Haddock vs Cod

The haddock and the cod are two dissimilar fish species. The former is said to be slightly firmer than the latter. However, being the same kind of large-flaked white fish means that they almost taste the same. No wonder many easily get confused in distinguishing one from the other.

The haddock or Melanogrammus aeglefinus is described as having a dark lateral line which is significantly darker in shade than the cod’s. Their dorsal fins slightly differ in the sense that the haddock’s primary dorsal fin is usually higher than on cod’s with respect to its next two fins forming a seemingly triangular outline. These other dorsal fins are also more angular in nature among haddocks. Moreover, the haddock’s tail seems to have a more concave outline than in cods.
The jaw structure has some mild differences between the two. Among haddocks, the upper jaw is more protruded compared to the lower jaw. But its mouth looks smaller than the ones seen in cods. The number of ray fins for both fish remains the same. There are 14-17, 20-24 and 1-22 ray fins for the first to third dorsal fins respectively.
The haddock is also thought to be slightly slimmer than the cod. It has a pointier snout and has scales that are hardly visible through its mucus-lined skin. It is also generally smaller than its other counterpart. The biggest haddock ever recorded was only 44 inches in length and weighs about 37 lbs.

With regard to their habitat, haddocks live a lot deeper in the water compared to cods. Even if the two species are considered to be cold-water fish, it is to be expected that one can catch a plentiful amount of cods in shallow waters for haddocks are to be fished best in deeper waters (about 25 to 27 fathoms deep). Haddocks are also more adept to less saline waters and cooler water habitats.
Overall, the haddock and the cod are very close relatives that look and taste almost exactly the same. They just have some specific and minute differences.

Summary:

1.The haddock has a darker lateral line color than the cod.
2.The primary dorsal fin of the haddock is usually higher than its next two dorsal fins as compared to the primary dorsal fin of the cod.
3.The haddock has a more pronounced upper jaw and a pointier snout.
4.The haddock is a slimmer and smaller fish than the cod.
5.Haddocks live deeper in less saline and cooler waters compared to cods.