Coho Salmon vs King Salmon: Difference and Comparison

Salmon is a type of fish of the family Salmonidae, among other fishes such as trout, char, whitefish, etc. They are commonly found in North America and the pacific ocean.

Salmons are known to be anadromous and hatch in freshwater. There are various species of salmon, and two of them are coho salmon and king salmon.

Coho salmon is also called silver salmon. Its appearance includes a bright red color on the sides, a bluish-green head and back, and a dark belly.

They are found in the north pacific ocean, Asia and North America. Coho salmon can weigh up to 36 pounds and grow up to 28 inches.

This species is also famous as a game fish in various world regions. It is known to have a moderate to high level of fat and nutrition.

King salmon is the largest species among all other species of salmon. They are also called chinook salmon, tyee salmon, spring salmon, etc. It has pink or white meat known to have a high omega-3 fatty acid level.

Its body has silvery sides and a blue-green, red, or purple head and back. They also have black spots on their upper body and tail. A mature king salmon can grow up to 36 inches and weigh up to 130 lb.

Key Takeaways

1. Coho salmon is smaller and has a more delicate texture, while king salmon is more giant and has a richer flavor.
2. Coho salmon is farmed, while king salmon is wild-caught.
3. Coho salmon has a more vibrant, reddish-orange flesh, while king salmon’s flesh is paler.

Coho Salmon vs. King Salmon

Coho Salmon is a part of the salmon family, and the fish is recognized by its bright red sides, dark belly, and blue-green head and back. It is also called a silver salmon. King Salmon is a specie in the salmon family with silvery sides, a red or purple head and back, and dark spots on the tail and upper body.

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Coho Salmon	King Salmon
Definition	It is one of the species of the salmon family.	It is yet another species of the salmon family.
Appearance	Have bright red sides, a bluish-green head and back, and a dark belly.	Have a body with silvery sides, blueish green, red or purple head and back, and dark spots on their tail and upper body.
Size and Weight	28-inch height and around 7 to 11 pounds in weight.	24 to 36 inches in height and 10 to 50 lb in weight.
Nutrition	Have a moderate to a high amount of fat and various nutritions.	Consists of high levels of omega-3 fatty acids.
Other names	Silver salmon	Chinook salmon, spring salmon, qinnat salmon, tyee salmon, and chrome hag.

What is Coho Salmon?

Coho salmon is one of the species of the salmon family. It is also known by another name, i.e., silver salmon, and is an anadromous fish.

A fully grown coho salmon have a body with bright red sides, a bluish-green head and back, and dark black bellies.

A mature fish of this species have an average 28-inch height, can weigh around 7 to 11, and can reach up to 36 pounds.

Coho salmon are mostly found in the north pacific ocean. However, they are also found in some regions in enough quantities, such as North America, Japan, Asia, etc.

These fishes feed on plankton and aquatic invertebrates during their freshwater day. As they mature, they start feeding on small fish as well.

The salmon species is known to be very useful and famous among people. People can use them for the fishery, food, game fish, etc.

The highest amount of harvested coho salmons is taken to the United States and Russia. Alaskan troll fishery refers to this species as their backbone.

Coho salmon is also a very famous game fish in various regions such as North America, Canada, etc. It has an orange-red flesh consisting of a considerable amount of fat and nutrition.

And hence coho salmon is used as food by people worldwide.

What is King Salmon?

King salmon is yet another salmon family species, the largest species of its family and genus. It is called by names such as chinook salmon, spring salmon, qinnat salmon, tyee salmon, and chrome hag.

It is an anadromous fish commonly found in the north pacific ocean, north America, Asia, New Zealand, etc.

King salmon has silvery sides with a blueish-green, red, or purple head and back.

They also appear to have black spots on their upper body and tail. They have a black gum line that is not present in any other salon species.

A wholly grown king salmon is 24 to 36 inches in size and weighs around 10 to 50 lb but can reach up to 130 lb. The meat of this fish can be pink or white, which solely depends on what the fish is feeding on.

King salmon is a precious fish all around the globe. They are harvested at a high rate every year. New Zealand is known as the world’s largest producer and supplier of king salmon.

Some communities even celebrate the first catch of king salmon every year as they consider this fish culturally important. King salmon also have many nutritional benefits.

It consists of high levels of omega-3 fatty acids and various vitamins.

Main Differences Between Coho Salmon and King Salmon

1. Coho salmon is also known as silver salmon, whereas king salmon has various other names, such as chinook salmon, spring salmon, tyee salmon, etc.
2. Coho salmon has white gums. In contrast, king salmon has black gums.
3. The meat of coho salmon is orange-red and has a moderate amount of fat, whereas the flesh of king salmon is either pink or white and consists of high omega-3 fatty acids.
4. Coho salmon has a body with bright red sides, a bluish-green head and back, and a dark belly. On the other hand, king salmon has a body with silvery sides, blueish green, red or purple head and back, and dark spots on their tail and upper body.
5. An average coho salmon have a 28-inch height and around 7 to 11 pounds. In contrast, an average king salmon is 24 to 36 inches tall and weighs approximately 10 to 50 lb.

References

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0016648086900079
2. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1095-8649.1978.tb03450.x