A Tiny Marlin

Juvenile marlins live near the ocean’s surface in warm, pelagic waters where food is most abundant and most do not survive to adulthood because they are heavily preyed upon by tuna, sharks, dolphins, and other large predators.

The marlin’s iconic bill develops gradually, starting short in juveniles and lengthening as the fish matures. Rapid growth is their main survival strategy, helping them outgrow predators as quickly as possible.