Cod - Honeycomb

Dispatch Method:

Beware of the sharp gill covers and dorsal spines of honeycomb cod when handling them. Most rock cods have similar brain locations and all can be very tolerant of air exposure. To maximise their eating qualities they should be killed humanely by iki jime, or a firm knock to the head before placing them in an ice slurry after bleeding.

Fish Description:

• Honeycomb cod are light brown above and whitish below, with a honeycomb pattern of bars on the body and smaller spots on the fins.
  
• This species is a protogynous hermaphrodite which matures first as a female at around 20-25 cm long before changing sex to male at around 30 cm long and 3-5 years of age.
  
• These small cods are ambush predators which feeds mainly on crustaceans and small fishes when young, increasingly consuming more and larger fishes as they get bigger.

Fish Distribution:

• This species occurs on coral reefs throughout the Indo-Pacific region from South Africa to French Polynesia, including northern Australia, Asia and Japan.
  
• Honeycomb cod usually inhabit crevices and ledges around corals in shallow lagoons and semi-protected seaward reefs in water depths less than 20 meters (60 feet). This species is site attached, and individuals remain in the same area throughout their life.

Fish Size Common Length:

25-30 cm (10-12 inches), maximum length around 36 cm (14 inches) and 1 kg in weight.