Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Arctic cod mainly eat zooplankton and small crustaceans, especially calanoid copepods and amphipods. The species—Boreogadus saida—also consumes mysids, shrimp, ostracods, and euphausiids, while larger fish may take small fish or eggs. Region, body size, season, sea-ice habitat, and local prey availability change the exact menu.
Arctic cod are therefore best described as carnivorous, planktivorous forage fish rather than strict plankton specialists. The most useful distinction is not between “plankton” and “no plankton,” but between the different habitats and prey communities that Arctic cod encounter.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Key takeaways
- Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) mainly eat zooplankton and small crustaceans, especially calanoid copepods and amphipods.
- Calanoid copepods were the predominant prey reported in the northeastern Chukchi and Beaufort seas, while gammarid amphipods were the main food in the Bering Sea sample.
- Young and small Arctic cod generally eat smaller prey such as copepods, while larger fish add more shrimp, mysids, amphipods, and other sizable crustaceans.
- Arctic cod feed in the water column beneath sea ice as well as near the ice, so they do not eat only organisms living on the ice.
- Small fish and fish eggs have been reported in Arctic cod stomachs, but these are supplementary or regional food items rather than the species’ core diet.
What do Arctic cod eat?
Arctic cod mainly eat tiny marine animals: zooplankton and other small crustaceans. Their regular prey includes calanoid copepods, amphipods, mysids, shrimp, ostracods, and euphausiids. Larger Arctic cod may also eat small fish and fish eggs. The exact diet depends on region, fish size, season, habitat, and which prey are available.
The subject here is Arctic cod, Boreogadus saida, also called polar cod in some sources. The common name “polar cod” can create confusion because common names are not always used consistently, so the scientific name is the clearest identification.
#1 Best Overall
- Ideal For: Betta Fish, Tetras, Barbs and other small mouthed tropical fish.
Which prey are most important in the Arctic cod diet?
Calanoid copepods and amphipods are the two most important broad prey groups, but the dominant food differs by location. Copepods are small planktonic crustaceans, whereas amphipods are generally larger crustaceans that may live in the water column, on the seafloor, or around sea ice.
| Prey group | Examples | Role in the diet |
|---|---|---|
| Copepods | Calanoid copepods, including Calanus species | A recurring major prey, especially in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas and in the water column beneath sea ice. |
| Amphipods | Gammarid, ampeliscid, hyperiid, and ice-associated amphipods | Especially important in the Bering Sea and among some fish feeding at the sea-ice–water interface. |
| Other crustaceans | Mysids, shrimp, ostracods, and euphausiids | Regular additional prey; larger fish can take more of these relatively large food items. |
| Fish and eggs | Small fish and fish eggs | Reported occasionally or regionally, but not the primary food category. |
The original Lowry and Frost study of Arctic cod in the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort seas described a strong geographic contrast: “In the Bering Sea gamma rid amphipods were the main food with mysids, shrimps and hyperiid amphipods also eaten. In the northeastern Chukchi and Beaufort seas, calanoid copepods were by far the predominant prey with other crustaceans eaten much less frequently.” The study’s published food and distribution data support treating geography as a major explanation for differences in stomach contents.
Do Arctic cod eat plankton?
Yes. Arctic cod eat plankton, particularly zooplankton such as calanoid copepods. Arctic cod are not plant-eating fish: the plankton in their diet are mostly small animals. Arctic cod also supplement plankton with larger crustaceans, so describing them as animals that eat “only plankton” would be incomplete.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Arctic cod are often described as planktivorous or small-crustacean feeders. Those descriptions refer to the main feeding strategy, not an absolute restriction to one prey type. A fish’s stomach contents can include several kinds of crustaceans at once, and larger Arctic cod can handle prey that would be too large for young fish.
How does an Arctic cod’s diet change as the fish grows?
An Arctic cod’s diet generally shifts from smaller prey toward larger and more varied crustaceans as the fish grows. Small fish tend to rely more heavily on copepods, while larger fish can consume more amphipods, shrimp, mysids, and other relatively large prey.
