Sunfish

The ocean sunfish is the heaviest known bony fish in the world. The average adult weight is approximately 2,200 lbs. it’s native to tropical and temperate waters around the globe. It resembles a fish head with a tail. It’s body is flattened laterally. They can be as tall as they are long with dorsal and ventral fins extended. I’ve included a diver’s silhouette so you can get some scope of it’s size. The sunfish lives mostly on jellyfish, which is nutritionally poor. As a result, they must consume large amounts to maintain their bulk. They have very few natural predators but sea lions, sharks, and orcas with prey upon them. They are considered a delicacy in some parts of the world including Taiwan, Korea, and Japan. There are regulations banning the sale of the sunfish or it’s by products but they do still frequently, accidentally get caught in fishing nets. They are of the same order (Tetraodontiformes), which include pufferfish, porcupine fish, and filefish.

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