Sleepy Cod

[Murray]

I weighed my Sleepy Cod today and the biggest specimen I could find weighed 50g.
They are 7 months old now.....that is 7 months since I got them as fingerlings.
Sleepys are a 2 year grow out project. At 50g there is a long way to go to get to 1000g

[DuncanC]

I weighed my Sleepy Cod today and the biggest specimen I could find weighed 50g.
They are 7 months old now.....that is 7 months since I got them as fingerlings.
Sleepys are a 2 year grow out project. At 50g there is a long way to go to get to 1000g

Maybe they have a major growth spurt at certain times of the year?

[Murray]

I hope so Duncan. In all the printed matter on Sleepies says they are a 2 year grow out. Maybe they grow faster in the second year.......hope so.

This is the one I weighed.
Look at the gob on him......:confused:
So easy to catch, just reach into the tank and scoop one out....amazing.

[DuncanC]

That pic is awesome Murray. I reckon that thing could eat itself (and i hope it doesn't, because I remember a story about someone finding two Barra dead, one with the other in it's mouth).

[Jonathan Dyer]

Hi Murray,

Where do sleepy cod rate on the flavor scale? Compared to Murray cod, jade perch, silver perch etc. It would be appreciated to hear your thoughts.

[Murray]

Hi Jonathan, can't you sleep?
I have not eaten one, but the claim is that they are by far the best, never have a muddy favour and due to body shape, good flesh yield.
The only trouble with them is that they are a 2 year grow out.

I have 150 of them and I have not had any losses.

I also note that they are all pretty much growing at the same slow rate, there are a couple of runts, but that is all. Evidently the males are smaller.

I must say that I am pretty keen on them.
I plan to get another 150 in June or July so hopefully I will have a steady supply for home consumption in another 18 months time.

[Jonathan Dyer]

Ha I am lucky if I get 2hrs sleep a day, if I get 3hrs sleep I’m going extremely well and anything more is sheer bliss. It is annoying at times but I put my chronic sleep insomnia to good use I guess reading and learning, so if that’s the payoff its not all that bad plus my brain really only functions best at night no distractions either.

Australian Fish Farmer (second edition) By John Mosig & Ric Fallu hold Sleepy Cod in high esteem they also say Quote: “They almost never reach 1Kg in weight. The final product has to be whole fish. Indications are that a 500g fish could be grown in about 18 months”. End Quote. And are evidently easy to breed in captivity no hormone inducement leaving them to breed naturally in dams and eggs are caught in spawning traps and raised in the usual way. This book (444 pages) is by far the best book I have on aquaculture production in Australia and is relevant in every aspect of fish production using modern technology. Although, it doesn’t touch on aquaponics it covers extensively on aquaculture and has a large chapter describing most of the fish (including Algae, yabbies, worms etc) found in the industry and those with high potential like the Sleepy Cod suited for farming in both fresh and salt water systems. It is the Holy Grail for a good understanding of fish production all that is left is to combine a good Horticulture understanding and alas ‘Aquaponics’.

[Murray]

I was giving the bottom of my 2300 ltr tank a sweep today. This tank has a couple of hundred Silvers in it.
To my surprise A great big fat Sleepy Cod came up out of the depths. I think he was wanting to lodge a complaint re being disturbed from his sleep :)

He swam around for a bit then returned down to behind/under the main pump... somewhere. Don't know how he got in there, possibly a jumper. The fingerling tank with 100 plus Sleepies in it is atop the 2300 ltr tank.

He was much larger than any of the other Sleepies I have, and a very fat belly on him. Perhaps he is on a high protein diet.;)

By the look of him I am beginning to think that I should have the remaining Sleepies moved into a larger tank of some sort. Perhaps they need more water.space to grow a bit.

[GaryD]

Hi Murray,

I agree with you......that Sleepy cod has likely been on a high protein diet .....probably barra pellets with a generous coating of Silver perch.


Gary

[Jonty]

Hi Murray,

Seems like expensive feeder fish you have there. Not so sleepy after all.

Regards
Jonty

[Martin A1]

I had the luxury of a seafood meal in Singapore last Thursday night and guess what was in one of the many live seafood tanks (Sleepy Cod!)

I should have ordered one but I couldn't go past the Singapore Chilli & Pepper crab!!!

Sorry no photos either :o!

[Murray]

Martin............ What were you thinking ? You should have had both !!
I know about the chilli crab .... been there done that.....
Are you able to remember what the cost would have been for the Sleepy meal ? And at a guess, what size would they have been..

[Martin A1]

They were a solid 12 to 18 inches head to tail I reckon. I must admit that I didn't get a close up look as they were in a high up holding tank acting as part of a feature "food" wall. I saw at least one go into a bucket and the chef just reached in and grabbed it.

