Barramundi

Interesting Info

• General diet includes small fish, insects, crustaceans (prawns, crabs, etc) and molluscs. They are a very opportunistic fish that will eat most things in their environment.
• They can eat prey up to 60% of their own size and can live in fresh or saltwater.
• The lifespan of a barramundi can be up to 20 years. They are protandrous hermaphrodites, meaning they change sex from male to female during their lives. They become sexually mature as males at around the 3 to 4 year mark and then can change into females from the 5th year on.
• Females can produce between 30 – 40 million eggs during a breeding season (October – April).
• Over 90% die in the first weeks or months of life.
• They are a popular sports fish amongst anglers on light tackle.
• The colour of barramundi is distinct to their environment. Those living in saltwater typically have a lighter grey tint with silver under body and yellowish fins. Freshwater fish have a darker greenish-blue top side with a golden belly and dark brown fins.
• Main predators of barramundi include other large fish including barramundi themselves, birds, crocodiles and people.