Ocean Sunfish

ID points

• Body looks cut off at the back, with almost no tail
• Tall dorsal and anal fins, symmetrical above and below
• Often lies on its side at the surface, basking in the sun

Basics

Family

Molidae

Length

1.8–3.3 m

Depth

0-600 m

Regions

Indo-Pacific reefs · Caribbean & W. Atlantic · Temperate & polar · Open ocean

Distribution

Open ocean, temperate to tropical waters worldwide

Habitat

Open ocean, surface to mid water

Diet

Jellyfish, plankton

Easily confused with

Blackspotted PufferSparse large black spots on a grey-blue or yellow groundCuttlefishA wavy skirt-like fin running around both sides of the bodyLeafy SeadragonLeaf-shaped skin flaps all over the body, looking like seaweed

Fun fact

The ocean sunfish is the heaviest bony fish alive, with a record weight of 2.7 tonnes set in the Azores in 2021. A single female can release up to 300 million eggs, a 3 followed by eight zeros, and the fish comes up to the surface every day to sunbathe and warm itself back up.