Bull Shark

Bull Shark

Phylum : Chordate
Class : Chondrichthyes
Order : Carcharhiniformes
Family : Carcharhinidae
Genus : Carcharhinus
Species : C. leucas

Length : 10ft (3m)
Weight : 500lbs (226kg)

IUCN Status : Near Threatened

The Bull Shark gets its name from its short snout and aggressive attitude, which, combined with its toleration of fresh and brackish water, makes it one of the most dangerous sharks in the entire world.

Bull Sharks have a widespread coastal range, and can be found off the coast of just about every continent except Antarctica. What is so amazing is that they are also found inland. Bull Sharks have be observed swimming up rivers and estuaries, and are even known to breed in freshwater. They have even been seen leaping up rapids to move further inland! There have also been a handful of shark attacks by these predators while several miles from the ocean.

Bull Sharks give birth to between one and thirteen live young, and they reach sexual maturity at 8-10 years old. They are solitary animals, and are opportunistic feeders that will consume just about anything they can find. Pieces of Hippopotamus have even been found in Bull Shark stomachs!

Bull Shark

Bull Shark

Phylum : Chordate

Class : Chondrichthyes

Order : Carcharhiniformes

Family : Carcharhinidae

Genus : Carcharhinus

Species : C. leucas



Length : 10ft (3m)

Weight : 500lbs (226kg)



IUCN Status : Near Threatened



The Bull Shark gets its name from its short snout and aggressive attitude, which, combined with its toleration of fresh and brackish water, makes it one of the most dangerous sharks in the entire world.



Bull Sharks have a widespread coastal range, and can be found off the coast of just about every continent except Antarctica. What is so amazing is that they are also found inland. Bull Sharks have be observed swimming up rivers and estuaries, and are even known to breed in freshwater. They have even been seen leaping up rapids to move further inland! There have also been a handful of shark attacks by these predators while several miles from the ocean.



Bull Sharks give birth to between one and thirteen live young, and they reach sexual maturity at 8-10 years old. They are solitary animals, and are opportunistic feeders that will consume just about anything they can find. Pieces of Hippopotamus have even been found in Bull Shark stomachs!

Shell Castle Cichlid

Male with Females and Shells

Phylum : Chordata
Class : Actinopterygii
Order : Perciformes
Family : Cichlidae
Genus : Lamprologus
Species : L. callipterus

Length : Males 6in (15cm), Females 2.5in (6cm)

IUCN Status : Least Concern

Yesterday afternoon I watched several episodes of the Science Channels "Mutant Planet." One of these, about the lakes in Africa's Rift Valley, featured today's animal, a curious fish sometimes known as the Shell Castle Cichlid.

Lamprologus callipterus is endemic to Lake Tanganyika. These fish exhibit extreme sexual dimorphism; the males can weigh 20 times as much as the females! They are predators that feed off of crustaceans and smaller fish.

I chose this particular Cichlid to feature today because of their interesting breeding behavior. The males are highly territorial and protective of their many, many mates. They gather up old snail shells, sometimes hundreds of them, and bring them into their territory. They then attract nearby females, who then enter these shells in order to lay their eggs. The males then guard over both the females and the eggs until the fry are large enough to leave. At that point neither parent takes any further action in the care of the offspring. Interestingly, the males do not eat at all while they are guarding their "castle." Eventually they become weak and are often chased off by larger, healthier males.

Shell Castle Cichlid

Male with Females and Shells

Phylum : Chordata

Class : Actinopterygii

Order : Perciformes

Family : Cichlidae

Genus : Lamprologus

Species : L. callipterus



Length : Males 6in (15cm), Females 2.5in (6cm)



IUCN Status : Least Concern



Yesterday afternoon I watched several episodes of the Science Channels "Mutant Planet." One of these, about the lakes in Africa's Rift Valley, featured today's animal, a curious fish sometimes known as the Shell Castle Cichlid.



Lamprologus callipterus is endemic to Lake Tanganyika. These fish exhibit extreme sexual dimorphism; the males can weigh 20 times as much as the females! They are predators that feed off of crustaceans and smaller fish.



