Murray Cod

[Murray]

Nick, I have to confess......the Murrays met an untimely end one night a couple of months ago when the air pump failed. I was in depression for weeks. They were 150 t0 175 mm long and looking really good.
Murrays are such a beautiful fish. I still feel very sad about that particular fish loss.
They are much more interesting than Sleepy Cod. I will have another go this season.
I sure have killed some fish.......

[nick]

was it just the air pump or did the cold have an effect as well? Did you still have them at that size in the 250l tub that you had them in from the start? were there 100 or did you not get that many?

sorry for the questions but I was waiting to see how you went as I agree they are stunning fish and may be a good option for the queensland winter.
I think they might end up as the queensland trout, but just a feeling (and hope) and they would look great on the BBQ.

Thanks for the confession, just think how many have not killed fish because of you.

[Murray]

Nick, It was a simple case of not enough air, which has been the root cause of almost all of my fish losses.
I tend to push stocking densites a bit, so air supply becomes a critical factor.
I had the tank heated to 22 deg.
Yes it was in the fingerling tank, and there were 103 of them in there.
I had obtained 109 from the hatchery (purchased 100...got 109) and had lost 6 of them. 3 on the trip from the hatchery and the other 3 over the few days after I first got them home.
No losses over the remaining period. (until that very, very sad night)

They took to pellet feed easily, although I did feed them pellets mixed with blood worms for the first week or two.
They were getting a bit too big for the tank and I was in the process of making the 1000 litre tank mould at the time and it was intended to transfer them into the first of the 1000 litre tanks in the next week or two, but "Murphey" struck........ that rotten little Irishman.
Eventually I would have put them into a 2300 litre tank , possibly around Oct some time.

Like Silvers, they were growing at different rates, some were still fairly small and others real beauties. They appeared to be growing at about the same rate as Silvers do. That statement is a bit "unscientific", about the growth rates compared with Silvers, but just my observation on how it appeared to be.

Personally, they will be my preferred fish for the future, that is for sure.
I cannot express just how devastated I am about this particular fish loss.
They are a really great fish, a very pretty fish, and yes, they would be a Sunday afternoon sensation on a BBQ plate.

[GaryD]

Hi,

If the truth be known, low dissolved oxygen levels are responsible for most aquaponic fish deaths.....which is why I recommend air pumps for AP systems.

Murray Cod will grow quickly and the Victorian DPI have reported on some quite high stocking densities.

I agree that they are one nice looking little fish.

Gary

[josh]

There is a Murray Cod Hatchery just south of Stanthorpe.

Granite Belt Fish Hatchery
164 Donges Rd Severnlea Qld 4352
Phone: (07) 46835242
Fax: (07) 46835242
gbfh@halenet.com.au

I have been talking with them and the next lot of Murray Cod will be ready in late January.
Josh

[twintragics]

you need to keep them at high stocking densities and grade regularly or they will eat each other. Remember they are a top order fish. High stocking density reduces their territorial inclinations but then you have the whole DO thing to contend with.

[GaryD]

Hi,

The best way to suppress territorial behaviour in Murray Cod is to keep them at high numbers in a very restricted space......like 100 fish in a ventilated plastic crate (about 1 cubic foot) initially.....inside of a larger tank. As they grow, move them into a slightly larger container (inside of the larger tank). Once they outgrow that container, they will have lost much of the territorial instinct.

Avoid the use of "hides"......plastic pipes and other bits 'n' pieces for the fish to hide in.......because that encourages territorial behaviour.

The Victorian DPI refer to stocking rates of up to 150kg per cubic metre of tank space....in a recirculating aquaculture system. At this rate, however, the grower is probably injecting pure oxygen to maintain DO levels.

Gary

[Murray]

I have ordered my Murray Cod for this coming season.
They will be ready mid January.
I will be ready this year with a tank of their own and all the back-up systems known to man.
I have ordered 1000
I want to end up with 500 so anyone want to share in this purchase.
Gary D is going to have 100
so that leaves 400 to share out.

I am not sure what they will be charging for them this season, but last year it was around 1.20 ea (can't remember exactly) so it will be somewhere in that area of cost. Personally, I don't mind what they cost, they are the top of the ladder for home grown fish, and I just have to have them.

[Martin A1]

I love the idea of a big fat Murray cod or twenty lurking in my tank also.

