Poor Cod or Pout?

Three features distinguish a Poor Cod from a pout. The two less noticeable is that a lot of its scales usually come of even when holding them for a couple seconds. The second feature is they have bigger eyes in relation to their body than pout do and are generally more elongated in body shape. The final one and easiest of all is the position of its first anal fin in relation to the position of it first dorsal fin. With a Poor Cod its anal fin is ‘set back’ from below its first dorsal fin whereas the pouts anal fin is more or less inline with its first dorsal fin.

Can you tell these two apart?

poorcod22nov98

28thaug00pout1