Fish profile · Rachycentridae

Cobia

Rachycentron canadum

Sport · FoodSaltwater BrackishNative to MalaysiaLeast Concern (IUCN)

An elongated predator with a broad, flattened head and a projecting lower jaw. Cobia are sometimes seen swimming alongside large sharks and rays but have no sucker disc.

Last reviewed 13 October 2026 · 7 sources

Photo of Cobia — (c) toad-wife, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY

Max length: 200 cm
IUCN: LC; Least Concern
In Malaysia: Native
Family: Rachycentridae; order Perciformes

Category from the IUCN Red List, via GBIF (CC BY 4.0); it may lag the latest Red List assessment.

How big?

Linear scale · person 170 cm

Up to 200 cm.

The person is 170 cm tall.

Where in Malaysia

9 open-licence records · GBIF

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Recorded (open records)

Recorded in Sabah, Terengganu, and Pahang. Based on 9 open-licence records on GBIF. Few records can mean few surveys, not few fish.

How to identify

Broad flattened head
Lower jaw projects beyond the upper jaw
Separate short spines before the soft dorsal fin

Habitat

Reefs Coastal waters Estuaries

Shallow reefs and rocky shores, occasionally estuaries.

Diet: Fish, squid and crabs.
Native range: Tropical and warm temperate seas.

Eating

Sold fresh as a food fish and also farmed.

Sources

Last reviewed 13 October 2026