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Barramundi are an interesting species of fish and live comfortably in fresh, brackish and salt water.

Leading up to the wet season around the times of the Full and New moons mature male and female barramundi (generally above 80cm in length) move up into saltwater rivers and estuary backwaters where fertilization occurs as they release sperm and eggs. Fertilized eggs are washed by tides and rain water into tidal, mangrove and estuary habits.

Over the next 24 hours or so the lava absorb most of the egg sack and progressively in the next day or so develop eyes and a mouth and take on the form of fry. As fry they live on animal and plant plankton, terrestrial insects that find their way into the water and aquatic insects such as mosquito wrigglers, tadpoles and nymphs.

The early attrition rate is high and only around 10% survive the first month or so.

As the wet season finishes fry migrate into the rivers and billabongs where they reside and mature into adults for the next couple of years. Beyond that many fish leave those habitats and disperse into coastal fresh, brackish and saltwater estuary waters and bays.

At around 4 or 5 years of age and around 80cm in length mature barramundi move back to the spawning grounds and the lifecycle begins again.

Interestingly Barramundi are protandrous hermaphrodites which means that, subject to being in salt water, barramundi have the ability to change from male to female.

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