Fish are those little guys swimming around in our oceans. Along with many other creatures of the sea. But today, we will focus on the three speediest fish around!

3rd fastest fish: The Swordfish

The third fastest fish is indeed a Swordfish. The fastest speed a swordfish has ever gone is about 60 MPH. A Swordfish has a very long and pointy sword-like bill, (Judging by the name) and that is what they use to catch their prey. They do it by simply stabbing their food, then swing the “sword” around to stun their prey, so they can eat it. The Swordfish usually eat other fish, and sometimes small invertebrates. These fish also have a special organ near their eyes, which is used to heat their brain and eyes. This helps for when they are very deep, because it helps the Swordfish see much better, and keeps them warm. If you see one of these fish, be careful, they’re really good at fencing!

2nd fastest fish: The Marlin

Time for the fish in second place, the Marlin. This fish is capable of reaching speeds of about 68 Miles per hour. Marlin fish are pretty big in size. They are the largest in the billfish family, which includes Swordfish. The Marlin has a bill very similar to a swordfish, but the Marlins bill is a lot less sharp. The Marlins diet is also very similar to a swordfish’s diet, both mainly eating fish. The heaviest type of Marlin is the Black Marlin, weighing at over 1,500 pounds! That is heavier than a Grand piano! The Black Marlin is actually the heaviest fish in the world! (Not including sharks, of course) Marlins are one of the biggest and heaviest fish ever.

1st fastest fish: The Sailfish

Now, the #1 fastest fish is the Sailfish! The speed of this fish is about 70 miles per hour, which is barely faster than the Marlin, by 2 MPH. Sailfish are another type of billfish, just like the marlin, AND swordfish. The sailfish got its name because- well, it looks like there is a big sail on its back. Another similarity of all these fish, is they all eat the same things, fish and octopuses. But one way the sailfish is different from almost every other fish is that its dorsal fin, (sail looking thing) is able to change colors! They do this to confuse prey, show emotion, and communicate with other Sailfish. The Sailfish is also one of the top predators, and they slash and stab their bill around when they are near a school of fish to hopefully get one of the little fish for a snack.

So now you know, these 3 fastest fish ever also have many cool things they could do, changing colors, to being REALLY heavy, and even having a sword!