AnimalID

Name

5420

Swordfish

LocationName:

Atlantic Ocean

Origin:

Official add-on for Marine

PurchaseCost:

$1,000

RequiresResearch:

No

IsClimber:

No

IsJumper:

No

 

General Information

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The Life Cycle

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Description:

The broadbill swordfish, Xiphias gladius, is a member of the class of bony fish, Osteichthyes. The swordfish gets its name from its most distinctive feature -- the elongated upper jaw that looks like a sword. The swordfish’s sword is so impressive that Christopher Columbus brought one back with him as a souvenir of the New World.

Swordfish are quite large. The biggest specimen ever caught weighed 1190 pounds and was over 14 feet long, measured from the tip of its sword to the tip of its tail. The average swordfish is somewhat smaller, generally weighing between two hundred and two hundred and fifty pounds. Swordfish are built for speed: adult members of the species have no pelvic fins, no scales, and a rounded shape to help them move through the water. Adults vary in color, but are generally grayish-blue to dark bronze on their backs and fins, and white or off-white on their bellies.

The double-edged sword of the broadbill swordfish is much longer than the fish’s head. Often, these swords are over four feet in length. The sword is actually an extension of the upper jaw, and takes the place of teeth in the adult swordfish. Like the body of the fish, the sword is dark in color on top and white underneath. This coloring scheme helps convince fish swimming beneath the swordfish in the water column that the white they see above them is the sky and not a huge predator.

Members of the swordfish family live for about nine years and are found through the temperate, subtropical, and tropical seas of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The Atlantic broadbill swordfish is found off the coast of New England from late June throughout the summer. During the winter, these fish move south and offshore into deeper waters, where they stay below the surface during storms, only coming to surface to bask when the water is calm.

Swordfish are fast swimmers, achieving speeds of up to 60 miles per hour. High speeds are an important part of their hunting technique. Swordfish will eat squid, octopi, and crustaceans, but they mainly feed on other fish. They often hunt schooling fish such as mackerel, menhaden, bluefish, whiting, and butterfish. In order to attack a school of fish, the swordfish builds up speed and then thrusts into the school, slashing with his sword. When the school scatters, the swordfish can feed upon the dead and wounded.

Besides humans, the swordfish does not have many predators. Sharks and some of the larger cetaceans (especially orcas) will occasionally attack a swordfish. Parasites are a much larger problem for these fish, however. Remoras, a kind of suckerfish, are often found attached to the skin or gill covers of swordfish. Most swordfish also have at least one kind of worm living in their digestive system. These worms are often the cause of death of an otherwise healthy adult swordfish.

The female swordfish is considerably larger than the male. Almost all of the swordfish over 200 pounds caught by fishermen have been female. Each female swordfish will lay tens of millions of eggs annually. The eggs are then fertilized externally by males of the species. But very few of these eggs survive to hatch and mature. Since the swordfish is prized both as a sport and a commercial fish, overfishing has further reduced their number. Careful management of this species is needed to preserve it for generations to come.

 

Attractiveness Adult:

Attractiveness Young:

Initial Happiness:

Habitat Preference:

75
80
70
70

Captivity:

Crowd:

CrowdHappiness Change:

ClimbsCliffs:

5
100
-5
No

 

General Information

Building an Exhibit

The Life Cycle

Who do they like to live with and eat?

 

To build a good animal exhibit you need to ask a few questions: (click them for the answers)

Which tank wall is suitable for this animal?     Remember that all tanks need a tank filter!

How big should the exhibit be and what Depth should the tank be?

What foliage should be used?

What rocks should be used?

What shelter does the animal need?

What toy does the animal like?

Does this animal perform in a show?

No

 

TankWallName

Purchase Cost

See Through

Height

Strength

Life

Cost Effective

Concrete Edge and Glass

$125

Yes

3

500

13

10.4

Atlantean Tank Wall

$125

Yes

3

500

13

10.4

Solid Concrete

$125

No

3

500

13

10.4

Black Bar and Glass

$130

Yes

3

500

13

10.0

 

General Information

Building an Exhibit

The Life Cycle

Who do they like to live with and eat?

 

Animal Density

Min

Number of Animals/Exhibit

Max

20

2

 

6

TankDepth
5
 
28

Terrain Name

Value

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Saltwater
100
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200

Rocks

8
6
13
19
26
32
38
45
51
58
64

Foliage

16
3
6
10
13
16
19
22
26
29
32

Exhibit Size

100
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200

 

General Information

Building an Exhibit

The Life Cycle

Who do they like to live with and eat?

 

ID

Value

TreeName

Foliage Effect

Cost/ Square

Cost Effective

7411
8
Red Gorgonian
8
$125
6.4
7414
6
Sea Cucumber
6
$125
4.8
7413
6
Sand Dollar
6
$110
5.5
7412
6
Sargassum
6
$150
4.0
7419
3
Stove Pipe Sponge
3
$150
2.0
7407
3
Feather Duster Worm
3
$120
2.5
7408
3
Fire Coral
3
$150
2.0
7406
3
Divercate Tree Coral
3
$125
2.4
7417
3
Sea Grass
3
$100
3.0

 

General Information

Building an Exhibit

The Life Cycle

Who do they like to live with and eat?

 

ID

Value

RockName

Size X

Size Y

Rock

Rock Effect

Purchase Cost

Cost Effective

9235
6
Small Ocean Floor Rock
1
1
Yes
24
$100
24.0
9241
6
Isle Rock
8
8
Yes
6
$150
4.0
9236
6
Medium Coral Formation
4
4
Yes
6
$150
4.0
9237
6
Large Ocean Floor Rock
4
4
Yes
6
$165
3.6
9239
6
Large Coral Formation
4
6
Yes
6
$175
3.4
9238
6
Medium Ocean Floor Rock
2
2
Yes
6
$150
4.0

 

General Information

Building an Exhibit

The Life Cycle

Who do they like to live with and eat?

 

Shelter ID

Shelter Name

Shelter Value

Shelter Effect

Purchase Cost

Capacity

Requires Research

 

none

 

 

 

 

 

 

General Information

Building an Exhibit

The Life Cycle

Who do they like to live with and eat?

 

ToyID

ToyName

ToyValue

PurchaseCost

6466
Fake Clam
100
$185
6468
Treasure Chest
100
$185
6470
Deep Sea Diver
100
$200

 

General Information

Building an Exhibit

The Life Cycle

Who do they like to live with and eat?

 

ReproductionChance:

High

SickChance:

5

ReproductionInterval(months):

9

SickChange:

-12

HappyReproduceThreshold:

96

DeathChance:

10

Offspring:

1

TimeDeath(months):

36

BabyToAdult(months):

4

 

 

SkipTrickHappiness:

 

SkipTrickChance:

 

 

SalinityChange:

-10

SalinityHealthChange:

-20

PooWaterImpact:

5

MurkyWaterThreshold:

60

MurkyWaterChange:

-5

MurkyWaterHealthChange:

-5

VeryMurkyWaterThreshold:

20

ExtremelyMurkyWaterThreshold

1

VeryMurkyWaterChange:

-10

ExtremelyMurkyWaterChange

-15

VeryMurkyWaterHealthChange:

-10

ExtremelyMurkyWaterHealthChange:

-15

 

General Information

Building an Exhibit

The Life Cycle

Who do they like to live with and eat?

 

Compatible Animals

Prey Animals

mermaid

10

KeeperFoodType:

Fish

 

man

 

General Information

Building an Exhibit

The Life Cycle

Who do they like to live with and eat?