Adding Murray cod to your aquaponics setup can be a smart way to generate solid returns from your fish stock. It’s become an increasingly popular and profitable choice within aquaculture. While many fish species work in an aquaponic system, each one needs certain inputs to keep things running well — things like aeration equipment and the right feed for the animal you’re raising. Murray cod fits into a variety of aquaponic setups.
Pros of Murray Cod in Aquaponics
- Water temperature: comfortable between 46 and 72°F (8 to 24°C).
- pH: does well in a range of 7.0 to 8.0.
- Given the right tank size and consistently good water quality, Murray cod can live for as long as 50 years.
- Smaller Murray cod get along fine with other species, such as golden perch and silver perch.
- The water supply for this setup doesn’t need chemical treatments like pesticides.
Cons of Murray Cod in Aquaponics
- Once they reach a larger size, they can no longer share a tank safely with other fish, since they’ll eat anything small enough to swallow.
- They put on size quickly, so a large tank becomes necessary as they grow.
- They tend to be selective eaters, favoring specific food rather than accepting whatever is offered.
- When stocked too densely, they become quite vulnerable to fungal and bacterial infections.
Conclusion
Murray cod are strictly freshwater fish and cannot handle elevated salinity — a mistake that trips up a lot of newcomers. With a solid understanding of how to care for them, a Murray cod aquaponics setup can be a worthwhile and workable project.