I need a phone with a camera in it for moments like this!!!

Sorry I didn't see the price per kilo either..... I couldn't get in the way of my Asian guests who were very focused on the seafood ordering process.
Just checking the bill now I can tell you that 8 Bamboo Clams cost $70.40 Sing (approx $53 aussie) and 2.5Kg of mud crabs cost $95 sing ($73 aussie).

[twintragics]

sleepies really need that heat dialled up to grow and lurve live food, as u have found out Muzz. That big fella in the silver tank will be in heaven, gotta pump to hide behind for ambush and everything!
They are have poor eyesight, which is why they have a very tardy feed response to pellets. If u dump the pellets in from a bit of height, creating more water splash, u will get a better feed response than just lobbing the pellets over the edge.

They tend to respond to movement in close proximity to them. One of the reasons they have such a big gob is it compensates for their relatively poor eyesight when lunging at prey. The good thing is, they have an excellent fcr bc they are such lazy things.

[Murray]

Thanks for that TT. I will move them to another tank, crank the heat up a bit and see how we go. I must get some live worms going.

[Murray]

Yesterday I spotted another big fat Sleepie in the Silvers tank. Maybe they are being bred down there somewhere !!!!

[Martin A1]

Muzza,

Your problem is that you have too many fish and you can't keeps tabs on them all!

Anyone got a name for that disease? Maybe fish-a-mania or fingerl-holic?

[Murray]

There is never enough fish :)

[bunya boy]

Murray,
With your Sleepy Cod popping up in unexpected places, it may explain why they are not permitted to be kept in Dams or other waters on private land in the East Coast drainage division of Qld! Have a look at http://www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/fishweb/1261.html
It (the DPI) says we can't keep Barramundi, Red Caw crayfish, Khaki Bream, Sooty Grunter or Saratoga! let alone Trout and Murray Cod. Yet Mary River Cod are OK (even though they are a regulated species).

Another DPI site on Registration of Aquaculture also restricts "tanks" from being closer than 50m from creeks and 100m from Rivers and the like. Although aquaponically produced fish are not for sale(?) which is the definition of Aquaculture under DPI regs, they can still enforce their regulations whether you are registered or not . . . apparently!!
When are we going to stop allowing stupid Gov regs to restrict everything we try and do? I remember when I first started my building extensions in Brisbane CC (or Moreton as it was then) that Composting toilets and rain water tanks were illegal to have!! now they are obligatory!

Any way, just about to start construction on my own small set-up, so I'll leave you alone.
Cheers; Ian K.

[bunya boy]

Murray,
Sorry, I meant to leave this link as well.
http://www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/extra/pdf/fishweb/Aqua_SAC.pdf

This is for the self assessment of Aquaculture approvals. It may be of interest.

Cheers, Ian K.

[Jonty]

Bunya boy,

The Qld regulations prohibit fish that are not indigenous to the area to be kept in dams. There is a possibility of fish escaping during periods of heavy rainfall and entering rivers and streams and decimating the local fish species.

In regard to the self assessment in aquaculture, the term aquaculture as defined by The Fisheries Act 1994 defines aquaculture as the cultivation of live fisheries resources for sale. (Note the resources for sale, section 3.1(a)).

It is illegal for backyard aquaponists to sell our fish.

Regards
Jonty

[Murray]

I assume that means , unless you register as engaging in Aquaculture.

[Murray]

Some Sleepie Pix taken this morning. Could not find a ruler so I used a marker pen to give some perspective.
Found a ruler, the marker pen is 5 7/16 inches or 138mm long.

These fish were fingerlings from the hatchery in August 07....so they are slow growing as predicted, but they are getting some good size on them now. Another 12 months and they will be woppers.

[Jonty]

Murray,

Sleepies are looking good!

We are not engaging in rearing fish for sale so the Fisheries Act does not apply.

We are no different to a person having an aquarium and keeping exotic or native fish for pleasure and we are not putting them in dams.

We are not allowed to sell them or release them into waterways, otherwise we commit an offence.

I read up on all the acts we I started out. Also of note is that our fish tanks are not classified as swimming pools under the Swimming Pool Fencing Act Qld and are classified as fish ponds/ornamental ponds. So we do not need to fence them. Other states may have different acts and regulations.

However, I am mindful of my grandchildren so I do not leave anything lying around that they could you as a leg-up to get into the tank. Child safety should always be a priority.

Regards
Jonty

[GaryD]

Hi Jonty,

Under DPI Regulations, a DPI inspector can demand proof of purchase for any fish that you have on your place.....to satisfy himself that they weren't taken from the wild (or otherwise obtained illegally.

Gary