Sizing Up the Fish You'll See at the Monterey Bay Aquarium

SIZING UP THE FISH YOU'LL SEE AT THE MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM All kinds of creatures great and small inhabit the world's oceans, and you can get up close and personal with many of them on a trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The facility has been a staple of Monterey's Cannery Row for over 30 years and is a must-visit when in Monterey County. Here, a sampling of the fish you can study on your visit and all the sizes they come in. OCEAN SUNFISH This odd, slow-moving fish, also known as the Mola, is real heavy, weighing in at over 5,000 Ibs. The round creature is massive in scale, with some examples growing to over 14 feet in diameter. SCALLOPED HAMMERHEAD SHARK This unmistakable creature looks like it was built for speed and agility. It can be a scary sight in open waters too, as they're often over 13 feet in length. However, it's been found that the sharks are typically non-aggressive towards humans. PACIFIC BLUEFIN TUNA We're all familiar with the cans and the sushi, but the Bluefin tuna is a large, fast-moving creature that can grow up to 10 feet long and swim 18 mph. Severe overfishing has caused the species to be vulnerable to extinction. DOLPHINFISH An iridescent wonder, this fish is popular with both sport fishermen and foodies. On the table, it's known as mahi mahi to avoid comparisons with the sea mammal. Around six feet long, the fish is also an incredibly fast swimmer, able to reach around 58 mph. 12 w...... HORN SHARK Not all sharks swim fins-out in the open water and not all are massive, Jaws-sized monster. The Horn Shark hangs out near the sandy bottom and is about three feet long. It's spiky but harmless to humans – it feeds mainly on crabs and small fish. FANGTOOTH A toothy terror from the deep sea, it's a little less scary when you realize it's only six inches long. But for small animals caught in it the grasp of its fangs, escape is impossible. You can see it at the Aquarium's “Mission to the Deep" exhibit. BROUGHT TO YOU BY S TRIBUNE CONTENT SOLUTIONS