Sleepy cod
(Oxyeleotris lineolata)
Image source: Jo's Animal Database
General data
The sleepy cod (Oxyeleotris lineolata) is a medium-sized fish in the family Butidae, native to tropical fresh waters of northern Australia and questionably from New Guinea.
They are one of the most favoured freshwater fish in Australia for eating, having white, flaky flesh, low fat content, and a mild flavour.
The sleepy cod can reach a length of 51 cm (20 in), though most do not exceed 20 cm (7.9 in). Fish up to 3 kg (6.6 lb) have been caught by anglers.
They are dark brown along the back and paler on the sides, with fuzzy dark lines running along scale rows. Juveniles have a white or cream patch running along the back and top of the head, with brown sides and a white belly.
Females spawn in the benthic zone from October to February. Males guard nests of up to 70,000 eggs until larvae hatch, usually after 5–7 days.
They are usually found in quiet or slow-flowing water in freshwater rivers, creeks, and billabongs throughout northern Australia.
Known in northern Australia from the Durack River in the Kimberley, Western Australia, to Cape York, Queensland, with a disjunct population in the Fitzroy River, Queensland. The species has also been translocated into the Burdekin River basin, the Lake Eyre Basin and the Burnett River.
