What is the fastest fish in the ocean?

When it comes to speed demons of the sea, there's a whole lot of competition out there. From wahoo slicing through waves to mako sharks racing across oceans, marine life has evolved some seriously impressive swimming capabilities. But which fish can truly claim the title of ocean's fastest swimmer?

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The answer is: Sailfish

Hold onto your snorkels, because the sailfish takes the crown as the ocean's speed champion, clocking in at an astounding 68 miles per hour. That's faster than most city speed limits, which is pretty embarrassing for us land-dwellers and our fancy cars.

These aquatic rockets aren't just quick – they're built for speed from tip to tail. Their most distinctive feature, that sword-like bill, actually cuts through the water to reduce drag, while their streamlined bodies and crescent-shaped tails are basically nature's version of a Formula 1 car design.

What really sets sailfish apart is their ability to retract their dorsal fin into a groove when they're going for speed. When they're not breaking speed records, they'll unfurl that spectacular sail-like fin, which is how they got their name and probably their swagger.

While other contenders like the black marlin and bluefin tuna are also impressively fast, the sailfish maintains its position at the top of the podium. They use this incredible speed for hunting, creating chaos in schools of smaller fish by slashing through them with their bills. It's like bringing a sword to a swimming race – and somehow that's totally fair in nature's rulebook.