JADE PERCH INFORMATION
In a recently published research paper, Oficialdegui et al. (2025) showed that global aquaculture has increasingly relied on farming species outside their native ranges. Indeed, the study identified that the annual growth rate of non-native species produced in aquaculture now exceeds that of native species — and in 2022 alone, 32 million tonnes of non-native aquatic species were farmed, accounting for 37% of the world’s total aquaculture production.
Source: Aquaculture Magazine, 7th Feb 2026
https://aquaculturemag.com/Jade perch and silver perch fingerlings available now.
JADE PERCH INFORMATION
The aquaculture of Jade Perch has become one of the fastest growing freshwater fish species in the world.
In tropical climates they grow faster than tilapia.
AQUACULTURE HISTORY
Jade perch have been farmed in Australia from about 1990.
The first wild jade perch (Scortum barcoo) were collected by a commercial hatchery in winter 1988.
They were collected from a permanent water hole near Isisford in Central Queensland
An article about this expedition was written by fishing author Warren Steptoe and published in the 1988 December issue of Modern Fishing.
When these fish were first introduced to the market their marketing name, was Barcoo Grunter, which does not sound as appealing as jade perch.
The marketing name, "jade perch" was chosen because of the distinctive greenish, (jade) colour displayed by the fish as the light catches the scales on the dorsal area. The name was chosen by the world's FIRST 3 pioneer growers, Michael Hickey, Stan Moore, and Ross Mammino. In outback Queensland they were known as “black bream”.
They grow extremely fast and are highly suited for farms with a moderate subtropical, to tropical temperatures.
They are also an excellent species for recirculating aquaculture systems, RAS.
They are an excellent table fish with a firm, flaky flesh.
Jade perch are omnivores.
They will eat almost anything, animal or vegetable!
For the aquaculture of any species to succeed there needs to be a few basic "boxes ticked".
The success of jade perch as an aquaculture species is because the species ticks so many of these boxes.
They are relatively hard to kill, the grow fast, they don't need expensive aquaculture diets to grow well, and they are very popular as a table fish in one of the worlds biggest seafood markets, that's the Asian community.
When I say the "Asian community" I am not saying, "Asian countries", but I am saying Asian communities in any country.
In Australia, the species found its early market acceptance within the Chinese restaurants in the major capital cities of Australia.
This provided the jumping off point for the species to gain its current success in Asian communities world wide.
The biggest box the species has ticked it the "health" box.
It is extraordinarily high in omega-3.
With all the knowledge now known about the benefits of omega-3 this was the final box to "tick."
The "health box tick", was the final quality needed to guarantee the species market success.
This market potential is massive.
I predict this species will be produced in most countries around the world over the next few years.
It is already settling into markets in countries like Vietnam, mainland China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, USA, and Europe.
There is no reason these countries, and any future country to try them will not see exactly the same growth in market demand as the first countries that tried it have enjoyed.
The name, "Jade Perch" was chosen because of the distinctive green, (jade) colour displayed by the fish as the light catches the scales on the dorsal area of the fish.
The market for jade perch at that time was almost exclusively Chinese restaurants, and jade being a precious gemstone was felt to be appealing to the Chinese customers.
The name was chosen by 3 of the pioneer growers, (Michael Hickey, Stan Moore, Ross Mammino.) of jade perch while sitting around the kitchen table of the then president for the Aquaculture Association of Queensland Inc., Bruce Sambell. (The PERCH MAN.)
The common name, at that time, was barcoo grunter which did not have market appeal.
Healthy food - Australian Jade Perch a super food
Omega-3 testing conducted at the CSIRO Marine Research Laboratories, Hobart as part of an FRDC project 99/331.
Findings showed that jade perch contained the highest level of Omega-3 of over 200 species tested.
JADE perch has 11.1% Omega-3, compared to Silver perch with 9.9%. Details here
JADE perch has 11.1% Omega-3, compared to Silver perch with 9.9%. Details here
There are good and bad fats. We hear a lot about the "bad" saturated fats.
But some other fats, "good fats", like Omega-3 fatty acids are absolutely required for normal health and development.
They're building blocks of every living cell in your body. Omega-3 fatty acids must be obtained from the diet for good health.
Thousands of scientific research studies have shown that Omega-3s can help strengthen and protect every cell in your body - and especially those cells in your heart, brain and joints.
Omega-3s also have been shown to help lower triglyceride levels contributing to a 50% reduction in the risk of death from heart disease in people with a diet rich in Omega-3 nutrients.
Diets enriched with Omega-3 fatty acids may help prevent some risk factors associated with cardiovascular and heart disease.
