Clarence River Cod

Interesting Info

• The Clarence River Cod is a large freshwater fish found only in the Clarence and Richmond River systems in northern New South Wales, making it a true endemic species.
• The species is closely related to Murray Cod and Mary River Cod, but DNA studies confirm it is a distinct species, adapted to its northern NSW range.
• Their body is deep and powerful, coloured greenish-brown to dark olive, patterned with darker blotches and mottling similar to Murray Cod but often with a paler belly.
• Young cod feed mainly on insects, shrimp, and small crustaceans, while adults are apex predators, eating yabbies, fish, and occasionally frogs or small waterbirds.
• A devastating fish kill in 2019, linked to drought and poor water quality, wiped out a large portion of the remaining wild population, highlighting their fragility.
• Breeding occurs in spring to early summer (September–December) when rising water temperatures trigger spawning. Like other cod, they are nest spawners, laying eggs in hollow logs or rocky crevices, with males guarding and fanning the eggs until hatching.
• Conservation hatcheries, including programs run by NSW DPI Fisheries, breed Clarence River Cod for release back into their native range to boost wild stocks.
• Clarence River Cod prefer clear, flowing rivers with deep pools, rocky outcrops, and plenty of snags (fallen trees and submerged logs) that give them cover.
• Lifespan is long, estimated at 20–30 years, though few survive that long in the wild today.