Fun Cod Facts For Kids

Have you ever wondered where cod liver oil tablets come from? Yes, they are obtained from the Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua).

Cod fishes are top predators and demersal fishes found in the parts of the North Atlantic Ocean.

The most common types of this species of the family Gadidae are Atlantic cod fishes and Pacific cod fishes. They are a popular seafood consumed by humans and the resultant overfishing has pushed the Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) populations across the world towards the Vulnerable conservation status in the IUCN Red List.

There are many interesting characteristics about this ocean fish species. Here are some interesting, engaging and fun facts on cod fishes. For more relatable content, check out these milkfish facts and barramundi facts for kids.
 

Cod Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a cod?

Atlantic cod is a large predator fish that belong to the Gadidae family. There are two common species of codfish that belong to the Gadus genus: Atlantic cod fish and Pacific cod fish.

It is a demersal fish as it prefers to live in the bottom region of the sea.

Atlantic cod fishes are popularly used for making cod liver oil as they are rich in vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids and are popular fishes for consumption by humans. Atlantic cod fishes are benthopelagic fish and a rather large fish species.

What class of animal does a cod belong to?

Codfish belongs to the Actinopterygii class and is a real fish. This saltwater species features under the Gadiformes order of the Gadidae family.

The genus of this cold water fish species is Gadus. Two common species of codfish include Atlantic codfish (Gadus morhua) and Pacific codfish (Gadus macrocephalus). Atlantic fishes are found in cold and deep waters across the North Atlantic and Pacific fishes are seen in the western and northern Pacific.

How many cod are there in the world?

There is no accurate and rough estimate of the total number of cod fishes in the modern world. The number is decreasing drastically from millions because of excessive fishing to cater to the high consumption of this fish by humans across seafood restaurants.

Where does a cod live?

Atlantic cod fishes are demersal fish that usually live in the colder and deeper region of the ocean. Their free swimming species can be found mostly along the northern and eastern North American coasts, the Barents Sea, the North Sea, and across the coasts of Greenland.

What is a cod's habitat?

Codfish or Atlantic codfish is a demersal fish and prefers to live in deeper and bottom parts of the ocean. They are saltwater fish and can also seen in brackish waters and many fishes are seen in open ocean waters.

They prefer temperate climates. They are adaptable to various habitats within the ocean ranging from shorelines to continental shelves. They are found mostly along the northern and eastern North American coasts, the Barents Sea, the North Sea, and across the coasts of Greenland.

Who do cod live with?

Cod fishes usually live in groups called schools. They swim together and migrate seasonally.

How long does a cod live?

Cod fishes have a life span of around 20-25 years in the wild and afterwards it will simply die. It may vary depending on the surroundings.

How do they reproduce?

Cod fishes reproduce through a behavior called broadcast spawning. Shoaling is a general feature during the spawning season. Female cod fishes release the eggs and the male cod fishes fertilize them. Over millions of eggs are produced by the females.

Females select their spawning partners by the production of sound via drumming muscles. Males also display interactions in order to impress the females. Male cod fish that are larger in size are more likely to mate successfully.

What is their conservation status?

Cod fishes are listed as Vulnerable species. Their population is decreasing rapidly due to excessive fishing for its liver and flesh. They are caught by the fishermen even before they mature and reproduce. Hence, they face an extinction threat.

Cod Fun Facts

What do cod look like?

Cod fishes are pale gray green and reddish brown in color and feature three dorsal fins that are rounded and two anal fins. The eyes of cod fishes are medium in size and it has chin barbel.

There is a white line running across the gill slits to the tail fin’s base. It has a white belly with the back a slight greenish in color and the upper jaw is elongated over the lower jaw.

How cute are they?

Cod fishes are top predators and are large sized fishes. They are not very cute in appearance.

How do they communicate?

Cod fishes communicate with each other by making sounds using drumming muscles. These acoustic sounds are produced during the mating season especially.

How big is a cod?

Cod fish is a large sized fish and has an average length of 59-79 in (149.9-200.7 cm). It is 10 times bigger than a tetra fish.

How fast can a cod swim?

Cod fishes are top predators and swim at a speed of up to 1.2 mph (1.9 kph). They are slow swimmers.

How much does a cod weigh?

On an average scale, a cod fish weight is around 88.2 lb (40 kg). It may vary depending on the surroundings.

What are the male and female names of the species?

As Atlantic cod fish is a fish, its species is G. morhua. A male and female cod fish do not have a particular name and both are known as males and females respectively.

What would you call a baby cod?

A baby cod fish is called a fry.

What do they eat?

Cod fishes are carnivores. Their diet includes fish, mollusks, aquatic worms, aquatic crustaceans, and marine invertebrates. They are top predators and their predators include sharks, and harp and harbor seals.

Are they dangerous?

Cod fishes are top predators. They attack other marine animals and are very good hunters.

Would they make a good pet?

Cod fishes are rarely kept in aquariums. They are top predators and not suitable for keeping as pets. They are mostly consumed by human beings. You can purchase them for a aquarium from any of the nearby pet stores in your region.

Did you know...

In order to reach the breeding ground, a cod fish can travel up to 200 mi (322 km) but are slow swimmers.

Contrary to the popular notion, the Basque people were not the first people to procure cod for preservation. But they did play a crucial role in ensuring its consumption all year around. By the year 1000 BC, the cod markets had been expanded under international trade across the world.

Cod liver oil is a highly sought after supplement. Cod liver oil is extracted from liver of the fish, whereas fish oil is extracted from the body flesh of fish.

Where is cod fish's origin?

Cod fishes are found in the deeper areas of the ocean. Portuguese used to fish cod during the first half of the 15th century. Cod fishes were fished by north European fishers for 1000 years which were found across the North Atlantic Ocean.

How to cook a cod?

Cod fishes are among the popular seafood consumed by humans. It has white flesh and is cooked in the form of curry, fry, and several other methods. They are super tasty.

Cod liver is used by humans to make tablets as it contains different vitamins and omega-3 fatty acid which is good for the human body.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these wolffish facts and loach facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our Codfish coloring pages.