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Today on Animal Fact Files we’re discussing flying fish. These fish get their common name from their amazing aerial displays. While they don’t fly the same way a bird or a bat might by flapping their wings, flying fish take to the skies by gliding. There are approximately 70 living flying fish species. They average ten inches (25cm) long, but some can nearly double this! Generally speaking, flying fish come in two forms: those that have one pair of wings and those that have two. We say “wings” as a loose term as the “wings” on flying fish are actually fins! Two winged flying fish have enlarged pectoral fins that may reach back to the tail fin in some species. Four winged flying fish also have enlarged pelvic fins to help provide them lift while in the air. Flying fish have asymmetrical tail fins in which the upper portion of the tail fin is much shorter than the lower portion, basically the equal and opposite of the thresher sharks we discussed in a previous episode. Flying fish may also be confused with the similar looking helmet gurnards which aren’t part of the fish family we’re discussing today.

Flying fish live in warm oceans around the world. It’s believed that colder water inhibits their ability to glide as it cools down their body too much, so they typically remain in water at or above 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius). They may be found in coastal areas or out in the open ocean, though they’re believed to stay in the epipelagic zone of the ocean - that’s the zone in which enough sunlight occurs for photosynthesis. Flying fish eat zooplankton, other fish, and crustaceans. In turn, they’re eaten by tuna, sailfish, dolphinfish, gulls, frigatebirds, and more. Yes, unfortunately for these fancy flying fish, they took to the skies to escape predators from the water only to land in the beaks of predators in the air. Truly, there is no winning for a flying fish.

These fish “fly” by quickly breaking through the ocean’s surface and then spreading their long pectoral fins. They can keep this momentum going by thrusting their tail against the waves and catching air currents. Flying fish have been documented reaching heights of twenty feet (6m) above the surface of the ocean. Some can jump so high they accidentally land themselves in small boats! In terms of distance, the longest recorded flying fish glide was a quarter of a mile (400m) long, though on average they don’t reach half this distance. Most flights last only a few seconds, but the longest recorded flying fish glide was 45 seconds! What’s cool about the flying fish is that it has special eyes that can see both in and out of the water!

These fish live in schools. They engage in broadcast spawning where eggs and sperm are released in the water column and the eggs are fertilized externally. When baby flying fish emerge they don’t look like their parents. They may have whiskers that help disguise them making them look like plants to any would-be predators. Their fins are also not fully developed; however, depending on the species, once they reach at least two inches (5cm) in body length, they’re ready to take to the skies just like their predecessors. In the wild, flying fish can live to be 5 years old.

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