Murray Cod (Maccullochella peelii peelii)

Description
Murray cod are reported to grow to 180cm (113kg). They become sexually mature at 3 years of age around 37-38cm in length. Murray cod have a mottled appearance. They are green along the back and sides with darker green-olive mottling, shading to a creamy white belly.

Habitat/Distribution
The natural distribution of Murray cod is the Murray-Darling river systems, west of the Great Dividing Range. They have been translocated within their natural range and have also been introduced to other areas on the eastern coastline such as the Mary and Dawson Rivers of Southern Queensland and the Clarence and Richmond Rivers of northern New South Wales. They can also be found in the Cooper Creek system in central Australia. Murray cod can be found in clear rocky streams or in slow-flowing, turbid water where in-stream snags, logs and stumps provide protection and spawning sites. They have decreased in abundance across their natural range and are now considered rare in many Victorian tributaries. They have been successfully introduced to many lakes and dams.

Aquaculture Potential
Murray Cod as a species are relatively more demanding than producing silver perch. While they have adjusted well to a large sinking artificial pellet, their cannibalistic lifestyle can lead to large stock declines from the beginning. Regular grading is essential to maintain numbers, however their fast growth rate, resistance to disease and active feeding at cooler temperatures make them an ideal species for our systems. They tend to feed over a large variation in water temperatures, adding to the growth period available during the year.

The firm white flesh of Murray Cod dictates it as a fine dining taste in Asian and Western cuisines. Condabilla Fish farm is successfully stocking Murray Cod up to 150kg/m3 and are currently growing cod to 3kg within 2 years (from fingerling).

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