Fishes are vertebrates that live in salt or freshwater. There are a large group of fishes present worldwide, around thirty-three thousand. Each fish has a different size, colour, shape, and taste.
Some fish are used commercially. Haddock and codfish are from the same Gadidae family but differ in shape, colour, and taste.
Key Takeaways
- Haddock has a thinner, more delicate fillet than cod, with a thicker, firmer texture.
- Cod possesses a milder taste, while haddock offers a slightly sweeter and more pronounced flavor.
- Haddock displays a distinctive black lateral line and dark spots, whereas cod lacks these markings.
Haddock vs Cod
Haddock is a saltwater fish found in the North Atlantic, reaching 24 inches with a mild, slightly sweet flavour. Cod is a larger fish than haddock, found in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, and is a popular food fish in many countries. It is white and flaky, with a mild flavour.
Haddock fish is sold on the northern side as cod. The fish can be frozen for up to seven days. Haddock fish live for ten years and become mature in four years.
It can weigh up to seven pounds and has a height of three feet. It reproduces millions of eggs and has high demand in the North Atlantic. It has a light fishery, sweet taste and is best used for smoking, baking, and frying.
On the other hand, cod is a saltwater groundfish that lives for twenty-five years. They can weigh up to 77 pounds and height 51 inches.
It travels to warm water during winter and spring and reproduces eggs yearly. It eats other fishes and is hunted by humans. It has savoury taste and is best used for steaming and grilling.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Haddock | Cod |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Melanogrammus aeglefinus | Gadus morhua |
| Lifespan | Ten years | Twenty-five years |
| Colour | Black, grey, and silver | Green-brown, grey-brown, and red-brown |
| Flavour | It has a Light Sweet flavour. | It has a Mild and savoury flavour. |
| Shape | Small to medium size with thin skin and dark lateral lines | Bigger than haddock with thick skin and light lateral lines |
What is Haddock?
Haddock fish is a commercial fish primarily found in the North Sea. Haddock is a medium size fish that looks similar to codfish as it is from the same cod family.
Melanogrammus aeglefinus is its scientific name, and it is commonly called scrod, finnan haddie, and cod. Haddock fish taste sweeter than codfish. It is smoked, fried, or baked like fillets.
Haddock fish live in deep water and also spawn in the deep water. It also lives on the surface for some time.
Haddock fish swim under the deep water, with a depth of 700 to 1500 feet. It searches for small invertebrates. They eat small fishes, sea stars, urchins, crustaceans, molluscs, sand dollars, and eggs.
It is hunted by juveniles like cod, dogfish, stakes, and seals.
Fishermen use trawl, rod lines, gill net, or longline methods to harvest Haddock fish. It has a black or purple stripe on its back, cited as a devil’s thumbprint, that distinguishes it from other codfish.
Its senses the environment using its dorsal fins, anal fins, and barbel. It lives for over ten years and enters the maturity stage in four years. A female haddock fish lays three million eggs.
It has a height of up to three feet and weighs up to forty pounds. It has multiple proteins, vitamins, and minerals that keep the body healthy. It also tastes more promising than codfish.
What is Cod?
Codfish is a groundfish from the family of Gadidae. Gadus morhua is its scientific name, commonly called cod or codling fish. Codfish have a variety of species, and the common species are Atlantic cod and Pacific cod.
Every codfish varies in its flavour, and its liver is used to make oil. Cod liver oil has high demand in the Northside market. Codfish liver oil treats depression, heart, liver, and other diseases.
Codfish eat other codfish, haddock, and other small creatures in the sea. Humans hunt them to cook delicious dishes.
Codfish live more than twenty-five years but swim slower than haddock fish in the water. Its skin colour is green-brown, grey-green, or red-brown and has a white underbelly.
It senses the environment with the help of dorsal fins, anal fins, pectoral fins, and barbel under the chin. It can also feel the water’s vibration, pressure, and motion using the white lateral line in the gill slit.
Codfish can spawn in any month, mainly between January to April. They travel to warm water during spawning under a depth of 660 feet.
Female codfish can lay 5 million eggs, but most of the eggs are eaten by other creatures. They get to the maturity stage after eight years. The fish tastes mild and savoury. It is also rich in proteins, fatty acids, and vitamins.
Main Differences Between Haddock and Cod
- Haddock is a marine fish that lives in cold water and swims faster than codfish.
- Haddock lives for over ten years, and cod live for twenty years.
- Codfish spawns in the whole year, but haddock only between January and June.
- Haddocks taste sweeter, and cod tastes savoury.
- Haddock is smaller in size than codfish.
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342411690_Fishing_methods_for_Atlantic_cod_and_haddock_Quality_and_price_versus_costs
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/288000164_Cod_fishes_Gadidae
Last Updated : 13 July, 2023
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Sandeep Bhandari holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Computers from Thapar University (2006). He has 20 years of experience in the technology field. He has a keen interest in various technical fields, including database systems, computer networks, and programming. You can read more about him on his bio page.
Chances are if you cook with either haddock or cod you’re going to get some pretty tasty fish. Let’s savor the taste and appreciate the hard work that goes into delivering these flavorful fish to our plates.
It is interesting to learn more about the differences between Haddock and Cod. I didn’t know that Haddock was smaller than Codfish. This is a great article that provides detailed and important information.
Great post. It is very informative and highlights the main differences between Haddock and Cod. We should always be aware of the sustainability and environmental impact of consuming seafood, especially when it is in high demand.
I agree! It is important to consider sustainability when consuming fish. This information provides a deeper understanding of the differences between Haddock and Cod.
The thorough comparison and scientific information about Haddock and Cod are insightful. It clearly provides the essential details about these two fish species.
This article contains valuable information about Haddock and Cod. We should take in consideration there is a decrease in the number of fishes and can have a big environmental and economic impact.
A clear and detailed explanation about Haddock and Cod. What is taken from the scientific point of view should be understood by the consumer. I would like to know more about the fishing methods for these species.