- Also spelled:
- mahi-mahi or mahi mahi
- Also called:
- common dolphinfish, common dolphin, or dorado
mahimahi
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What is a mahimahi?
The mahimahi (Coryphaena hippurus) is an open-ocean fish known for its striking iridescent colors and popularity in fishing. It is one of two species in the Coryphaena genus, within the Coryphaenidae family.
Mahimahi are recognizable for their gold and green coloring with blue and silver accents. They feature a long, narrow body, a dorsal fin spanning their body length, and a forked tail. Males have a large, protruding forehead, while females have a rounder head profile.
These fish aren't deep divers, living near the surface down to about 85 meters. They migrate long distances and can swim over 92 km per hour to hunt small fish, crustaceans, and squid.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources classifies the mahimahi as a species of least concern.
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Where does the mahimahi live?
The mahimahi (Coryphaena hippurus) is an open-ocean fish found in tropical and subtropical waters. They are not deep-diving fish, residing near the ocean’s surface to depths of about 85 meters (280 feet).
Juveniles often gather in schools, while adults are frequently solitary or found in smaller groups. They can be found congregating under floating garbage or patches of Sargassum weed. Mahimahi are long-distance migrants, with some traveling as far as 3,000 km (1,864 miles) in a single month.
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What does the mahimahi look like?
The mahimahi has a long, narrow body, a forked tail, and a dorsal fin that runs the length of its body. Its color is a recognizable bold gold and green with blue and silver patches. Male mahimahi have a large, protruding forehead, while females have a rounder head profile.
Mahimahi can reach lengths of about 1 meter (3.3 feet), with the largest growing to 2.1 meters (7 feet). Adults typically weigh around 14 kg (31 pounds), but some can be heavier. The largest recorded mahimahi weighed 39.5 kg (87 pounds).
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What does the mahimahi eat?
The mahimahi, also known as dolphinfish or dorado, is a tropical and subtropical open-ocean fish species. They are not deep-diving fish, residing near the ocean’s surface.
Adult mahimahi are predatory and capable of swimming at speeds of more than 92.5 km (57.5 miles) per hour in pursuit of small fishes, crustaceans, and squid. They can also be found grouping together under floating garbage or patches of Sargassum weed, a brown algae that serves as a feeding source. In captivity, they have been shown to engage in cannibalism.
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Why is mahimahi important to people?
Mahimahi, also known as dolphinfish or dorado, is important to people because it is a popular seafood choice in restaurants and markets across the globe. The name mahimahi comes from Hawaiian, meaning "very strong," which refers to the fish’s swimming skills. Commercial fisheries and sport fishers harvest it. Most commercially produced mahimahi comes from Peru. It can be served as a dish on its own or as an ingredient in other dishes, such as ceviche. The flesh of the mahimahi is widely used for food.
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How is mahimahi caught and used in cooking?
Mahimahi, also known as dolphinfish or dorado, are popular for commercial and sport fishing. They are surface dwellers found in tropical and subtropical waters and are known for their gold-and-green coloring. They are caught using various methods, including trolling, casting, and drift fishing. Mahimahi is a popular seafood served in restaurants and seafood markets globally. The flesh of the fish is used for food.
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mahimahi, (Coryphaena hippurus), species of open-ocean fishes known for its iridescent coloring and popularity in commercial and sport fishing. The mahimahi is one of two species classified in the genus Coryphaena, a single genus within the family Coryphaenidae, the other being the pompano dolphinfish (C. equiselis). The mahimahi inhabits tropical and subtropical ocean waters. It is a popular seafood that appears in restaurants and seafood markets worldwide.
The name mahimahi comes from the Hawaiian language, meaning “very strong,” in reference to the fish’s strong swimming skills. Although the mahimahi is sometimes called dolphinfish or dolphin, it shares no relation to the marine mammal, and it is unclear why they share the same name (see also dolphin). The mahimahi is also sometimes referred to as the dorado, which means “golden” in Spanish, referring to its golden coloring; however, it is not to be confused with Salminus brasiliensis, a freshwater species that is also referred to as the dorado.
Form and function
The species possesses a long and narrow body, a dorsal fin that runs down the length of its body, and a forked tail. Males have a large, protruding forehead, whereas the head of females has a rounder profile. The fish is recognizable by its bold gold-and-green coloration that is accented with patches of blue and silver. Mahimahi vary in size and weight, males being larger than females on average. Fully grown adults often measure 1 meter (3.3 feet) long, the largest individuals growing to 2.1 meters (7 feet) in length. Adults weigh about 14 kg (31 pounds); however, many mahimahi are heavier. The largest mahimahi landed weighed 39.5 kg (87 pounds).
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Mahimahi are not deep-diving fish; they reside near the ocean’s surface down to depths of about 85 meters (280 feet). They are long-distance migrants, some individuals traveling as far as 3,000 km (1,864 miles) in a single month. Juveniles tend to congregate in schools, while adults are often solo or occur in smaller groups. These fish can be found grouping together under floating garbage or patches of Sargassum weed, a brown algae that also serves as a feeding source; however, mahimahi are also predatory, capable of swimming at speeds of more than 92.5 km (57.5 miles) per hour in pursuit of small fishes, crustaceans, and squid. In captivity, they have been shown to engage in cannibalism. Mahimahi are prey for marine mammals and larger fishes, such as tuna and swordfish.
Mahimahi reproduce quickly and grow rapidly. Females produce hundreds of thousands to millions of eggs in multiple spawning periods each year. Reproduction occurs in pairs, and the eggs are fertilized externally. Mahimahi become sexually mature between three and five months after hatching, and they can live a maximum of five years, but most live four years or fewer.
Conservation status
On the basis of the species’s numerous offspring, fast maturation, and large geographic distribution, the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources classifies the mahimahi as a species of least concern. Although some local population declines have been reported, the mahimahi is considered largely resistant to overfishing. The mahimahi is a popular food fish targeted by commercial fishing operations and sport fishers. Most of the world’s commercially produced mahimahi comes from Peru. Like many other fish, mahimahi can cause illness when eaten by people if they contain ciguatoxins from algae found around coral reefs. Mahimahi may be served on its own or incorporated into other dishes, such as ceviche.