It's important to note that you must get Omega-3s through diet or nutritional supplements because the human body can't make them on its own.
Omega-3s are essential nutrients found in fresh, Australian jade perch.
Diets enriched with Omega-3 fatty acids may help prevent some risk factors associated with cardiovascular and heart disease.
It's important to note that you must get Omega-3s through diet or nutritional supplements because the human body can't make them on its own.
Omega-3s are essential nutrients found in fresh, Australian jade perch.
They are scientifically proven to nourish every living cell, significantly impacting heart, brain and joint health.
Omega-3 benefits improve, cartilage health, heart health, joint health, brain health and mother’s health, not to mention our general health and well being.
You can improve your life with the proven health benefits of Omega-3 contained in quality Australian Jade Perch !
Jade Perch really seem to grow very fast
The feeding behaviour of Australian Jade Perch is normally vigorous in the extreme.
The fish race towards the end of the pond where the approaching farmer is about to feed, creating quite a bow wave as they begin to break the surface with their heads.
Once they reach the edge of the pond they will extent their entire head from the water in anticipation of a feed.
This behaviour decreases in intensity as the temperature drops.
Under 18c surface feeding will almost stop.
In Australia, some farmers have experienced stock losses during winter.
Unlike wild caught fish, farmed fish have large quantities of fat within their body cavity.
They grow extremely fast and will be highly suited to moderate sub tropical to tropical climates.
When farmed correctly, from fingerling to 1kg in 12 months is achievable.
They have also proven to be a good species for recirculating systems, RAS.
(Unlike Silver Perch which are very difficult to grow beyond a few hundred grams in a RAS.) See the members areafor full details.
Quality fingerlings don't just happen.
Quality fry/fingerlings are the result of good brood fish management. We produce fish, specifically for grow out farms.
For over a quarter of a century I have been line breeding our fish.
Selecting for desirable qualities such as body shape, disease resistance, spots, and of course, fast growers.
Our breeders have been selected each season from fish obtained from our fingerling customers in Australia and our own "super shooters", and fresh wild fish.
That is many generations of line bred fish! Click for more
Feeding Jade Perch fry and fingerlings
There are a number of suitable foods that I have used over the years.
Currently we use products from Big Nutrition
I make my own special weaning diet (dust) which is best suited to fish between 8mm and 40mm.
Fish of larger sizes will eat this "dust" but they should be moved on to larger sized food as soon as possible.
The dust spreads over the water surface allowing all the fish to get to the food.
All fish getting to food helps reduce excess size variation in fish.
About half the food floats, ideal as it allows visual observation of feeding behaviour.
The members areahas more detail about food including a video of the dust being fed to jade perch.
WARNING: There is another fish, the Scortum Hillii, commonly known as the Leathery Grunter.
Fingerlings produced from this species will destroy any farm's reputation.
It is called the Leathery Grunter because of its tough, chewy eating quality.
These two fish are very difficult for even the trained eye to tell apart !
The same name has been applied to similar looking fish from Gulf Drainage rivers in the northern part of Australia.
Be sure to purchase your fingerlings from a reputable hatchery.
The brood fish should be Scortum Barcoo from the Barcoo River Basin in Central Australia.
This will ensure that you get the "good" eating fish.
This is one of the "impostor fish," Scortum hilii.
There is no noticeable difference in their appearance.
This picture of a wild Scortum hilii was taken on the river bank at the Dawson River.
The fish was caught in a gill net.
The Dawson River is close to the coast and much easier for hatcheries to access.
It looks exactly like the "wild" jade perch I have been catching over the past 40 years.
NOTE: An aquacultured fish does not look like a wild fish.
To enlarge, right click pictures, then open in new tab.
Click the picture for information about their habitat.
The red area is the natural range of scortum barcoo - jade perch
Below is an 8 week old jade perch "shooter" (A term I use to describe an extra fast growing baby fish.) with smaller jade perch in its stomach.
These fish are all the same age, from the same pond of larvae stocked only 8 weeks earlier !
Jade perch are cannibalistic up to about 12cm.
Jade perch are omnivores. They will eat almost anything, animal or vegetable!
Below are market size jade perch.
It all starts with the eggs hatching. In this YouTube video you can see the larvae breaking out of the egg shells.Click here
They are very good to eat, and have a firmer, flaky flesh. (Provided there is no "pond flavour". click for more.)
They grow extremely fast and are highly suited for aquaculture in areas with a moderate sub tropical to tropical climate.
They are also proving to be a good species for recirculating aquaculture systems. (RAS)
These fish come from a very hostile environment.
