What do flying fish eat? An introduction to the feeding habits of flying fish

Flying fish are preyed upon by all kinds of fierce predatory fish. They are the collective name for about 40 species of marine fish in the family Exocoetidae, order Atheriniformes, famous for being able to "fly". They are found in tropical, subtropical and temperate oceans, and their gliding forms can be seen in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans as well as the Mediterranean Sea. Let us take a look below at what flying fish eat!

What do flying fish eat?

The main food of flying fish in the sea is tiny plankton. Every year in April and May they travel from near the equator to China's inland seas to spawn "fry" and reproduce. The eggs are light and small, and the membrane on the egg surface has thread-like projections, making them very suitable for attaching to seaweed. In the past, based on the spawning habits of flying fish, fishermen placed many gill nets hundreds of meters long in the sea along the route the fish had to pass on their way to spawn, using them to catch the fish, but since the state introduced protection measures, this beautiful fish has been protected.

Why do flying fish fly?

Flying fish are preyed upon by all kinds of fierce predatory fish such as sharks, dolphinfish, tuna and swordfish. Through long-term survival competition they have developed a very ingenious skill for escaping enemies - leaping out of the water and gliding, allowing them to temporarily leave dangerous waters, but this special "self-defense" method of flying fish is not absolutely reliable. Although flying fish gliding over the sea escape attacks from enemies in the sea, they often also become the "meal" of seabirds waiting on the surface, such as the "frigatebird". In this way flying fish leap out of the water one moment and dive into the sea the next, using this method to escape enemies in the sea or in the air.

Can flying fish really fly?

Flying fish do not actually fly. Whenever it is about to leave the water surface, it must swim at high speed in the water, with its pectoral fins pressed tightly against the sides of its body, rising steadily like a submarine. The flying fish strikes the water hard with its tail, and its whole body shoots into the air like an arrow released from a bowstring. After leaping out of the water, it opens its long, bright pectoral fins and pelvic fins to glide rapidly forward. The "wings" do not flap; it relies on the thrust of its tail to make a brief "flight" in the air.