Mahi-mahi

The mahi-mahi (/ˌmɑːhiˈmɑːhi/ MAH-hee-MAH-hee), also known as the common dolphinfish, dorado, or dolphin, is a special kind of fish that lives near the surface of the water. You can find it in warm and tropical seas all around the world. It is not related to the dolphin animal, even though it shares a similar name.

This fish belongs to a family called Coryphaenidae, and it has a close relative known as the pompano dolphinfish. Mahi-mahi are often seen in places like the Gulf of Mexico, Costa Rica, Hawaii, and the Indian Ocean. In Italy, it has different names such as corifena, lampuga, or pesce capone, and it even inspired a dish called caponata, though today eggplant is usually used instead of the fish. Mahi-mahi are popular among fishers and seafood lovers because of their tasty flesh and beautiful appearance.

Nomenclature

The name mahi-mahi comes from the Hawaiian language, meaning "very strong". Though it is also called the common dolphinfish, it is not related to dolphins. The name "dolphinfish" was used to avoid confusion with dolphins. In some places, it is called dorado, which is its name in Spanish.

The scientist Linnaeus named the group this fish belongs to in 1758, using a word from ancient Greek that means "top" or "apex". Other older names for this fish include Coryphaena argyrurus, Coryphaena chrysurus, and Coryphaena dolfyn.

Description

Mahi-mahi fish have slim, flattened bodies with a very long dorsal fin that stretches from their head nearly to their tail. Mature males have a special bump on their heads that grows larger as they age, while females have rounded heads. Their tails and other fins curve in a sharp way, and they shine with bright colors—golden on the sides and blues and greens on their backs. Their chest fins also glow with a blue shimmer.

When taken out of water, mahi-mahi change colors, which is why they are called "dorado" in Spanish, meaning golden. Their colors slowly fade to a dull yellow-grey.

Biology

Mahi-mahi can live for up to five years, but they usually don't live longer than four. Female mahi-mahi are typically smaller than males. Most caught mahi-mahi weigh between 7 to 13 kg and are about a meter long. They rarely weigh more than 15 kg, and those weighing over 18 kg are very unusual. Mahi-mahi are among the fastest-growing fish. They lay eggs in warm ocean currents during many months of the year. Their young are often found near floating Sargassum seaweed. Young mahi-mahi migrate past Malta, where they are called lampuki, and Sicily, where they are known as lampuga or capone. There, they are caught using nets and floating mats of palm leaves.

Reproduction

Mahi-mahi fish become ready to have babies in their first year, usually when they are about 4 to 5 months old. Female mahi-mahi can have babies two to three times a year and can lay between 80,000 and 1,000,000 eggs each time. These fish live near the surface of the water, and their meat turns a nice white color when cooked and tastes clean and not like a typical fish.

Diet

Mahi-mahi are meat-eaters. They eat flying fish, crabs, squid, mackerel, and other small fish they can find. They also sometimes eat tiny sea animals called zooplankton. To catch these different foods, mahi-mahi can swim very fast, up to 50 knots.

Relation to humans

Fishing

Mahi-mahi are popular for both sport and commercial fishing. People love to catch them because they are beautiful, large, and taste good. You can find them in many places, such as the Caribbean Sea, near North and South America, along the coast of Costa Rica, in the Gulf of Mexico, and near Florida and West Africa. Fishermen often look for floating objects like wood or seaweed where mahi-mahi like to gather.

Experienced fishing guides know where to find these fish by watching birds like frigatebirds. They use special equipment to catch mahi-mahi, and the fish put up a great fight when pulled in, showing off bright colors.

In astronomy

The constellation Dorado is named after the mahi-mahi. It can be found near the Large Magellanic Cloud.

Environmental and food safety concerns

Depending on how mahi-mahi is caught, some groups give it different ratings for safety. Some advice suggests eating only a certain amount each month to stay safe. There are also rare cases where eating mahi-mahi can make people sick because of toxins in the fish, but this is not common.