Rank #2
- High Quality Ingredients: Our goldfish food is made from carefully selected natural ingredients, which are derived from fresh meat, vegetables and seaweed. No additives, artificial flavors, colors and other harmful ingredients. The main ingredients are Fresh fish, Antarctic krill, Astaxanthin, Spirulina, Wheat, Deep-sea fish oil, Carrots, Natural minerals, Vitamins (A, D3, C, E, B1, B2, B6 & B12)
- Good Palatability: Using Antarctic krill, white fish, vegetables, spirulina and other raw materials prepared into the taste of fish and shrimp, even the most picky goldfish can not resist
- Enhanced Color and Growth Support: Rich in astaxanthin and spirulina to support the formation of rich, beautiful color in goldfish. A quality diet rich in high-quality protein, calcium and natural vitamins supports the growth of goldfish
- Easy Ingestion and Digestion: The floating pellets are very suitable for goldfish to eat, and the 1.5mm particle design allows goldfish to better digest and absorb
- Water Maintenance Support: Goldfish food pellets contain probiotics that help dissolve the fish's excrement and residue, supporting water cleanliness
| Arctic cod life stage or size | More typical prey emphasis | Why the diet differs |
|---|---|---|
| Small or young fish | Copepods and other small zooplankton | Small prey are easier for small fish to capture and swallow. |
| Larger fish | Amphipods, shrimp, mysids, and other larger crustaceans, with copepods still available | Growing fish can capture and process larger prey, and their diets may broaden. |
Lowry and Frost reported that hyperiid amphipods were more common in larger Arctic cod and that larger Bering Sea fish relied more on gammarid amphipods and shrimp than smaller fish. These patterns describe observed feeding differences, not a rigid menu that every Arctic cod follows.
Do Arctic cod eat organisms associated with sea ice?
Arctic cod eat some sea-ice-associated prey, but much of their feeding can occur in the water column beneath the ice. The most accurate description is that Arctic cod eat plankton and small crustaceans near and below sea ice, rather than saying that Arctic cod eat only organisms living directly on the ice.
A Bureau of Ocean Energy Management study of late-fall 2019 sampling along the Chukchi Sea and Beaufort Sea slopes found water-column prey—primarily calanoid copepods and ostracods—along with ice-associated zooplankton, primarily amphipods. The 2023 BOEM study report therefore supports a mixed habitat picture: sea ice can provide shelter and access to prey, while the water below the ice remains an important feeding environment.
In that study, approximately two-thirds of sampled Arctic cod stomachs contained food. BOEM reported 168 Arctic cod and four polar cod captured during the under-ice sampling, with an average under-ice density of 4,620 Arctic cod per square kilometer and a reported range of 227 to 12,359 per square kilometer. Those figures describe the late-fall 2019 study area and sampling design; they are not a worldwide population estimate or a universal abundance level.
Why does the Arctic cod diet vary by region?
The Arctic cod diet varies because stomach contents reflect locally available prey as well as fish size, feeding location, season, and environmental conditions. A diet dominated by amphipods in one sea does not prove that amphipods are always preferred everywhere, just as a copepod-dominated sample does not mean that Arctic cod never eat shrimp or amphipods.
Rank #3
- Tropical fish food that contains up to 40%, nutrient-rich Black Soldier Fly Larvae, the first ingredient
- High in multiple proteins like whole salmon – rich in Omega 3 and 6 for healthy skin, scales and fins
- Fortified with essential vitamins, amino acids and minerals for a balanced daily diet
- Slow sinking micro granule format (0.7-1mm) – all fish can feed at their preferred depth; feed as much as fish can eat in two minutes, two or three times daily
- Sustainably processed in small batches for quality control and maximum freshness
| Place or feeding setting | Reported dominant or notable prey | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Bering Sea | Gammarid amphipods; also mysids, shrimp, and hyperiid amphipods | Amphipods were the main food in the cited sample. |
| Northeastern Chukchi and Beaufort seas | Calanoid copepods, with other crustaceans eaten less frequently | Copepods were the predominant prey in the cited study. |
| Late-fall 2019 under-ice Chukchi and Beaufort sampling | Water-column calanoid copepods and ostracods, plus ice-associated amphipods | Arctic cod used prey from both the water column and the sea-ice-associated habitat. |
Research summarized in the NOAA Fisheries report on northern Bering Sea groundfish feeding ecology likewise emphasizes that prey proportions can differ with fish size, feeding location, and local conditions. Stomach-content studies are best read as evidence of what fish ate in a particular place and time, not as a universal preference ranking.
