Researchers studied more than 200 marine fish species before coming up with their findings.
Researchers studied more than 200 marine fish species before coming up with their findings.

Baby reef fishes take the gold

A study has shown that baby reef fishes clock in at 15 to 40 body lengths per second, making them one of the fastest youngsters around.

In contrast, baby herring swim up to two body lengths per second, while the fastest human (Olympic gold medallist Michael Phelps) manages just 1.4 body lengths per second.

So how did those tiny baby reef fishes get to be so fast so early in their lives?

Mexico's Cozumel

Coney grouper, Cozumel, Mexico. Photo by Brandi Mueller
Coney grouper, Cozumel, Mexico. Photo by Brandi Mueller

As our boat headed to the dive site, it was hard to imagine the previous year. With the island of Cozumel to my back, the 180-degree-view of water in front of me was filled with dive boats. While sometimes in the past I would be annoyed to see so many other divers, it was a relief to see all the boats, and it gave me a bit of hope for the future of the dive industry as the pandemic (hopefully) comes to an end.