Fish in Australian rivers must be able to cope well with the “feast and famine” nature of many of the river systems in Australia.
These rivers can be dry for months, even years.
During the long dry periods the large water holes are the surviving refuge for many species of Australian native fishes, especially jade perch.
The Lake Eyre Basin is one of the driest river basins in the world.
Google said the Lake Eyre Basin is one of the world's most arid regions, with an average annual rainfall of approximately 140–242 mm across its vast 1.28 million square kilometre area.
After flooding the natural food supply for these fish is abundant.
This is almost always during the warmer months of the year.
This glut of food is in extreme contrast compared to a drought situation where the fish struggle find food.
Also during the cooler water temperatures experienced in winter (usually the dry season) the fish are less active and probably rarely feed.
The stored fat will be used to help the fish survive in these situations.
Click to see information about the Lake Eyre Basin habitat.
In aquaculture, fish are grown in an artificial environment such as a commercial fish pond or a RAS.
They are in fact being kept in a permanent “feast” situation.
The fish grow rapidly and store fat as quick as they can, to be ready for the “famine”, which never comes in a controlled aquaculture situation.
This fish sure has a great place in commercial aquaculture !
Purging or "finishing"
Like most freshwater fish species jade perch can develop off flavour.
Fish are significant bio accumulators, meaning they gradually build up the chemicals that cause the off flavour from their environment.
Freshwater fish "drink" through their gills and skin.
This is mainly how the chemicals that cause off flavour enters the fish’ body.
These chemicals are more concentrated in the skin and fat of the fish.
The fat tissues in the fish absorb compounds released by blue green algae in the ponds.
The off flavour can vary from season to season depending on algae blooms.
The fat tissues in the fish absorb compounds released by blue green algae in the ponds.
The off flavour can vary from season to season depending on algae blooms.
Off flavour can even happen to fish in RAS systems, (Recirculating Aquaculture Systems.)
In a RAS, the off-flavour can come from the filter system.
Fish in aquaculture systems that use surface waters, (Usually not from well, or bore water.) can have earthy/muddy/musty taints even if algae is not in the aquaculture facility
The most common off-flavours are caused by metabolites of blue-green algae.
These off-flavours are typically referred to as “musty” from 2-methyli-soborneol (MIB) and “muddy” from geosmin.
A wide range of algae species have been identified as producing off flavour.
Fish in aquaculture systems that use surface waters, (Usually not from well, or bore water.) can have earthy/muddy/musty taints even if algae is not in the aquaculture facility
The most common off-flavours are caused by metabolites of blue-green algae.
These off-flavours are typically referred to as “musty” from 2-methyli-soborneol (MIB) and “muddy” from geosmin.
A wide range of algae species have been identified as producing off flavour.
The two most common organisms responsible for the production of these compounds are cyanobacteria and actinomycetes.
These are the organic compounds that are usually responsible for the off-flavour. geosminand 2-methylisoborneol (MIB)
The remedy is simple
To remove the off-flavour the fish should be held in clean water for 3-21 days, depending on the individual farm and pond.
If the fish are held in very clean water for a few days these flavours can be removed.
If the purging tank has flow-through water that comes from an irrigation scheme, or an open pond or dam, there is a real risk that the fish can continue to have off flavour that comes from the introduced water.
Particularly if the water origin is subject to rain, or flooding that might cause an algal bloom, or muddy water.
Generally the purging, or finishing time is about a week days.
It is recommended that before fish are sent to market that the grower taste test 2 or 3 fish from each batch.
If there are no “off flavours” present, the product can be said to be “finished,” or market ready.
When properly purged of these off flavours, these fish have excellent table qualities.
The flesh is white, slightly flaky, and has a delicate, melt in the mouth texture.
A tip when cooking, is to cook a little longer that you might for many "marine" or salt water fish.
The longer you cook them the firmer and drier the flesh will become.
As a freshwater fish, the fillet is a lot more moist than salt water fish.
If not cooked for long enough, the fillet can be a little "mushy" in texture, too soft, and too moist.
Another tip
The chemicals that cause these off flavours can concentrated in the skin and fat of the fish.
A skin off fillet will always taste the best. More information here
Some people believe the purging of the fish in salted water makes the flesh taste better.
This is not scientifically supported.
There is no actual change in the texture, or flavour of the fish due to the salt content of the purging water.
Although the salt in the purging water is of great benefit to the fish, however, it actually has no biological effect on the flesh. (I have always said salt is the aspirin of aquaculture, and should always be used when handling fresh water fish. In fact if a professional grower, or hatchery operator did not use salt, he makes things difficult for himself, and his fish.)
