The bluefin tuna is one of the largest species of tuna, and its body color is a deeper color near the pelvic fins, and there is a greatly gradual coloration at the caudal fin. Compared to other tuna fish, the head of the bluefin tuna is long and somewhat pointed. The eye is small, and there are two dorsal fins, with a small space separating them.
The second dorsal fin in bluefin tuna is longer than the first, the anal fin begins behind the second dorsal fin, and the pectoral fins are short compared to other members of the tuna genus, although the relative length changes with age.
Information about bluefin tuna
The body color of the bluefin tuna is dark metallic blue at the top of the body and the lower sides, and the abdomen tends to be silvery white. In new specimens of bluefin tuna, colorless lines can be seen alternating with rows of dots along the lower sides and dorsal fin. The first is yellow or blue, the second dorsal fin is red or brown, the anal fin is black, while the caudal fin is black.
Home of the bluefin tuna
This type of tuna lives in the seas and oceans and approaches the shores during the season. The bluefin tuna can withstand a wide range of temperatures, reaching a depth of greater than 3,000 feet, or about 9,850 feet.
Bluefin tuna have shown very active behavior while they are very small in the form of schools. These schools are active at night. Schools of bluefin tuna seasonally migrate north during the summer months along the coast of Japan and the Pacific coast of North America. Adult fish migrate across the ocean. Pacific, some migrate toward the east, and some toward the west. Some studies have shown that this type of tuna can cross the Atlantic Ocean in less than 60 days, and they can swim at speeds of up to 45 miles per hour (72.5 km/h).
Bluefin tuna and diet
The feeding strategy of the bluefin tuna depends on its target prey. It uses rapid and energetic pursuit to obtain schools of small fish, especially anchovies, while it uses a modified filtering technique to catch small, slow-moving creatures. The bluefin tuna feeds near the shore when eating food. Starfish, kelp, and the smallest shallow-water fish, are likely to decrease feeding during the spawning season, as bluefin tuna must devote their activity to spawning, and bluefin tuna's competitors for food are marine mammals and larger fish.
Bluefin tuna is valued as a high-value food fish all over the world. Tuna is sold fresh or frozen, and the distinctive fish is especially preferred in Japan, where its price rises in the raw seafood market. One fish can be sold for about 45,000 US dollars. Bluefin tuna is also a popular fish, especially in the United States of America, where it is caught by hook and line in some areas. It is noteworthy that bluefin tuna does not take bait easily, so it is called the stubborn tuna.