SLEEPY COD
Oxyeleotris lineolatus
GENERAL INFORMATION
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DESCRIPTION A solid fish with a dark body and coloured stripe which runs the length of it's back. Paddle-shaped fins. SIZE Maximum size in captivity is approximately 45cm. INTERESTING FACTS Sleepy cods are actually a species of gudgeon, They are the largest gudgeon in the world, and Sleepy Cod normally live in swamps, lurking in the vegitation and ambushing prey. |
This fish is unique in appearance and is very interesting to watch as it will will change colour according to mood and environment. Some colours are very attractive. It is not particularly active in the aquarium but it is easily observed. Will often swim up to people who approach the aquarium, expecting to be fed. Has a distinct individual personality. Can be trained to take food from the hand. This is a spectacular fish when it gets big.
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This is 'Doug' staring wistfully out of the tank. Note how the fish's back has changed colour to match the colour of the substrate. |
MAINTENANCE OF CAPTIVE SPECIMENS / OUR FISH
SUITABILITY FOR KEEPING IN CAPTIVITY
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Advantages: Happy in a standard aquarium (120 cm or more). Not territorial. Not particularly sensitive to harassment. Happy in a tropical tank. Does not disturb plants. |
Disadvantages: Grows to a large size. Will eat other fish that are smaller. I don't know how they behave when kept with other sleepy cod. Can be tricky to feed only because tank mates may steal its food and it can be fussy. Only eats meat and fish. Not particularly sensitive to water quality. |
Suitable for fish keepers with limited experience.
AQUARIUM CONDITIONS
| Minimum aquarium size: | Can live in a 120 cm tank but would like a 150 cm X 40 cm even better. |
| Water temperature: | 20 C to 25 C. |
| Water salinity: | Fresh water. |
| Filtration & oxygenation: | Water needs to be clean and well oxygenated at all times. |
| Lighting: | Not critical. |
| Plants: | Plant are appreciated but not critical. |
| Furnishings: | Not critical. |
| Notes: |
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SPECIMEN DETAILS We obtained "Doug" as a 3cm juvenille. He grew in spurts and is now 30cm. |
Doug is a non- aggressive specimen who will try to get your attention by eye- contact and head butting the tank. He hand feeds and will usually let me pat him. Sometimes he won't eat unless I pat him first. Classic signs of a spoilt pet. Doug generally ignores the other fish. I have never seen him bully or chase the others. In his tank there is also an upside- down catfish (non-native) who likes to snuggle up to him. He seems to enjoy this a lot. I suspect Doug is basically lazy, but a general rule of thumb is that if it can fit in his mouth, he will eat it and so do not house a sleepy cod with fish that fit this category. Doug is not very active, but for the short time he was in the 90 cm X 30 cm tank he seemed to be slightly stressed, he wouldn't eat much and he sulked. In the 180 cm tank, although he is not necessarily an active fish he does make use of his space by moving around and sleeping in different spots. Another point I've noticed is that Doug seems to observe us and he can do this all the time in our 6ft because it's in our living room whereas the 3ft tank was in the bedroom tucked away on a bottom shelf.
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FEEDING HABITS Doug can be fussy. Some days he won't eat, others he will eat so much you can see a bulge in his belly. He loves ground beef heart. We buy the beef heart whole and fresh. We are very meticulous about cutting out ALL of the fat before grounding the meat using a mincer. Apparantly animal fat can be deadly to natives. Doug won't eat frozen white bait or pilchards unless he is very, very hungry. He can't seem to get enough of live goldfish or rainbow feeder fish. He actually looks happy after some live food. |
First of all, in my opinion fish keeping is a priveledge, not a right and so if one is going to keep a fish one should try to create a habitat for it where it can move freely and be free from stress from other fish. In regards to the sleepy cod, keeping him happy is not all that difficult. Doug is happiest when the temperature is somewhere between 24 and 28. I've heard that the sleepy cod can survive at no lower than 18C, but Doug won't eat below 23C. Doug likes a well planted tank with bits of drift wood and rocks for him to sit and 'pose' on. Once again, be cautious about housing a sleepy cod with smaller fish. They get very hungry!
Although called a Sleepy Cod, 'Doug' becomes quite active when he thinks
he's going to be fed.
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This is what 'Doug' does when he doesn't think he's going to be fed. He seems to wear a grumpy expression on his face. 'Doug' always gets the most attention from visitors due to the character of his face, his large size and the energetic way he seeks attention. |
USEFUL LINKS
Native Fish Australia - Sleepy cod page
Contains details of distribution, habitat and aquarium care. Also has an image.
Created by Alexander and Elisabeth Foreman.
Page constructed by Alexander Foreman.
Copywrite (c) Alexander Foreman
