Biggest Manta Ray: How Big Do Manta Ray Get?

Manta rays are one of the largest fish in the sea. On the list, they appear as the fifth largest fish, behind whale sharks, basking sharks, great white sharks and tiger sharks. 

They can weigh up to 3 metric tons, which is the same as a small elephant, or roughly two Land Rover vehicles. They’re absolutely enormous creatures, dwarfing humans by a considerable margin, while seeming to glide around the oceans with little effort.  When swimming with manta ray, people are often shocked by the size of the animals.

But how big do mantas actually get?

Difference Between Giant Manta and Reef Manta

There are two kinds of manta rays:

• Giant Oceanic manta

• Reef manta

Reef manta is the smaller form of manta ray, although still the second large ray in the world. They can grow to a width of around 5.5 metres, but generally don’t exceed 4 metres.

These smaller rays inhabit the Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean. Their smaller size is likely evolutionary, as they inhabit heavily popular reef areas and island shores. Smaller size means a lesser need for food, which may give them an advantage in competitive food-chain environments like reefs.

The giant oceanic manta, by contrast, can grow up to 9 metres in width, although generally doesn’t exceed 5 or 6. Unlike reef manta, oceanic manta are more commonly found in deep and open ocean. They follow vast migratory patterns by taking advantage of ocean currents. This allows them to scour the oceans in search of food, which they find in abundance. Their access to huge food stocks, and their need to cover vast distances, is likely the reason why oceanic manta rays are larger than reef manta.

The Biggest Manta Ray Recorded

The largest manta ray on record is a giant oceanic manta ray. This particular specimen is noted by Guinness World Records as having a wingspan of 9.1 metres, or 30 feet. To put that in perspective, the average two-story house is around 25 feet high.