Needlefish live in shallow seawaters or on the open sea. Some live in fresh water, while others live in brackish water. The needlefish are a family made up of many genera. Find out more interesting facts about needlefish with this list of fish facts.

 

Some useful information on needlefish:

 

  • These marine fish look just like the North American freshwater gars, with long jaws and sharp teeth.

 

  • They tend to be 1.2 inches to 37 inches long, with a dorsal fin, but the unique feature of the Needlefish is their beak. The beak is long and narrow with many sharp teeth inside it.

 

  • Young needlefish do not have a fully developed upper jaw; this means they only eat plankton. Once the upper jaw is developed, they now eat other types of fish.

 

  • Needlefish mainly eat other (smaller) fish. Fresh water species of needlefish are eating other fish too.

 

  • Needlefish trivia you need to know: Needlefish are a danger to humans – not because of any poison – but because they often shoot out of the water at 38 miles an hour. Sometimes they jump across boats.

 

  • Anglers have reported being attacked by agitated needlefish that are attracted by artificial light at night.

 

  • In some rare cases, this marine fish can cause death. In 1977, a Hawaiian boy Hanamaulu Bay died when a three-foot needlefish shot out of the water and pierced his eye and brain.

 

  • In 2007, a Vietnamese boy was stabbed in the heart by a needlefish. He was night diving.

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