The salt content of the fishes body, including the mussel tissue will always be the same through the fishes ability to *osmoregulate the salt in its body.
There are exceptions such as barramundi, but jade and silver perch undergo NO changes when kept in high levels of salt.
Too little, or too much salt will stress the fish.
When handling live fish, such as harvesting, the fish become stressed, and lose salt to their "freshwater" environment.
A little salt added to their water is extremely helpful.
I recommend 2 to 5 parts per thousand, (ppt). That's 2 to 5 grams per litre.
A salt content of 10ppt will result in stock losses for jade and silver perch.
At levels above 10ppm the fish experience difficulties balancing the salt levels in their bodies.
No matter how much salt you add to the water, the fish will try to regulate the salt content of their bodies.
This is known as *osmoregulation.
Osmoregulation is the regulation of a cells fluids.
It keeps the mussel tissue of the fish from becoming to dry or becoming to fluid.
It regulates the salt content and what waste to get rid of and what to keep
The salt in the purging water also helps the fish to purge their gut, and helps with parasite management.
It is also a mild antiseptic.
It also acts as a mild anaesthetic keeping the fish calmer.
For greater detail on the use of salt and other chemicals to manage and treat disease go to the members area.
Growing Australian JADE perch.
Australian Jade Perch are best grown in water temperatures above 24c and below 33C.
Fastest growth is around 26C.
They will survive temperatures as low as 11C for reasonably short periods, a few weeks, but can go as low a 9c and as high as 39c for a few days.
Best pH range between 6.0 and 9.
Will tolerate pH levels between 5.5 and 10 for extended periods.
Food conversion ratios (FCR's) for jade perch are generally in the range of 1.3-2:1 (kg of food: weight growth)
Feed at about 2-4% body weight per day. WHAT SHOULD YOU FEED THEM?
Good quality commercial aquaculture feed is best. See this link for commercial quantities. www.bignutrition.com.au
The amount of fish that can be produced in a pond is greatly dependant on aeration, and water temperature.
The higher the temperature the lower the oxygen.
Put simply, this is because less oxygen can be dissolved in water at higher temperatures.
The fishes demand for oxygen is also increased as the temperature of the pond increases.
The higher the temperature the greater the metabolic rate of the fish.
From the farmers point of view, they grow faster.
Generally for every ten degrees that the temperature increases, the fishes metabolic rate doubles.
Therefor without aeration less fish can be produced in the same area.
Since Australia jade perch grow twice as fast as Queensland Silver Perch at higher temperatures, they require more aeration.
As a rough guide a one acre pond with one 2hp paddle wheel will grow about 5-6 ton of Australian jade perch.
If a 1.25 acre pond is used two paddle wheels can be used to best advantage to raise 6-7 ton of fish.
How big do they get?
We actually don't know the answer to this question just yet.
In their natural environment, they don't get anywhere near as big as the one in these pictures.
The fish in these pictures weighs 3.2 kilo.
This is an aquacultured fish. (Note the "plate friendly" shape.)
They just don't get this big in the wild.
This is probably because they don't get a chance to live long enough, or the conditions are not good enough, not enough food and too cold in winter?
Another consideration is improved genetics.
For many years our breeders have been selected for their fast growing qualities.
The slow growers are never used as breeders.
This will be having an influence on the potential size of the off-spring.
It will be a few more years before we have the answers to these questions. Click here for more
For detailed information about growing jade perch, and their health management (Disease management.) go to the members area
AQUACULTURE CONSULTING advice is available at your aquaculture site or farm, to existing and potential growers of Australian freshwater fish. Advice is based on over 30 years experience and hands on practice.
New video service available for commercial farmers.
Below, the Gut of a wild JADE perch with all organs visible and NO fat
Below, is an aquacultured jade perch which has been fed on a diet too rich, no organs are visible through the fat
*Keeping the osmotic pressure, the salt in their cells, in freshwater fish is a constant battle and will result is serious stress to the fish if not managed by the grower, or hatchery operator.
Fresh water fish constantly face two kinds of problems, they gain water passively through their skin due to osmotic gradient, and continually lose body salts to the surrounding water of much lower salt content.
Osmoregulation in fresh water fish is affected by pumping out excess of water from their bodies.
The salt loss through the excretion of water is made good by salt absorbing gills, skin and various parts of the alimentary canal.
The members area of this website has detailed information about jade perch, including growing and disease management
OTHER SPECIES
Click the picture for video - Low altitude passes over Barcoo River - with surprise ending
Click the picture below to see some of the birds and other wild life I filmed while collecting jade perch and golden perch breeders
