Fishes are aquatic mammals with a skull, backbone, and gills. They are a significant part of marine and aquatic life.
Key Takeaways
- Halibut and Cod are white fish with mild flavors, but Halibut has a firmer texture and a sweeter taste than Cod.
- Halibut is more expensive than Cod due to its larger size and limited availability, while Cod is a more widely available and affordable fish.
- Halibut and Cod are versatile fish that can be prepared in various ways, including grilling, baking, frying, and poaching.
Halibut vs Cod
Halibut is a large, flatfish that is found in the cold waters of the North Atlantic and North Pacific. It has a white, firm, and flaky meat that is mild in flavor and low in fat. Cod is a medium-sized fish that is also found in the North Atlantic and other parts of the world. It has a white, flaky meat that is milder than other types of fish.

Halibut refers to various flatfishes (order Pleuronectiformes), particularly the genus Hippoglossus’s extensive and valuable Atlantic and Pacific halibuts. Both, as flatfishes, have the eyes and colour on a singular aspect.
Atlantic Cod- Gadus morhua is found on each side of the Northern Atlantic. A cold-water fish, from coastal regions to deep waters, remains close to the bottom.
Comparison Table
Parameters of Comparison | Halibut | Cod |
---|---|---|
Etymology | Derived from the words Holy and Flatfish. | It is derived from the words, Bag and Pouch. |
Family | It belongs to the Pleuronectidae family. | It belongs to the Gadidae family. |
Flavour | It has got a strong flavour. | It has got a mild flavour. |
Texture/ composition | It has a firm and dense texture. | It has a flaky and dense texture. |
Dish | Halibut is commonly served as steak. | Cod is commonly served as fillets. |
What is Halibut?
Halibut is a common name for two flatfish within the Hippoglossus from the family of right-eye flounders and, in some regions, and fewer unremarkably, alternative species of enormous flatfish. Halibut is a fish species that feed and lives at the rock bottom of lakes and seas.
It has an off-white underbelly and is dark brown on the upper side, with small scales concealed to the naked eye.
It contains a wide range of vitamins, minerals, and proteins. It comprises a dense, firm texture that may be simmered, grilled, or fried. Due to its low-fat content, smoking halibut is tough.

What is Cod?
Cod is a demersal fish that thrives within deeper and cooler ocean areas. With two anal fins and three rounded dorsal fins, the Cod has an associated upper jaw that extends over the articulator-lower jaw.
In addition, Cod liver can also be canned and eaten. A few other fishes have similar names derived from the word “cod,” like codling, colet, and tomcod. A young codfish is called a codling.

Main Differences Between Halibut and Cod
- The name Halibut has derived from the words Holy and Flatfish, and Cod has derived from a bag or pouch.
- Halibut is a member of the Pleuronectidae family, and Cod is a member of the Gaddidae family. The two also are part of different species and genera.