I chose this particular Cichlid to feature today because of their interesting breeding behavior. The males are highly territorial and protective of their many, many mates. They gather up old snail shells, sometimes hundreds of them, and bring them into their territory. They then attract nearby females, who then enter these shells in order to lay their eggs. The males then guard over both the females and the eggs until the fry are large enough to leave. At that point neither parent takes any further action in the care of the offspring. Interestingly, the males do not eat at all while they are guarding their "castle." Eventually they become weak and are often chased off by larger, healthier males.

Domestic Goldfish

Pearl scale Goldfish

Phylum : Chordata
Class : Actinopterygii
Order : Cypriniformes
Family : Cyprinidae
Genus : Carassius
Species : C. auratus auratus

Length : Up to 12in (30cm)

IUCN Status : Not Listed

Did you know that  Goldfish were one of the first fish species to be domesticated? It happened nearly 1,500 years ago in China, where they took rather plain looking Asian Carp and bred them down. They spread to Japan in the 15th century, and were in Europe by the late 17th. Domesticated Goldfish can now be found all around the world!

There are dozens of different Goldfish varieties, coming in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Orange, black, white, and speckled are all common colors. Tail shape is also highly variable, with some being short and blunt and others growing quite long and flowing.

Shubunkin Goldfish

Did you know that there is a reason why Goldfish nibble at tiny bits of food all day? This is because they don't actually have a stomach in which to store food during digestion. Because of this, they have to eat very small amounts several times a day.

Another interesting fact about these popular fish is that they don't actually have three second memories. This misconception has been debunked by scientists and even by enterprising young Australians. Goldfish have the ability to store and recall information, and are able to recognize food and predators just like any other creature.

Domestic Goldfish

Pearl scale Goldfish

Phylum : Chordata

Class : Actinopterygii

Order : Cypriniformes

Family : Cyprinidae

Genus : Carassius

Species : C. auratus auratus



Length : Up to 12in (30cm)



IUCN Status : Not Listed



Did you know that  Goldfish were one of the first fish species to be domesticated? It happened nearly 1,500 years ago in China, where they took rather plain looking Asian Carp and bred them down. They spread to Japan in the 15th century, and were in Europe by the late 17th. Domesticated Goldfish can now be found all around the world!



There are dozens of different Goldfish varieties, coming in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Orange, black, white, and speckled are all common colors. Tail shape is also highly variable, with some being short and blunt and others growing quite long and flowing.

Shubunkin Goldfish

Did you know that there is a reason why Goldfish nibble at tiny bits of food all day? This is because they don't actually have a stomach in which to store food during digestion. Because of this, they have to eat very small amounts several times a day.



Another interesting fact about these popular fish is that they don't actually have three second memories. This misconception has been debunked by scientists and even by enterprising young Australians. Goldfish have the ability to store and recall information, and are able to recognize food and predators just like any other creature.

Sea Lamprey

Sea Lamprey Mouth

Phylum : Chordata
Class : Cephalaspidomorphi
Order : Petromyzontiformes
Family : Petromyzontidae
Genus : Petromyzon
Species : marinus

Length : 20in (50cm)

IUCN Status : Least Concern

Despite the name, the Sea Lamprey can be found in freshwater areas as well as the sea. They are a parasitic species located in and around the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, and the American Great Lakes. Some Sea Lampreys spawn in freshwater, but some have made the Great Lakes their home, moving in permanently as invasive species.

Sea Lamprey attached to Lake Trout

The Sea Lamprey is a primitive, cartilaginous fish with an eel-like body. They have circular mouths filled with sharp teeth that they use to latch on to their hosts bodies. The Lamprey saliva also possesses and anticoagulant that makes it very difficult for their host's wound to heal. They allows the Lamprey to feed for much longer. If the host doesn't die first, the Lamprey can stay attached for weeks at a time. Lampreys target many different species, and have few, if any, natural predators.

A few measures have been taken to control the Lampreys in the Great Lakes. One is lampricide, a chemical that kills Lamprey larvae but that has little affect on other fish species. Barriers and sterilization have also helped to reduce the numbers. Lamprey populations in Lake Michigan have reduced by 90% thanks to these tireless efforts.

Big Skate

Big Skate

Phylum : Chordata
Class : Chondrichthyes
Superorder : Batoidea
Order : Rajiformes
Family : Rajidae
Genus : Raja
Species : binoculata

Length : 6ft (1.8m)
Weight : 200lbs (81kg)

IUCN Status : Near Threatened

The appropriately named Big Skate is the largest of the North American skates, cartilaginous fish that belong to the superorder that also contains Rays. They can be found off the Pacific coast running from Alaska to California, at depths of up to 400ft (120m).

