Fish That Start With M

20 fish Animals and nature Checked 9 Oct 2026

Here are 20 fish that start with M, each with a one-line description so you can tell what it is. The best-known ones come first, then the full list in A to Z order.

M holds 20 fish, from the tiny minnow to the giant mola. Mackerel, marlin, mullet and mahi-mahi are well known at fish markets, while the molly is a popular aquarium fish.

Several names come in two forms: moray and moray eel, manta and manta ray, mako and mako shark. The manta ray is an enormous ray that feeds on plankton. The monkfish is another name for the anglerfish, the one that dangles a lure to catch prey. The mirror carp is a farmed carp with a few large shiny scales, a name that makes kids smile.

Fish starting with M: 20
Best known: mackerel, marlin
Longest name: mangrove snapper

Best-known fish that start with M

The ones most people will recognise, good for school lists, quizzes and games.

mackerel
marlin
mullet
minnow
monkfish
moray eel
manta ray
mahi-mahi

All fish that start with M

#	Name	What it is
1	mackerel	any of various fishes of the family Scombridae
2	mackerel shark	fierce pelagic and oceanic sharks
3	mahi-mahi	bright green and gold warm-sea game fish
4	mako	powerful mackerel shark of the Atlantic and Pacific
5	mako shark	powerful mackerel shark of the Atlantic and Pacific
6	mangrove snapper	found in shallow waters off the coast of Florida
7	manta	extremely large pelagic tropical ray that feeds on plankton and small fishes
8	manta ray	extremely large pelagic tropical ray that feeds on plankton and small fishes
9	margate	a grunt with a red mouth that is found from Florida to Brazil
10	marlin	large long-jawed oceanic sport fishes
11	menhaden	shad-like North American marine fishes used for fish meal and oil and fertilizer
12	minnow	very small European freshwater fish common in gravelly streams
13	mirror carp	domestic carp with some large shining scales
14	mola	among the largest bony fish
15	molly	popular aquarium fish
16	monkfish	fishes having large mouths with a wormlike filament attached for luring prey
17	moray	family of brightly colored voracious eels of warm coastal waters
18	moray eel	family of brightly colored voracious eels of warm coastal waters
19	mullet	freshwater or coastal food fishes a spindle-shaped body; found worldwide
20	mutton snapper	similar to and often marketed as `red snapper'

Short fish with M

molly
moray
mako
manta
mola

Questions people ask

How many fish start with M?

This list has 20 fish starting with M, from well-known ones like mackerel, marlin, mullet to rarer kinds.

What fish start with M?

Well-known examples are mackerel, marlin, mullet, minnow, monkfish, moray eel, manta ray, mahi-mahi.

Source: Princeton WordNet, a public dictionary database, reviewed by our editors to keep only clear, real members of the list. Meanings are short dictionary glosses.

See every letter on one page: fish A to Z