Ocean Sunfish

The ocean sunfish is a massive, flattened disc of a fish that can grow to around 3.3 metres and weigh as much as a car. Divers encounter these gentle plankton-feeders in open water and near the surface, often alone or in loose aggregations. The fish's enormous dorsal and anal fins give it a distinctive truncated shape, and it moves by sculling these fins side to side rather than flexing its spine like typical fish. Despite its size, it feeds almost entirely on jellyfish, salps, and other soft invertebrates, and commonly basks at the surface—a behaviour that often brings it to a diver's attention.