The Big Skate is very flat and pointy looking, with its nose and pectoral fins all coming to a tip. They also possess a thin tail that is just about as long as the body. They have two large patches on their back that resemble eyes and which are most likely used to confuse predators. The Big Skate's actual eyes on placed on top, but its mouth and gills are found on its underside, which is the perfect position for swimming around and sucking up fish and marine invertebrates.

Big Skates are egg-layers, and produce two very large capsules that can contain up to seven eggs each. It takes a full nine months for the eggs to hatch, and will take eight years for the males to become sexually mature, and up to thirteen for females!

Skates are often taken as bycatch. Their numbers have been affected by this incidental overfishing, and it doesn't help that they have a very slow growth rate, late sexual maturity, and low reproductive rates.

Nurse Shark

Nurse Shark

Phylum : Chordata
Class : Chondrichthyes
Order : Orectolobiformes
Family : Ginglymostomatidae
Genus : Ginglymostoma
Species : cirratum

Length : 7.5-10ft (2.2-3m)
Weight : 200-325lbs (90-150g)

IUCN Status : Data Deficient

The origin of the Nurse Shark's name is a bit shrouded in mystery. It might be a derivation of "Nusse," which is a name given to different types of "Catshark." It might also be taken from the Old-English Hurse, which refers to sea-floor dwelling sharks. It also might refer to the sucking sound that the sharks make while hunting.

If those possible name origins didn't already give it away, the Nurse Shark is a bottom dwelling shark that has catfish-like whiskers. They can be found in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, in warm tropical and subtropical coastal water.

Nurse Sharks are not harmful to humans, even though they can get quite large. The prefer to feed on bottom-dwelling invertebrates like shrimp, snails, and octopuses, as well as fish. They have small mouths but amazingly fast and strong suction power, and strong jaws that allow them to crush shells with ease.

Nurse Sharks are ovoviviparous, and give birth to 20-30 young at a time.

Electric Eel

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Phylum : Chordata
Class : Actinopterygii
Order : Gymnotiformes
Family : Gymnotidae
Genus : Electrophorus
Species : electricus

Length : Up to 6-8ft (2-2.5m)
Weight : 40lbs (20kg)

IUCN Status : Least Concern

Did you know that despite the name, Electric Eels are more closely related to Catfish then they are to actual Eels? These curious creatures are actually members of an Order known as "Knifefishes" and they are found in the freshwater basins of the Amazon and Orinoco Rivers.

Electric Eels are major predators within their watery domains. Unsurprisingly, this is due to the large amount of electricity that they can release to stun their prey. Their bodies are home to about 6,000 specialized cells known as electrocytes. They store up power than can be discharged quickly at a strength of about 600 volts. While swimming around, Electric Eels emit much lower, 10 volt shocks that help them to navigate and hunt in the murky water. They feed off of fish, invertebrates, reptiles, amphibians, small mammals. Due to their electric nature, they have very few predators of their own.

So are Electric Eels dangerous to humans? There have been some fatalities, but they are not at all common. Repeated shocks can induce heart attacks, while other shocks have lead to paralysis and drowning.

Electric Eels also have the interesting ability to breathe air outside of water. Almost 80% of their oxygen comes from gulping up air at the surface. The rivers that they live in are murky and have low oxygen levels, and this breathing method allows them to survive at their large sizes.

Frilled Shark

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Phylum : Chordata
Class : Chondrichthyes
Order : Hexanchiformes
Family : Chlamydoselachidae
Genus : Chlamydoselachus
Species : anguineus

Length : Male 38-46in (97-117cm); Female 53-59in (135-150cm)

IUCN Status : Near Threatened

Frilled Sharks are elusive, deep sea sharks that were first observed on camera in their natural habitat back in 2004. Prior to that, they had only been seen after being caught in trawls (and even these was a very rare occurrences). Frilled Sharks can be found in oceans worldwide, though the distribution is patchy. The North Sea, areas around South Africa, and waters near Japan are some of the confirmed locations for the species. They live at depths of 500-1,000m, though are sometimes observed in shallower waters.