Last year I spoke with the owner of Gwydir Fish Hatchery at Inverell NSW Ph 6722 2818 (sorry I forgot his name - nice bloke though). He was selling them too and made the comment that you need to train these fish to eat pellets as they are instinctive live food hunters.

He claimed that he could provide Murray Cod fingerlings that would take pellets.

Not sure if this will come into play for you Murray but might be worth asking the hatchery.

[Murray]

Thanks for that info Martin, I did not know that there was a hatchery there. I will give them a ring and add them to our list of hatcheries.

[Martin A1]

Just found his name in my files....

Pete Randall
Gwydir Fish Native Fish Hatchery
PO Box 112
38 Lewin Street
INVERELL NSW 2360
email:rrandall@northnet.com.au
Ph 02 6722 2818

Sourced from the NSW Dept of Primary Industries 'First for Aquaculture' Industry Directory 2004.

It contains lots of NSW hatcheries and other suppliers contact details. I can post this directory as pdf if anyone is interested otherwise try it in your favourite search engine.

[Jonty]

Murray,
Pencil me in for 100.
Thanks
Jonty

[Murray]

Martin, I feel it would be a very useful pdf or link to have listed for others to access.
Just post it here and I will move it to an appropriate spot on the forum. Thanks.

[Martin A1]

Here is the NSW directory and some other interesting NSW research material I found..... some interesting commercial case studies. The Tailor Made enterprise near Port Stephens has been very successful.

Enjoy.

The research paper is 4meg so I'll email it to you separately Murray.

[nick]

If I can get 50 that would be great,
Nick

[Murray]

Ok Nick,
So far that is as follows,
Gary 100
Jonty 100
Nick 50

So there is still 150 to go.

[Murray]

I have spoken to the Hatchery today. The Murray Cod are a few weeks early this year and the hatchings are good.

So I have asked the guy to pencil 1000 in for me to share around. He has already sold his entire hatchings.

There is already 350 spoken for including 100 for myself. (see the post above)
So if anyone else in Brisbane wants to share some please put your hand up now so that I can firm up the final order with the hatchery. I will have to finalise it in the next few days.

The fish will be avbl last week in Dec or first week in Jan.

Fish are $1.00 each plus a few cents each to defray the cost of freight.

Minimum lots of 50 please.

Murray Cod are hard to get here in Qld so this is a once a year chance to get some of these icon Australian Natives.

When they are gone, that's it.

[Sunshine]

Murray,

I'll take 50, let us know when they are due.

Chris

[Murray]

Murray Cod (Maccullochella peeli peeli)


Information on these fish can be found in "The Urban Aquaponics Manual" by Gary Donaldson P 36.


So far that is as follows,
Gary 100
Jonty 100
Nick 50
Sunshine 50
Murray 100

That,s 100 still to go ...or 600 if we can share out 1000

[nick]

murray, just confirming I am still in for my fifty, but will have to eat my barra to make room, a little sad at that though.

[Murray]

Hi Nick, A bit off topic, but tell us a little about the Barra. Did you have to grade them often ? etc
How long has it taken for them to grow out ?
Are they as difficult to raise as some have reported ?

[nick]

I got the barra about 18 months ago and they are now more than ready to eat. I bought 5 from a pet shop at about 5cms long and 1 died within about a week but the others have survived two moves into bigger tanks and a couple have been dropped on the ground. I have not graded them and they are all about the same size. I ate one a little while ago and it was the best fish I have cooked at home by a large margin. Easy to cook and easy to eat due to not to many bones. I have had to heat them for the past two winters so they are in the negative cost wise but they are really cool and I have enjoyed watching them grow.

[Murray]

Nick, you have them in a tank by them selves ? and what have you fed them ?

[nick]

yeah it is just the three of them(was four) in a tank around the side of my house, I have it dug into the ground to try and preserve some of the heat, there are four of those black nylex tubs filled with gravel above the tank, which is half of an IBC, and they run continous flow with loop drains to empty them. They are getting fed the 6mm native fish food, about a handful a day and they finish this on most days.

[Murray]

Rang the Hatchery yesterday afternoon. The Murray Cod are almost ready. They have started to make deliveries to various clients, so our order is getting closer.
I will drive to Stanthorpe to pick them up when they are ready, so everyone will need to be on the ready to collect their fish, or to meet me somewhere to collect.