Totoaba

## About

A totoaba.

The totoaba (pronounced TOE-TOE-ABA) ***(Totoaba macdonaldi)*** or lesser known as the Baja seabass is a large fish that lives in the Gulf of California. Totoaba have silvery scales that cover the upper parts of their bodies, as well as a pale white underbelly, large mouths and prominent gills. Totoaba have become increasingly rare in their range due to the selling of their swim bladders (discussed in Conservation Status) and today, the totoaba has become massively threatened by illegal poaching. Totoaba can often grow to a massive length of 2m (6.5ft) and weigh 136kg (300lbs).

## Diet

Totoabas consume many species of small fish like sardines or anchovies as well as crustaceans. A common misconception that spawned because of the vaquita ***(Phocoenus sinus)*** being trapped in gillnets, is that totoaba chase the vaquita into the nets attempting to eat them. This is simply not true as the species are similar sized and coexist peacefully in the same waters.

## Conservation Status

Totoaba are considered vulnerable by the IUCN. The population of totoabas is unknown but is known to be decreasing. Totoabas have been a major target for illegal poaching since 1975, when the species became protected. These fish are caught in gillnets which are difficult to escape from. Once captured, the fishermen will extract the swimmer bladder of the totoaba by cutting it out of its body. The swim bladder or air bladder is an organ found in most bony fish that allows the animals to stabilise their depth while swimming in order to not float upward or sink. The swim bladder of the totoaba can be sold from upwards of $20,000 to $80,000, making the organ extremely profitable. The organ is often smuggled to China, where it is sold and labeled as a medicine. The swim bladder is often said to have medicinal properties such as improving your skin or curing arthritis, when in reality the swim bladder does not have any beneficial effects when ingested or otherwise.

## Range and Population

Totoaba inhabit the entirety of the Gulf of California, They have also been reported in the rocky coastal waters of the gulf. Mature totoaba migrate to the Colorado river delta in order to spawn. Totoaba juveniles will treat these waters as nursing grounds and will become used to the brackish estuaries until they return to the Gulf of California. The totoaba population is not known however, it is decreasing due to the previously mentioned swim bladder selling scandals, which has not been stopped no matter how hard the Mexican government has attempted to. The legalisation of totoaba farming in Mexico has also contributed to the species' increasing in population.

## Behaviour

Not much is known about the behavioural characteristics of the totoaba. The species is known to be passive and does not show any signs of aggression towards humans.

### Relationship with Humans

Totoaba do not show any forms of aggression towards humans, and are safe to approach despite their menacing size and maw. Totoaba do not seem to treat humans as a threat unless captured or attacked, and would rather avoid humans than actively interact with them.

## In Captivity

As of 2022 no zoos nor aquariums house totoabas due to their large size and specialised lifestyle. Totoaba are kept in aquaculture farms where they are bred and released into the gulf in order to grow the species.

## Sources

* Totoaba | Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totoaba
* IUCN Red List of Threatened Species - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22003/2780880