ExploreFish

Pacific Cod

Gadus macrocephalus

Pacific Cod are similar to Atlantic Cod but live in the Pacific Ocean. They are also strong swimmers and have a tasty flavor.

Habitat: Cold Pacific Ocean

Appearance

The Pacific Cod has a mottled brown to grey-green body with a pale belly, helping it blend into the seafloor. It has three distinct dorsal fins and two anal fins, plus a prominent whisker-like barbel on its chin.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassActinopterygiiOrderGadiformesFamilyGadidaeGenusGadus

Pacific Cod

Interesting facts

Instead of ears, Pacific Cod uses special internal ear-stones to sense sounds and vibrations.

Pacific Cod lays millions of tiny eggs, yet only a few will grow up to be adults!

Their powerful jaws can open incredibly wide, letting them swallow prey almost as big as themselves!

They are 'demersal' fish, meaning they spend most of their lives lurking near the ocean floor!

Special abilities

Pacific Cod has a mottled body pattern that helps them blend perfectly with rocky seafloors, hiding from predators and prey.

Pacific Cod has a sensitive chin barbel that helps them feel for food in dark or murky waters, like a built-in detector.

Pacific Cod can thrive in very cold ocean temperatures because of specialized proteins in their blood preventing freezing.

Measurements & details

Length: 50-120 cm
Weight: 2-22 kg
Lifespan: 10-18 years
Swim Speed: 15 km/h
Max Depth: 900 m
Water Type: Saltwater

Diet & Feeding

A fierce hunter, Pacific Cod eats other fish and crustaceans found on the seafloor.

Age differences: Young cod eat smaller crustaceans; adults hunt larger fish and squid.

Primary Foods

herring
capelin
crabs
shrimp
squid
worms

Foraging Method

Ambush

Ecological connections

eaten by

Orca

Orcinus orca

Orcas are powerful apex predators of the Pacific.

hunts

Pacific Herring

Clupea pallasii

Cod are major predators of schooling fish.

hunts

Tanner Crab

Chionoecetes bairdi

They actively prey on crabs and other crustaceans.

eaten by

Steller Sea Lion

Eumetopias jubatus

Sea lions frequently dive deep to catch cod.

Traits

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