What are the black spots on these bass?

[007]

I was looking back over some photos of the smallmouth bass that I caught at Silent Lake and noticed that many of the fish had small black spots on their tails and fins - see pics below. I've never noticed these spots before and there were'nt any on the largemouth bass that I caught in the same lake.

 

Can anyone tell me what these spots are? Is it some kind of parasite or disease?

 

Cheers

007

 

 

 

[BITEME]

I think it has to do with warmer water I see it every year it is probably some kind of virus they seem to bounce back from it once the water starts to turn again

my 2 cents

[joonmoon]

I'm no biologist but I've always understood them to be the fishes way of ridding the parasites in the flesh by shedding them out of their system to the fins and tail. If you were to fillet those fish you would find numerous parasites in the meat...I've always used it as a sign to release the fish with the black spots cause its got worms in the meat and besides the fish is a fighter and should be released cause it has fought off the parasites thus far so I let em live to swim and get healthier.

[007]

Joonmoon - fortunately I released them all - wouldn't have liked to fillet or eat fish with parasites or worms! Eeewww

[joonmoon]

Well now ya know at least with my experience as a kid we found the black spot fish had worms anyway and ever since then I release 99% of the fish I catch and all of the ones with the black spots. Some times you catch WGSF that are just loaded with black spot it's almost like brail on them.

[MJL]

Never really noticed whether or not smallies that I've caught had black spots on their tails. The ones that I did keep for shore lunch were filled with those black parasites. Provided that you cook the fillets long enough, they add extra protein to your meal...Yum!

 

They don't really bother me all that much...When my friends ask me whether or not they're parasites, I just tell them I pre-seasoned the fillets with black pepper...Ignorance is bliss.

[joonmoon]

The parasites turn black when they die off...when they are in the meat they look like maggots...note to self never eat fish prepared by MJL

[danbo]

Those black spots are larvae from Freshwater Mussels.

[mepps]

First place I ever saw those spots was on Jacks Lake, always just in bass - but this year i caught a small muskie eith the spots...

[FinS]

i call them fish lice

it is a sign of worms in the meat

out of my experience the most common fish i found with this are perch pike and smallmouth bass

[Victor]

i've also noticed them in some perch that i caught ... good to know what they are lol

[Dutch]

Black spots

 

Black spot disease is commonly observed in rock bass and other sunfish, bass, pike, perch, minnows, and other fish species. It can be identified by the presence of small black spots, usually about the size of a pin head, in the skin, the fins, the musculature, and the mouth of the fish. The black spots are caused by pigment that the fish deposits around the larval stage of a parasitic digenetic trematode, usually a Neascus spp.

 

The lifecycle of the "black spot" parasite is complex. The adult parasite is found in a fish eating bird, the kingfisher. The larval parasite is transferred from the infected fish to the bird during the feeding process. In the kingfisher, the larval stage develops into an adult parasite. The adult parasite in the intestine of the bird produces eggs that are eventually deposited in the water. There the eggs mature, hatch, and develop into the miracidium stage of the parasite. The miracidium infects a snail. In the snail, the miracidium develops into the cercaria life stage. The cercaria leaves the snail and actively penetrates a host fish. In the fish, the parasite becomes encysted. In about 22 days, black spots form around the cyst. This entire lifecycle takes at least 112 days to complete.

 

In general, the presence of the "black spot" parasite does not affect the growth or the longevity of the infected fish; however massive infections in young fish may cause fish mortality. The parasite is incapable of infecting humans and, as is the case with all fish parasites, it is destroyed by thorough cooking. When fish are heavily infected, some anglers prefer to remove the skin to improve the appearance of the cooked fish.

 

Source

 

http://www.fish.state.pa.us/images/pages/qa/fish/worms.htm

 

I think this relates to any fisheating bird, not just the kingfisher.

[Deano]

Like Dutch's post says "The parasite is incapable of infecting humans and, as is the case with all fish parasites, it is destroyed by thorough cooking." You'll notice more black spots usually in warmer waters, around the last month of summer. We usually keep bass for eating earlier in the year, not so much black spots then. But we have eaten many bass with them and there are no worries, just the appearance.

[Beats]

Basically all pike and rock bass in the Pinery have tons of black spots all over them. Seem healthy other than the spots.

 

 

 

 

Edited August 7, 2007 by Beats

[bucketmouthjohnny]

Hey Dutch, i just finished reading my ny state reg booklet i just received and it is the same as your pa regs. i have filleted some fish to find the yellow parasites but most fillets only have a few and are easily taken out with the knife tip. Like it says, cook it good in hot oil and enjoy!!! mmmmmmmmm extra protein

[addict]

those spots are from smokin like nicotine fingers on people.