Frilled Sharks have some pretty interesting anatomy. They are so named because of the "frills" that cover their six gill slits on each side. They have very eel-like bodies, and mouths filled with 300 trident-shaped teeth arranged into 25 rows. It is believed that they strike at prey in a snakish manner, and around 60% of their diet consists of deep-sea squid.

Frilled Sharks also have some pretty remarkable reproductive habits. They are, like many sharks, ovoviviparous. The litter size is quite small, rarely numbering over 12, and at birth the offspring can be as large as 60cm. The really interesting thing is that some scientists believe that their gestation period lasts for 3.5 years. That is almost twice as long as an elephant's. If correct, the Frilled Shark has the longest gestation period of any vertebrate species.

Dolphin Fish

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The Dolphin Fish, sometimes known as Mahi-Mahi, live in tropical and subtropical oceans around the world. They are pelagic, and are oftentimes found underneath floating materials, including boats. In the Atlantic, Sargassum algae helps to protect juveniles of the species. Dolphin Fish are identified by their striking gold, blue, and green coloration, and by their blunt heads and long dorsal fin.

Dolphin Fish (Coryphaena hippurus) grow large, and they grow fast. Adults can reach lengths of 6ft (2m) and weigh up to 30lbs (14kg). However, they have a  relatively short life span, seldom exceeding five years. They reach maturity after 4-5 months, and are prolific spawners. During the breeding season they will spawn multiple times, with females producing up to 60,000 eggs per time.

Dolphin Fish are carnivorous predators, and they use their speed (up to 50knots) to capture and consume prey. They hunt in pairs or in small groups, and consume small fish, juveniles of larger fish species, and invertebrates.

Dolphin Fish populations are stable, and Atlantic caught fish are listed as a best choice by the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch.

Goliath Grouper

Measuring in at lengths of up to 8ft (2.5m), the Goliath Grouper (Epinephelus itajara) certainly lives up to its name. This giant, which tips the scales at around 800lbs (360kg), is found in the tropical Atlantic waters off of West Africa and the Americas, and in the Pacific from California to Peru. They are the largest members of the family Serranidae.

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Goliath Groupers have large, stocky bodies that are nearly half as wide as they are long. Adults sport small spots across their greenish-brownish-greyish scales, and smaller individuals tend to have vertical bars down their sides.They have three to five rows of teeth in the lower jaw, though they are rarely used. Groupers are carnivores and consume fish and crustaceans, but they swallow their prey whole. While young, Goliath Groupers are preyed upon by other fish, but once full grown Sharks and Humans are their only real predators.

Goliath Groupers have a long lifespans; they reach sexual maturity around 6 years and it is believed they can live as long as 50. They are typically solitary fish, sometimes living in small groups, but during the breeding season they congregate in schools of 100 or more. Reproduction takes place via spawning, and the eggs are dispersed into the water currents. Newly hatched Goliath Grouper larvae are very small and kite shaped, and will reach juvenile form a month after hatching, when they reach about 1in (2.5cm) in length. Many other Grouper species exhibit hermaphroditic tendencies, with the fish ages as females before becoming male. This is not confirmed in the Goliath Grouper species.

Spotted Garden Eel

The Spotted Garden Eel (Heteroconger hassi)is a species of Conger Eel native to the tropical marine waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. They are found in sandy areas at depths of between 20 and 150ft (6-15m). Spotted Garden Eels get their names from the spotted patterning on their bodies, and they measure up to 23in (60cm) in length.

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Spotted Garden Eels live out their lives in massive colonies that can number over 1,000 individuals. Each Eel lives in its own burrow, which is created by making its body rigid and by driving into the sand tail first. Spotted Garden Eels spend nearly all of their time in these burrows, positioning themselves to face currents that carry food. When threatened, they will retreat downward into the sand. Some colonies even live among sea grasses to provide better camouflage. These defensive strategies do not make them 100% safe from predators. Snake Eels will dig into the sand and attack from underground, while other species of fish will actually dig after the Garden Eels.

During the mating season burrows of males and females will be placed closer together. They intertwine with each other to breed. Eggs of the species are laid in open water, and will float about before hatching. When the young Eels reach a large enough size they will create a burrow of their own.

Spotted Garden Eels have a stable population, but they are collected for the pet trade, though they can be extremely difficult to keep as pets.