Are Arctic cod carnivores?
Yes. Arctic cod are carnivorous fish because they eat animal prey, including zooplankton, amphipods, shrimp, mysids, and occasionally small fish or fish eggs. Arctic cod do not primarily graze on marine plants or algae.
Arctic cod are also important forage fish. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management summarizes their food-web role this way: “Arctic cod are the most abundant and most widely distributed fish species in the Arctic Ocean and are an important conduit of energy from plankton to seabirds and marine mammals.” Their diet places them between small planktonic animals and larger Arctic predators.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What does Arctic cod feeding tell us about their role in the Arctic food web?
Arctic cod transfer energy from zooplankton and small crustaceans to seabirds and marine mammals. Seabirds and marine mammals can therefore be affected by changes in the abundance, timing, location, or nutritional quality of the prey available to Arctic cod.
The 2023 BOEM report found that Arctic cod sampled in late fall 2019 were in poor energetic condition, with lipid levels associated with starvation-related risk in laboratory fish. The report also found that suitable high-lipid prey such as Calanus species were still present in moderate abundance, while unusually warm temperatures and reduced Calanus glacialis abundance may have reduced lipid storage. Those findings are regional and tied to the 2019 sampling period; they should not be turned into a claim that all Arctic cod are currently starving.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Rank #4
- High Palatability : Our food contains up to 40% of wild sword prawns, fresh squid, natural spirulina, fresh garlic, plus a mixture of premium selected natural ingredients along with the perfect pellet size. This formula is an ideal staple food for small and medium size tropical fish, such as angelfish, neon tetras, cardinal tetras, congo tetras, glowfish,etc
- Pefect Pellet Size : The slow sinking 0.6mm micro pellet is attractive to fish. The micro pellets will not dissolve within 24 hours, so it does not pollute the water and is perfect for all small and midsize tropical fish. *Feed 1-3 times per day, no more than your fish can consume within 3 minutes
- Ultra Natural Coloration : Ultra-enhanced formulation of natural seaweed, Australian spirulina, and premium fresh sword prawns enhances the natural coloration of your fish, presenting them in their most natural and vibrant colors
- Healthy Growth Formula : It's not only tasty, but it also keeps algae eaters healthy! Our food is jam-packed with vitamins (A, C, D3, E, B1, B2, B6, B12) great for reaching full potential in size, color, fins, and A+ immunity!
- 3 Million CFUs/g Probiotics : 3 million CFUs/g probiotics are within our food to automatically help dissolve fish excrements, residuals and keeps water clean. Other than that it helps fish to fully absorb nutrition, help to excretion, enhance the immune system and lower the risk of digestive problems.
What is the simplest accurate answer?
Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) mostly eat zooplankton and small crustaceans. Copepods are especially important in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas, while amphipods can dominate in the Bering Sea. Larger fish add more shrimp, mysids, and other sizable prey, and some fish also eat small fish or eggs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Arctic cod eat plankton?
Yes. Arctic cod eat zooplankton, especially calanoid copepods, but they also eat larger animal prey such as amphipods, shrimp, mysids, ostracods, and euphausiids.
Do Arctic cod eat small fish or fish eggs?
Yes. Arctic cod eat small fish and fish eggs occasionally or in some regions, but fish and eggs are supplementary foods rather than the species’ primary diet.
Do Arctic cod eat sea-ice organisms?
Arctic cod eat both water-column prey and some sea-ice-associated zooplankton. Late-fall 2019 research found that water-column copepods and ostracods generally dominated, with amphipods supplementing the diet.
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallOutdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchAre Arctic cod carnivores?
Yes. Arctic cod are carnivores because they eat animal prey, including zooplankton, crustaceans, and occasionally small fish or fish eggs; they do not primarily eat plants.
The Bottom Line
Bottom line: Arctic cod are small-animal feeders, not plant eaters. Their core diet is copepods and other zooplankton, supplemented by amphipods, shrimp, mysids, ostracods, euphausiids, and occasional fish prey. Region, body size, season, sea-ice habitat, and local prey availability determine which food is most important.
