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Bullhead Disease

Started by Guest_sandtiger_* , Sep 10 2006 09:05 PM

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14 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_sandtiger_*

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Posted 10 September 2006 - 09:05 PM

Hey everyone. I went fishing today and caught several brown bullhead in the 3" range that were covered in these lumps. Anyone know what it is? I didn't see it on any of the other fish species we caught, nor I have I seen it prior to today.

Here are a couple scans of the one I brought home.
Posted Image

#2 Guest_Skipjack_*

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Posted 10 September 2006 - 10:43 PM

That is hideous! I suspect that it is an encysted parasite. But that is only a guess. I have seen similar cysts on Lepomis, but never to that extent.

#3 Guest_Skipjack_*

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Posted 10 September 2006 - 10:45 PM

Oh yeah, note to self, never have Sandtiger send me a bullhead. :lol:

#4 Guest_sandtiger_*

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Posted 10 September 2006 - 10:54 PM

LOL, gross isen't it? Me and my friends were groaning everytime we had to take one of them off. Some of them were worse than that, we caught over a dozen all together I'm willing to bet. I'm a bit concerned for that body of water now but don't know if I should be.

You can have that bullhead in the picture if you want, it's still alive. :lol:

#5 Guest_Skipjack_*

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Posted 11 September 2006 - 12:15 AM

You keep it! I don't know if I would have even been able to touch it!

#6 Guest_sandtiger_*

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Posted 11 September 2006 - 12:21 AM

You keep it! I don't know if I would have even been able to touch it!

Yeah, I kept it. I'm a bit interested in seeing what happens to it over the course of time, or perhaps if I can get rid of whatever it has.

#7 Guest_teleost_*

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Posted 11 September 2006 - 08:34 AM

Clinostomum complanatum, Yellow grub?
Looks like it to me, but just a guess.

http://www.fisheries.....llow grub.jpg

I've treated and removed this trematode (yellow grub) from fish with the use of praziquantel. I must admit I've never treated fish with such a heavy infestation.

It's just a guess on my part. You may want to look further into what your fish might have.

#8 Guest_sandtiger_*

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Posted 11 September 2006 - 09:07 AM

That might be it, but it was only on the bullhead and we also caught a lot of bluegill and golden shiners. I'll have to send the pictures to my professor from college. He should know.

#9 Guest_teleost_*

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Posted 11 September 2006 - 09:56 AM

Do you still have the bluegill? If so look very closely where the isthmus meets the belly. Look for a pair of yellow dots on each side within the flesh. In most cases I'll find them here (if it's Clinostomum complanatum).

#10 Guest_sandtiger_*

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Posted 11 September 2006 - 10:36 AM

Do you still have the bluegill? If so look very closely where the isthmus meets the belly. Look for a pair of yellow dots on each side within the flesh. In most cases I'll find them here (if it's Clinostomum complanatum).

I don't have any of the bluegill but I did take a look at them and didn't see it.

#11 Guest_teleost_*

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Posted 11 September 2006 - 11:05 AM

It's hard to see if you're not looking for it. I'm curious to see what your professor says.

#12 Guest_sandtiger_*

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Posted 11 September 2006 - 11:09 AM

It's hard to see if you're not looking for it. I'm curious to see what your professor says.

Yeah, I very well could have overlooked it. The bluegill were covered in blackspot though.

#13 Guest_teleost_*

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Posted 11 September 2006 - 11:43 AM

Actually Sandtiger I don't know why I explained the location the way I did previously. I typically find the "grubs" between the mandibles and not within the flesh of small sunfish. Don't get me wrong, you'll find them in the flesh as well but they seem to start below the head first. The more I look at the photo the more it looks like "yellow grub". I'm not sure if a look alike exists.

#14 Guest_Brooklamprey_*

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Posted 11 September 2006 - 11:57 AM

I would put money on that being Clinostomum sp. It is a fairly common parasite around here and we see it alot in the field in Largemouth bass and Bullheads but not so much in many other species of fish. Why??? Don't know...

It also affects Watersnakes and Bull, green frogs..

#15 Guest_sandtiger_*

Guests

Posted 15 September 2006 - 12:33 PM

Got am email back from my professor and he says it's either Clinostomum or Diplostomum, he thinks it the Diplostomum himself but says you would need to dissect it and know what you're looking for.