CENTRAL AMERICAN TARPON (the silver king)About Central American Tarpon

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Tarpon is a game fish that belongs to the Megalopidae family (bonefish, ladyfish) that thrives in maritime settings. The Atlantic Tarpon (Megalops atlanticus) and the Indo-Pacific Tarpon (Megalops pacificus) are the two Tarpon species (Megalops cyprinoide). Atlantic Tarpon may be found in the warm and shallow waters of the Atlantic and on the Pacific coast of Central America. Tarpons like gloomy environments with sandy mud bottoms. Costa Rica is a world-renowned location for migrating Tarpons that travel over 100 kilometers, making it a thrilling and daring trip.

Size & Speed

Atlantic tarpon is one of the top ten fastest fish globally. They have a maximum speed of 35 miles per hour. Tarpon may grow 4-8 feet long and weigh 60-250 pounds, although they are typically 6 feet long and weigh 60-250 pounds.

Life Span

Tarpons live for up to 50 years

Physical Appearance / Notable Characteristics

Tarpons have elongated bodies with massive sparkling silvery scales (save on the head), a bony and wide mouth with prominent lower jaws that jut out farther than the rest of the face, large eyes, and unique dorsal fins with blue or greenbacks.

 

Peak Season for Tarpon

In Costa Rica, the two primary seasons for tarpon fishing are from January to May, with the best months being April and May and then from September to early November.

What do Tarpons consume?

Tarpons (in their early stages) take nutrients from saltwater via integumentary absorption. Juveniles in stages two and three eat mostly zooplankton, insects, and tiny fishes. The developing Tarpon depends on fish, insects, grass shrimps, and crabs (particularly in watery settings). Full-grown are mainly carnivores, nocturnal hunters who swallow their entire meal and eat midwater prey while swallowing their food whole and hunting at night.

Interesting Facts

Tarpon uses their swim bladders to breathe and survive in waters with varied ph water. They also use it to live in environments with low oxygen levels. As they mature, their environment may change, and they may climb to the surface, breaking water and taking gulps of air to refuel.

Tarpons benefit from countershading because their top scales are different from their underside scales, making it harder for animals to notice the fish above or below.

· What is the oldest Tarpon: The oldest tarpon in captivity lived to be 63 years old.