Fastest fish in oceans and seas | Top 10 fastest swimmers

It is usually surprising to most people when they find out that there are marine animals which can swim at speeds of over 100 kilometers an hour. Below we have listed the top ten fastest fish in water.

1- Sailfish (aka Istiophorus Platypterus)

Max recorded swimming speeds of nearly 112 KM/H (70 MPH)

Sailfish are the fastest fish in the world but what’s more amazing is that they can keep pace with the Cheetahs on land, that can run as fast as 112 KM/H (70 MPH). Sailfish usually grow to lengths of 1.2-1.5 m (4-5 ft) in only one single year. This quick swimmer usually feeds on the surface of the oceans or at mid-depths on smaller pelagic forage fish and squid. In general, the sailfish do not grow to more than 3 meters (10 ft) in length and rarely weigh over 90 kg (200 lb).

2- Striped Marlin (aka Tetrapturus audax)

Max recorded swimming speed of 80 KM/H (50 MPH)

The Striped Marlin is usually found in the tropical areas of the Indo-Pacific oceans. They are larger than Sailfish and usually hover in waters not too from the surface. It is large commercial and popular in fishing caught at record weights of nearly 190 kg and  lengths of up to 4.2 meters. Much like sharks, the Striped marlin is a predator that hunts during the day from close to the surface to about 100 metres or so. They usually feed on sardines.

3- Wahoo or Peto or Jack Mackerel (aka Acanthocybium solandri)

Max recorded swimming speed of 77 KM/H (48 MPH)

The third fastest fish, which swims in our tropical seas is the Wahoo and is best known to sports fishermen. Wahoo’s speed, agility and high-quality meat make it a great catch for any fishing enthusiast. This fish has many different names such as peto amongst the Hispanics and the Caribbean or Jack Mackerel. in Hawaii, it is commonly known as Ono.

4- Southern blue fin tuna (aka Thunnus maccoyii)

Max recorded swimming speed of 76 KM/H (47 MPH)

Blue fin tuna is the fourth fastest fish on earth and is found in the open waters of the southern hemisphere. The southern sections of our oceans are home to this speedy fish which can grow up to length of 2.5 meter (8.2 ft) and weighing up to 400 kg (882 lbs). Southern blue fin tuna is classified as the one the larger bony fishes in the oceans. This streamlined fish has a blue-black  on the back and silver-white colors on its belly, which is accented with its yellow caudal keels.

5- Yellow fin tuna (aka Thunnus albacares)

Max recorded swimming speed of 74 KM/H (46 MPH)

Yellowfin is also known and sold as ahi, which comes from its Hawaiian roots. This quick fish is also known as Albacora by French and Portuguese fishermen. One special feature of this fish is that its fins grow very large  and give a a quite distinct yellow colour.

6- Blue shark (aka Prionace glauca)

Max recorded swimming speed of 69 KM/H (43 MPH)

The blue sharks live in deep waters in the world’s tropical oceans. It’s oddly long nose allows it to rip through the ocean waters at extremely fast speeds while excreting the least energy. Blue sharks prefer cooler waters so they often tend to migrate long distances. They feed primarily on small fish and squid, however they are known to take on larger prey.

7- Bonefish (aka Albula vulpes)

Max recorded swimming speed of 64 KM/H (40 MPH)

Seventh fastest fish in the world is the Bonefish which lives near inshore tropical waters. Bonfish swim through the shallow flats to feed from the incoming tide and what they bring in for them, while retreating to deeper water as the tides subside. Anglers love catching Bonefish, which make them amongst top caught fish for sport.

8- Swordfish (aka Xiphias gladius)

Max recorded swimming speed of 40 MPH (64 KM/H)

Swordfish also known as Broadbill in some countries. These high velocity fish are actually quite large are known for their migrations. They are very popular for sport fishing. Swordfish can live close to shore the ocean shores and reach a maximum size of 4.5 meters (14 ft 9 in) and a whopping weight of 650 kg (1,400 lb).

9- Tarpon or aka ox-eye herring (aka Megalops cyprinoides)

Max recorded swimming speed of 35  MPH (56 KM/H)

Tarpons live in the Atlantic ocean. They don’t look all that fancy like the rest of the fastest fish species but at speeds of up to 56 KM/H (35 MPH) they can still out swim most power boats.

10- Tiger shark (aka Galeocerdo cuvier)

Max recorded swimming speed of 53 KM/H (33 MPH )
At last, the 10th fastest fish specie is the illusive Tiger shark; which happens to be the most dangerous shark to humans after the Great white. Tiger sharks can reach lengths of over 5 m (16 ft). These sharks are usually found in many tropical and temperate oceans.