Black Cod?

[coastspinna]

have your say

[mrmoshe]

I think it's a Bar Rock Cod or called a Convict Grouper

http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=6574

Cheers,

Pete

[michaelrdoyle@gmail.com]

Other option is the Rock Cale.

Other discussion is here

Mike

[coastspinna]

i am sure its an epinephelus of some description, great advice pete... the main difference between the two seem to be that the convict groupers last stripe on the tail seems to go all the way to the bottom of the tail where

;on the black cod (or black saddle cod)... the last stripe is shallower and saddle shaped, like in my pic.... http://www.asfb.org.au/research/tsp/tfp_brockcod.htm

or here http://www.julianrocks.net/fish/bigfish/bi...Damelii1040.jpg

sorry mike its not a cale, that other discussion you refer to is not relevant here...they are nothing alike.... look at the dorsal fin( it starts near the head on the cale), mouth( the mystery fish has a cavernous mouth) and tail for starters(one is concave and one is convex)...plus they don't really look anything alike...

thx guys keep up the good work

ian

Edited February 20, 2008 by flathead fanatic

[slinkymalinky]

I'd agree with Black Rockcod too except that Sea Fishes of Souther Australia lists the maximum size as 1.55m. This one must be a new-born!!

Cheers, Slinky

[mrmoshe]

yep..I think you are right with the Black Rock Cod and not the Grouper...subtle differences eh?

Both their mothers must have slept around a bit on the sea bed

Sure good to see some different species posted...not that I'm sick of looking at Kingies or Marlin by any means.

Cheers,

Pete.

[coastspinna]

i looked this one up a bit before i posted this and i thought it might be interesting......i think i have seen them while diving but i am not 100%....

these guys are true groupers, unlike our blue groper which is a wrasse ...confused? lol

[Josh88]

Don't mean to rain on everyones parade but isn't this the same fish that everyone was calling as an estuary cod a few weeks ago under the topic "some sort of cod'?

Josh

Edited February 21, 2008 by Josh88

[coastspinna]

Don't mean to rain on everyones parade but isn't this the same fish that everyone was calling as an estuary cod a few weeks ago under the topic "some sort of cod'?

Josh

hard to compare as there was no photo of that fish:

same family different fish i think...maybe that one was a black cod too lol...my first thoughts when i caught him were ooh an estuary cod, but the saddle shape last stripe makes me tnink black sadldle cod... where is BF on this one...

[Blackfish]

My guess is a Black Cod also. The tail with the dark edge convinces me.

They are not common but not uncommon when your diving.

I've seen them at Avalon, Newport, Long Reef, Cape Banks, Dead mans. Saw what I believe was a huge one in Botany about 10 years ago (Might have been a Estuary) but it was a large COD.

Mate caught a tiny one up near Avoca live baiting one afternoon that i guess was about 30cm long and took a live Yakka.....greedy little bugger .

Estuary Cod have more spots than blotches and Convict Cod/ Grouper have a different Dorsal .

My tupence worth

[michaelrdoyle@gmail.com]

You guys are right about the mouth on Cale VS picture....

been busy in hospital the last few days - caught a big one!

Mike