Tuna 🐟

Fifteen species of fast, streamlined ocean predators in the mackerel family. With the opah and mackerel sharks, tuna are the only fish that keep their bodies warmer than the water around them.

Quick answers

What is it?Fish

Carnivore?Yes

Dangerous?No

Domesticated?No

Awake when?Daytime

Hibernates?No

Kept as a pet?No

Do people eat it?Yes

Fished extensively for food, and some species are threatened by overfishing.

At a glance

Found inOceans

HabitatOpen ocean

ColoursBlue, Silver

SizeLarge

Length50 cm (bullet tuna) to 4.6 m (Atlantic bluefin)

WeightUp to 684 kg (Atlantic bluefin)

LegsNone

Covered inScales

Lives ingroups

Lives for15–40 years

Can swim

Lays eggs

In the wild

Where it lives

Warmer seas worldwide.

Did you know

Warm-blooded, unlike almost every other fish, and the yellowfin can hit 75 km/h.

The yellowfin tuna can swim at up to 75 km/h.

On these lists

Open-ocean animalsFishAnimals people eat

Sources

1. Wikipedia: Tuna

Last reviewed 30 September 2026