Everyone Knows Swordfish Are No Joke (Just Listen To That Name!)
Swordfish, in a word, are the badass fish of the sea. They’re notoriously hard to find, travel alone rather than in schools, and literally smack their prey around so they become weak and easier to catch. It all sounds so scary and intimidating… until you see a baby swordfish.
…But Did You Know That Baby Swordfish Are Amazingly Tiny?
It’s unreal that the fast and powerful swordfish starts out as a little speck of a fish that sits on a fingertip.
In fact, marine biologist Juan C. Levesque shared the famous picture of a tiny swordfish baby on his finger to demonstrate this fact.
They’re so small that it’s hard to imagine they have the capacity to grow to a full three metres long! The swordfish, famous for its powerful body and potential to weigh over 1,200 pounds, has humble beginnings, that’s for sure.
They Don’t Stay That Way For Long
Swordfish grow super fast. Research indicates that they can grow anywhere between 1/8 and 1/4 of an inch… every single day!
Because of this, small swordfish can grow up to 40 inches in their first year of life. This is an extremely accelerated growth rate, partly fuelled by fish larvae from the beginning of their lives.
Most swordfish weigh from 90 to 200 pounds. Some of them can get to over 400 pounds, with the maximum measured length of 14 feet and nearly 1,200 pounds! They are one of the fastest and largest predators in the ocean. Their sleek bodies allow them to swim at high speeds up to 50 mph!
Goes To Show You That Fierce Creatures Can Have Adorable Beginnings
It’s encouraging, really, to know that such a fierce and formidable creature starts out so tiny. Just like baby tigers, pitbulls, and even snow leopards, these incredible creatures are so cute and adorable as babies. Then, with time, they grow to be a force of the sea.
It’s good news for all of us, right? If the swordfish can start out as a tiny speck, maybe we all have a chance to grow into the powerful, actualized versions of ourselves that will chase our dreams and smack around our adversaries just as the swordfish does in the depths of the ocean.
