Species Education

Striped Marlin

Striped marlin are found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, often in cooler water than other billfish species. They are immediately recognizable by their vibrant cobalt stripes that can change color based on their behavior.

Scientific Name

  • Kajikia audux
Photo Provided by: James Ferrera

Max Size

4 m and 222 kg (13 ft and 490 lb)

CONSERVATION

Status: Least Concern

Top Speed

80.5 kph (50 mph)

Habitat

Pacific and Indian Oceans

Behavior

Extreme daily vertical migration

Diet

Sardines and other small fish

Lifespan

Up to 20 years

Species Education

What are Striped Marlin?

Striped marlin are a species of billfish found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. A feature that makes striped marlin unique from other billfish is their prominent vertical stripes that cover them from head to tail. When the fish is content, the stripes are typically a muted blue color, fading into their dark colored bodies. However, once a striped marlin becomes agitated or excited, their stripes will light up, turning an array colors from silver to cobalt.
Omar Elizondo

Species Education

Questions about Striped Marlin

Nick Price Photography

How big do Striped Marlin get?

While they are not the largest of all billfish species, striped marlin can grow to impressive sizes. The maximum size for a striped marlin is approximately 4 m (13 ft) and about 222 kg (490 lb), but a striped marlin of that size would be a rare encounter. The largest striped marlin caught was 224 kg (494 lb) and no other striped marlin caught has come close to rivaling that size! Between females and males, data does not show there to be a huge discrepancy.
Nick Price Photography

Can you fish for Striped Marlin?

Yes! Striped marlin are a prized fish for many anglers because of their unique appearance. With heavy regulations associated with the commercial fishing of striped marlin, they are most often sought recreationally. They can be caught via trolling using live or rigged bait with teasers. More recently, ambitious anglers have taken to catching striped marlin on fly rods.
Nick Price Photography

Where do Striped Marlin live?

Striped marlin live only in the cooler tropical and subtropical waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. They have been found to prefer waters from 15.5° – 25° C (60° – 75° F) and spend the majority of their lives within the first few hundred feet of the water column, especially in areas around steep seafloor drop offs. They will rarely travel into waters less than 100 m (330 ft) deep.

What do Striped Marlin eat?

Striped marlin prey on small fish species that are surface dwellers. They hunt both during the day and at night, a behavior called cathemerality. During the day they tend to target mackerel, sardines, and other bait fish that swim in dense bait balls. In the evenings and night, they target squid. Like other billfish, they are opportunistic eaters, targeting any species that can fit in their mouth.
Nick Price Photography

How do Striped Marlin hunt?

Like other billfish, striped marlin use their rostrums to slash at their prey, easily consuming them when they are either stunned or dead. Striped marlin can be seen hunting in groups of a dozen or more. They work as a team to corral schools of bait into dense balls before individually taking turns to attack the condensed school. When a striped marlin is going in to strike, its stripes will light up to signal the attack.
Nick Price Photography

How long do Striped Marlin live for?

Striped marlin are thought to have a maximum life expectancy of ten years, reaching maturity at one or two years old. There is no documented difference between the life expectancies of males and females, unlike other billfish species.

How do Striped Marlin reproduce?

Striped marlin reproduce by broadcast spawning, a process where the females release thousands of eggs into the water, where they are externally fertilized by males. Striped marlin have one spawning season, which generally takes place in the summer months of the southern hemisphere.

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