
Also known as:
Grunter
Bidyan grunter
Bidyan
Black bream
Murray bream
Murray perch
Silver bream
Common Group Name:
Grunters
Family Name:
Terapontidae
Genus Name:
Bidyanus
Species Name:
Bidyanus bidyanus
Dispatch Method:
The eating qualities of silver perch can be greatly improved if they are killed humanely by iki jime, or a firm knock to the head before being placed in an ice slurry after bleeding.
Fish Description:
- Silver perch are dark grey to greyish-brown above and silvery on the sides. The belly is whitish. Juveniles are mottled with darker vertical bars.
- Males mature at around 24 cm long (2 years old) while females mature at around 34 cm (3-4 years old). Spawning occurs in spring and summer after an upstream migration when water temperatures exceed 23°C.
Fish Distribution:
- Originally widespread throughout the Murray-Darling system, and introduced into the Lake Eyre Basin. They tend to prefer areas of higher water flow.
- Silver perch fingerlings have also been stocked into a large number of impoundments and farm dams.
- Once one of the most common fishes within the Murray Darling system, this species has experienced a significant decline in distribution and abundance throughout most of its natural range due mainly to habitat modification.
Fish Size Common Length:
25-35 cm, maximum size 50+ cm and 8 kg.