There's a Fungus Among Us!!

[slabbandit]

Caught one today that really had it bad!

[gabowman]

Now that's something completely different.....blood in their tails means theyre biting (old saying)...........


Oooo! That's U-G-L-Y!!!

[Danny Lang]

My advice is when you catch a fish like that, to pull out your pocket knife and scrape off that fungus back to his skin and maybe he will live… please give that fish a fighting chance. Otherwise he might die.

[slabbandit]

Might try to get ahold of our state biologist and see what he thinks.

[BobC]

Might try to get ahold of our state biologist and see what he thinks.

That sounds like a good idea.
Bob

[Herewego]

Might try to get ahold of our state biologist and see what he thinks.

I would with you catching regularly.


Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

[Grainraiser]

I see this all the time in crappie caught in Texas. They say they are safe to eat but that is not anything I am interested in. I pulled this from another forum.

"The crappie in your photos exhibit a disease called Columnaris. Columnaris results from an infection by the bacteria (Flavobacterium columnare). The red eroded area in the center of the lesion is from the bacteria and the white foamy area around the central lesion is a secondary fungal infection. The disease is endemic in nearly all fish populations and manifests itself any time the fish’s immune system is suppressed from external factors such as rapid temperature change or spawning stress. Frequently the lesions occur where the fish has been previously handled and the slime was rubbed off (this is why it is always better for the fish to handle it with wet hands). Although the disease is contagious between fishes it is not harmful to humans – the fish may still be eaten if properly prepared. It is also a disease that is more common when fish are crowded together or when numbers are high. This is one of natures ways of keeping populations in balance.

[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']Generally fish are not so stressed by the disease that they stop feeding (obviously if you caught it). As long as the fish continue to feed they usually are able to recover.

With your permission I would like to include your photos in my library of fish disease images."

Richard A. Ott, Jr.
Natural Resources Specialist VI
Inland Fisheries District 3C – Tyler

[slabbandit]

Thanks for that info Grainraiser! Very interesting. I found out through our DNR that he says it is a disease called Saprolegnia. He says it is common on fish between Oct and March. They still feed and can usually survive it. It grows at water temps ranging from 32 to 95 degrees, but is most prevalent when water temps remain at or below 59 degrees. Water temp right now is 49 degrees. Both diseases sound similar.