Giant Freshwater Stingray

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The Giant Freshwater Stingray (Himantura chaophraya) is a massive, massive fish found in the tropical river waters of South East Asia and Australia. They can grow to sizes of over 94in across (about 240cm) and the largest specimen caught weighed 1,322lbs (600kg). Even their young are huge! They are an ovoviviparous species whose offspring can measure 13in (34cm) at birth!

Giant Freshwater Stringrays are in fact dangerous to humans, but not because they eat them. These creatures actually feed on small fish and invertebrates. However, as their name might suggest, they have stinging barbs on their tails. These venomous, mucus covered barbs can grow to 15in (38cm) long, and with their whip-like tails, these Stingrays can pierce bone.

These enormous creatures are currently very vulnerable, and all populations are listed as at least that by the IUCN. The Thailand sub-population is Critically Endangered. They faces issues with habitat destruction, fishing, mine-caused silt deposits, and population fragmentation.

Pelican Eel

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Pelican Eel, Umbrella Mouth Eel, Gulper Eel, Eurypharynx pelecanoides, no matter what you call it, this is one strange looking animal. Pelican Eels are so named because of their absolutely gigantic mouths. They are found in rather deep waters, between 3,000 and 26,000 feet, of both tropical and subtropical waters around the world.

Pelican Eels can grow up to a meter in length, with a large portion of that taken up by its massive head. Their mouths have hinged jaws that would allow them to eat fish much larger than themselves. Their stomachs stretch as well, though interestingly, they have very small teeth. This, combined with found stomach contents, demonstrates that Pelican Eels primarily eat small crustaceans.

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Another rather interesting part of their body is the long, whip-like tail. Pelican Eels have long tails that are tipped with bioluminescent photophores. It is believed that these serve a purpose to lure prey in the dark, deep water.

Not much else is really known about these strange fish. They live so far down that we only really get to study specimens that get accidentally caught by fishermen. They have need been evaluated by IUCN.

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

The Atlantic Bluefin Tuna is found in the areas of the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean. They are reach absolutely gigantic sizes, with specimens easily reaching six feet in lengths and weighing upwards of 550lbs. Even larger individuals are not uncommon. They largest ever caught weighed in at nearly 1,500 lbs! They achieve those sizes because of their voracious appetites. They will eat smaller fish, crustaceans, cephalopods, and even plankton and kelp.

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Atlantic Bluefins have a striking color pattern, with a metallic blue on their top side, and a whiter shade underneath. This serves to camouflage them from both directions. They swim in large schools, oftentimes intermingling with other fish species that are of a similar size. Their bodies are built for both speed and endurance, and they can reach speeds of 60mph while chasing prey.

One of the most interesting tidbits about this fish is that it is actually warmblooded, a trait that is rather rare among fish species. This allows them to move quite comfortably between cold feeding waters and much warmer spawning grounds in the Gulf of Mexico and the Mediterranean Sea.. Atlantic Bluefins are a highly migratory species, and can travel the length of the ocean multiple times yearly.

Human fishing since the 1970s has most notably caused a decline in the species. Commercial fishing has greatly reduced the number of fish, and now conservation efforts are being made to keep the species from going extinct in certain areas of its range. The fish are especially popular in Japan, selling for tens of thousands of dollars per animal. The most ever paid for one of these giants was $180,000.

Red Bellied Piranha

When pop culture talks about tiny fish that swarm the water and devour everything in sight, they are almost always referring the the Red Bellied Piranha. But interestingly, the reputation of the Piranha as a bloodthirsty killer that will eat a man alive is more or less undeserved. Let's learn why!

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Red Bellied Piranhas (Pygocentrus nattereri) live in the Amazon and in other surrounding coastal rivers in South America. As their name might suggest, they have red coloration on their undersides, and a silvery top.

These Piranhas do have razor sharp, interlocking teeth, and they do sometimes have "feeding frenzies," where a school of them will consume prey and strip it to the bone. But their normal meals includes other fish, insects, crustaceans, and even algae! Don't get me wrong, Red Bellied Piranhas will sometimes feed on much larger creatures, but it's typically because they are sick or injured. In their native habitat, humans are not often bitten by Piranhas, and the Piranhas are often consumed as food!

And despite their aggressive reputation, Red Bellied Piranhas make pretty decent parents. The males and females will protect their nests, and then, after hatching, guard their brood of young for a period.

