Cooked fish keeps in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, provided it was cooled quickly and stored in a sealed container. Cooked shellfish is a little shorter-lived and is best eaten within 2 to 3 days. In both cases the countdown starts when the fish was cooked, so chill leftovers promptly rather than leaving the plate on the side.

The working numbers

  • Cooked white fish and oily fish: 3 to 4 days. Cod, haddock, salmon, mackerel and the rest follow the ordinary cooked-leftovers window once they are chilled.
  • Cooked shellfish: 2 to 3 days. Prawns, mussels, crab and squid are more perishable, so lean towards the shorter end.
  • Reheating: once, until piping hot. Take out the portion you want and heat that through fully, rather than warming the whole lot more than once.

Get cooked fish into the fridge within a couple of hours of cooking. Spreading it into a shallow, covered container helps it cool faster and keeps the smell contained, which your fridge will thank you for.

How to store it

Cooked fish takes on and gives off smells readily, so a well-sealed container matters more here than with most leftovers. Keep it covered, keep the fridge properly cold at 0 to 5C, and store it away from anything you would rather did not smell of fish. If you are not going to eat cooked fish within its window, it freezes well: cool it, wrap it tightly, and use it within a couple of months for the best texture.

How to tell if cooked fish has gone off

Smell is the clearest guide with fish. Fresh cooked fish smells clean and mild; fish that has turned smells sharply sour, ammonia-like or strongly fishy, and that is your cue to bin it. A slimy or sticky surface, a dull grey cast where the flesh was white, or any sour tang all mean the same thing. As with any leftover, if you are in doubt, throw it out, because a smell is a veto and not a guarantee of safety.

Quick answers

  • How long does cooked salmon last? The same as other cooked fish: 3 to 4 days in the fridge, chilled promptly.
  • Can you eat cooked fish after 5 days? Better not. Past 4 days the risk climbs, and fish is not the leftover to gamble on.
  • Can you freeze cooked fish? Yes. Wrap it well and use it within a couple of months for the best texture.

For where cooked fish sits alongside everything else and the fridge habits that keep the times above honest, see how long food lasts in the fridge. If you are freezing leftovers ahead, freezer storage times has the wider list.