Yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares)

Scientific name: Thunnus albacares Bonnaterre, 1788

Yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares)

The Yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) is a brackish-water fish of the family Scombridae. In the aquarium it needs water at 15–31°C (59–88°F).

Yellowfin tuna care at a glance

Temperature
15–31°C (59–88°F)

Biology

An oceanic species occurring above and below the thermoclines. Pelagic in open water, but rarely seen near reefs. They school primarily by size, either in monospecific or multi-species groups. Larger fish frequently school with porpoises, also associated with floating debris and other objects. Feed on fishes, crustaceans and squids. It is sensitive to low concentrations of oxygen and therefore is not usually caught below 250 m in the tropics. Peak spawning occurs during the summer, in batches. Eggs and larvae are pelagic. Encircling nets are employed to catch schools near the surface. Marketed mainly frozen and canned, but also fresh and smoked. Highly valued for sashimi.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Thunnus albacares
Family
Scombridae (Mackerels, tunas, bonitos)
Order
Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
239
Common length
150
Depth range
1–250 m (3–820 ft)
Environment
Marine; brackish; pelagic-oceanic; oceanodromous; depth range 1 - 250 m, usually 1 - 100 m
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Worldwide in tropical and subtropical seas, but absent from the Mediterranean Sea. Highly migratory species, Annex I of the 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Lower Risk: least concern (LR/lc)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: highly commercial; gamefish: yes
Resilience
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.13-0.42; tm=2-5; tmax=8; Fec=200,000)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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