Sleepy Cod (Oxyeleotris lineolata) General information
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Soon hock = Oxyeleotris marmorata
Australian sleepy cod = Oxyeleotris lineolata
The Perch Man, Bruce Sambell, was the first person to ever breed this species in captivity, and the first person to produce a commercial crop of fry/fingerlings.
More information can be found in the -
Click pictures below for video
Below a male Australian sleepy cod breeder.
Below a very rare gold form of Australian sleepy cod.
This page contains general information about sleepy cod.
One of the most promising fish for future aquaculture.
- This fish has many qualities that give it all-round appeal as an aquaculture species
- It has been argued that this species has the best eating quality of all Australian freshwater fish
- Extremely easy to transport at high densities
- High flesh recovery
- Can be kept and grown in high densities
- Perfect in a RAS
- The Fitzroy/Dawson River strain grows better than northern strain for aquaculture
- Recirculating systems necessary for grow-out
- Must be stocked at high densities
- High fat diets, (15-20%) are undesirable as the fat damages the liver, this will affect FCR because the liver is an important part of the digestive system
- Placid and easy to handle
- No spines in fins or gills
- Fitzroy/Dawson strain genetically distinct from northern strain
- Sleepy cod grow faster in tanks than in ponds
- Males grow slower
- Best above 26C. Below 22C not recommended, with problems below 18C
- They can produce huge numbers of eggs, up to at least 170,000 for larger fish! Information on breeding is available to clients. click here
COLOUR
The colour of sleepy cod can change according to environmental conditions.
It is possible to manipulate their colour to provide fish to the market in a preferred colour.
By this I mean lighter or darker, or even more marbled, but you can't change to the colours seen below.
These are very rare.
Temperature and light are other factors that effect the fishes colour.
They are capable of changing colour within a few minutes.
Sometimes very rare colour forms of sleepy cod occur.
These fish are only found in one or two streams in Queensland, and in the Pioneer River in the Kimberley region of Northern Australia.
The ones from the Kimberley region are a different species, (Oxeleotris selheimi) to those in Southern Queensland, (Oxyeleotris lineolata).
We are breeding from these fish to develop more attractive colour forms.
I have kept many of these "coloured" fish.
Occasionally I have had one of these coloured fish actually change colour over weeks.
The orange fish in the picture below changed to a marbled orange/brown fish over a couple of weeks.
We continued to use it as a breeder because it had the orange gene.
The pictures below are of the Kimberley fish.
This is a very rare catch made in 2020 by researchers.
It was returned to the water unharmed.
Below, click for video. sleepy cod fingerling
CULTURE METHOD
Sleepy cod are not suitable for free-range pond culture as they are highly carnivorous and cannibalistic, as well as very territorial.
Sleepy cod are not suitable for free-range pond culture as they are highly carnivorous and cannibalistic, as well as very territorial.
They are able to eat other sleepy cod fingerlings up to half their size.
It is necessary to grade fingerlings regularly.
It is also possible for the fish to stop feeding on the artificial diet if they are in an open environment.
Best culture methods include, tanks (RAS), cages, raceways, and partitioned aquaculture systems (PAS).
Weaned fingerlings that have been feeding on pellets are generally past the cannibalistic phase, however if not stocked at high densities they will begin to eat each other again.
HOW MANY SLEEPY COD SPECIES ARE THERE ?
- Oxyeleotris lineolata (Sleepy Cod): Found in Australia, this species is characterized by its dark brown colour with paler sides and indistinct darker stripes. (Depending on its surroundings - Author note.)
- Oxyeleotris marmorata (Marbled Goby): Known for its marbled or mottled appearance, this species is found in Southeast Asia.
- Oxyeleotris selheimi (Blackbanded Gudgeon): Also found in Australia, this species has a dark brown coloration with narrow dark stripes along the sides and small dark spots on the fins.
- Oxyeleotris fimbriata (Fimbriate Gudgeon): This species is found in New Guinea and is characterized by its distinct markings and coloration, with a pale brown head and back, dark brown sides, and a whitish belly.
- Oxyeleotris aruensis (Aru Gudgeon): Found in New Guinea and surrounding islands.
- Oxyeleotris heterodon (Sentani Gudgeon): Found in Lake Sentani, New Guinea.
- Oxyeleotris nullipora (Poreless Gudgeon): Found in Australia.
- Oxyeleotris stagnicola (Swamp Gudgeon): Found in New Guinea.
- Oxyeleotris urophthalmoides: Found in Southeast Asia.
- Oxyeleotris urophthalmus: Found in Southeast Asia.
- Oxyeleotris wisselensis (Paniai Gudgeon): Found in New Guinea.
- Oxyeleotris altipinna: Found in New Guinea.
- Oxyeleotris caeca: Found in New Guinea.
- Oxyeleotris colasi: Found in New Guinea.
- Oxyeleotris herwerdenii (Blackbanded Gauvina): Found in New Guinea.
- Oxyeleotris paucipora: Found in Australia.
- Oxyeleotris siamensis: Found in Southeast Asia.
OTHER SPECIES
Click the picture for video - Low altitude passes over Barcoo River - with surprise ending
