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......
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