. Often found around large floating objects like ships or sargassum mats.
Behavior
A very fast growing species, capable of spawning at 6 months old. With a long spawning season, males and females can spawn multiple times a year. Unlike many species, spawn in pairs rather than large schools. Live up to 4 or 5 years. A highly migratory species, small fish travel in schools with up to 50 individuals, while larger adults travel alone or in pairs. Fast swimmers. Generally only feed during the day on a wide variety of prey based on season. Diet consists of other smaller fishes, zooplankton, crustaceans, and squid.