Tarpon: 5 things to know about this fish

Passionate about tarpon for years, we wanted to share with you 5 noteworthy and little-known facts about this mythical fish.

Tarpon larvae look like worms

Adult tarpons spawn offshore: 80-100 miles in the Gulf of Mexico and 5-10 miles in the Atlantic Ocean. Once the eggs are fertilized and hatched, the tarpon begins its larval stage. It then looks like a transparent flatworm.

This particular larva, similar to eels, bonefish, and ladyfish, is known as the leptocephalus. Although leptocephali have the ability to swim, they mainly drift with currents to return to the coasts.

Studies show that tarpon larvae enter the passes at night and make their way to the far reaches of the estuary to find calm pools where they metamorphose into juveniles.

The tarpon is a fish that can breathe in the open air

The tarpon has the unique ability to take oxygen above the surface instead of depending on dissolved oxygen in water.

This is because the tarpon has a modified swim bladder with rows of vascularized (i.e. spongy) tissue that can act as an additional set of gills.

Swallowing air is a major benefit for young tarpons who seem to prefer habitats with low dissolved oxygen that exclude other fish that might be in competition with them or even predators.

Juvenile tarpons eat anything and everything

Juvenile tarpons are primarily opportunistic eaters. Studies show that the only limiting factor for tarpon is the size of its mouth. As a result, the more the tarpon grows, the more it is able to eat preys, without distinction of species.

The tarpon thus feeds mainly on fish and copepods. But it also feeds on ants, crabs, shrimps and even fly larvae.

Tarpon growth rate depends on habitat quality

Although the scientific literature is limited, some studies show that tarpons in captivity or in natural habitats exhibit growth rates of 25 to 20 cm per year.

However, studies in southwest Florida and the coast of South Carolina on juvenile tarpons have shown average growth rates of 2 to 5 cm per year in habitats degraded by humans.

These studies highlight how damaging coastal development, altered water flows, and nutrient runoff are on this fish.

2/3 of juvenile tarpon habitats are degraded by humans

It is clear that the protection and restoration of habitats are crucial points for the preservation of the species. Tarpon has adapted wonderfully to a very hostile environment, and has done so for millennia.

In order for this magnificent fish to last and for us to take advantage of this formidable adversary, it is our duty as a fisherman to preserve its habitat.

Useful links to learn more about tarpon:

Tarpon: the silver king

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