The New Jersey Man Eater

The New Jersey Man Eater might be a single shark, or it might be many different sharks. Either way, they were responsible for five attacks between July 1st and 12th, 1916.  These attacks resulted in four deaths and one injury.

Summer at the Jersey Shore in 1916 was a hot one, with temperatures hitting over ninety degrees, forcing droves of people to to the cool ocean waters. On July 1st, Charles Van Sant, a 23-year-old on vacation from Philadelphia, went for a swim, going out about one hundred yards. Other swimmers saw a shadow approaching and called ou in warning, but Van Sant was unable to hear them. When he was about 50 feet fromt he shore, something grabbed at his legs, which caught the notice of Alexander Ott, a former Olympic swimmer. Ott dove out to help Van Sant, and carried him back to the shore, but it was too late for the young man. Both of his legs were badly mangled and he died on the shore. This was the first reported Shark Attack in New Jersey history.

July 6th, 1916. Charles Bruder, a 27-year-old bellboy, goes for a swim on his day off. A woman on shores shouts that a man is in distress, but by the time rescuers make it out to him there was nearly nothing left from the waist down. The death of Bruder is the true beginning of the panic. Some communities install wire nets, others patrol the shore in boats with shotguns. But little did they know that the remaining three attacks would take place in a body of water they least expected.

Bull Shark (Image Source

Wednesday, July 12th. Lester Stillwell, an 11-year-old boy, decides to go for a swim with friends in Matawan Creek, sixteen miles inland. The boys see a fin and scramble out of the water. Stillwell doesn't make it and is pulled under. The boys run into town, seeking help. Watson Stanley FIsher,a  24-year-old business owner, is one of those who answer the call. He dives into the creek, looking for Stillwell's body. He too is attacked. Fisher is rushed to the hospital, but dies from shock and loss of blood a few hours later. A half mile and 30 minutes after the Fisher/Stillwell attack, 14-year-old Joseph Dunn is also hit. His brothers and friends play tug-of-war with the shark, who eventually lets go. Dunn survives with the loss of his leg.

After the attack on Dunn the New Jersey Man Eater seemed to be at rest. On July 14th, an 8.5 foot White Shark was caught a few miles from Matawan Creek. Human bones were found in its stomach that matched the size of the victims. Everyone believed that this was the Man Eater, but six days after the attacks, a 7 foot Bull Shark was caught in the creek itself. Numerous studies have been done on the identity of the shark that caused so much terror. Many have been skeptical that the White Shark was  responsible; they are rare in New Jersey waters and almost never travel inland to brackish waters. Bull Sharks, on the other hand, have been known to travel upstream, and are far more common to the New Jersey area.

It is also likely the the attacks were caused by more than one animal, perhaps by sharks to separate species. We will probably never know for sure what caused these attacks, which were an incredibly rare occurance. The summer of 1916 attacks inspired several studies, books, and documentaries, including a 2009 Shark Week special titled Blood in the Water.

Opah

I found this book entitled "The Riverside Natural History" that was published in the 1880s and filled with tons of really amazing images. While browsing through I stumbled on this interesting little guy:

That's right. He's the King of the Herrings.

So this of course intrigued me, and prompted me to look further in to this species. As it turns out, they don't seem to be related to herrings at all. Best I can tell, the closest taxonomic level they share is that of class, which encompasses every single ray-finned fish. Does the moniker mean that they lord over the herring with their vast size and appetite? Most likely not, as Opah eat mostly squid and krill, and the occasional small fish. Silly old book! Then again, they messed up the species name too, which they don't have much of an excuse for. Lampris guttatus  has been called as such since 1788.

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There are two species of Opah (also called Moonfish, Sunfish, and a handful of other names), both within the Lampris genus. They are also the only two living members of the family Lampridae. Opah are very large and very distinctly shaped, with their bodies actually being quite narrow width-wise. They are silver in color, with red fins. Opah can reach lengths of up to 6 feet from end to end.

Opah are found in tropical and temperate oceans worldwide, and live at depths of between 100 and 400m. Opah are believed to be solitary, and they are not fished for commercially. They are occasionally caught as a byproduct of tuna fishing, and most of the Opah meat sold in the United States is from Hawaii.

There really isn't all that much else known about Opah. There is no indication that their population is threatened or in a decline.