Worms in Perch Fillet

[quickme]

don't know if anyone else has come across this. I was able to keep a couple of decent size perch on the weekend. I got the kids all excited about daddy making fish crisp for them for lunch. I fillet them both and when I went to wash the fillets I noticed 2 fillets ( from the same fish) had what looked like little Kernals inbedded in the flesh. I popped one out like a zit and out shot a worm like creature. I normally don't keep fish at all but I wanted to cook a nice snack for them. I ended up throwing it away ( i wasn't going to serve my kids something I would have to work up the courage to eat). Is this normal? could I have eaten it without anything bad happening? I felt terrible throwing it away because it was a total waste and I could have just let the perch go to live another day.

 

 

Nick

[Nipfisher]

Nick, we catch allot of perch with Yellow Grub on Nipissing. Pick them out with the tip of your fillet knife. Cooked they are no risk and have no flavour. I'm sure I have ate a 100 or so and besides the blurred vision and morning vommiting I'm fine. Oh wait.....that's when I'm drinking too much lol.

 

Yellow grub

 

Your description suggests you observed encysted metacercariae larval stage of the yellow grub (Clinostomum) parasite. The encysted, yellow to yellowish white worm can be up to 1/4 inch in length. It can be found in virtually all species of North American freshwater fish.

 

The yellow grub is a digenetic trematode. These types of parasites require several hosts to complete their life cycles. In the case of the yellow grub, the adult parasite is found in the throats of fish eating birds, such as herons. During the feeding process, eggs produced by the adults are washed out of the bird's mouth and into the water. There they hatch, yielding a free swimming larval stage (miracidia) that will die within several hours if it does not find and infect a snail of the genus Helisoma. After further development within the snail, a free swimming cercaria leaves the snail and seeks a fish host. The cercariae burrow through the skin of the fish and encyst, where they develop into the metacercariae. These yellow grubs may live several years in the fish. If the fish is eaten by the bird host the larval metacercariae will develop into adult parasites, completing the life cycle.

 

Infestations by a few individuals likely cause little harm to fish, however, under certain circumstances, heavy infestations can kill fish. Yellow grubs are described as unsightly by fishermen. A related species occurring in Asia has been found to infect the upper respiratory tract of humans. Thorough cooking kills the North American yellow grub and the parasite does not alter the flavor or the infected fish; however, fish with heavy infestations are typically not eaten by anglers.

 

Infestation is somewhat greater for fish caught in shallow water where snails and fish eating birds are most prevalent. Fish caught from deep water typically exhibit less infestation. Like many biological phenomenon, prevalence of the grub may be greater in some years and less in others for a variety of reasons including an abundance of intermediate host mollusks and birds.

 

 

[OutdoorDan]

Very healthy, I'd just leave them in there. Just don't tell anyone at the dinner table!

[Rod Caster]

As others have said, no problems unless it's a complete infestation. I find it funny how the perch have them but the walleye don't. Maybe because the walleye travel and keep moving, while perch will somtimes stay stationary?

Edited June 6, 2011 by Rod Caster

[quickme]

Nick, we catch allot of perch with Yellow Grub on Nipissing. Pick them out with the tip of your fillet knife. Cooked they are no risk and have no flavour. I'm sure I have ate a 100 or so and besides the blurred vision and morning vommiting I'm fine. Oh wait.....that's when I'm drinking too much lol.

 

Yellow grub

 

Your description suggests you observed encysted metacercariae larval stage of the yellow grub (Clinostomum) parasite. The encysted, yellow to yellowish white worm can be up to 1/4 inch in length. It can be found in virtually all species of North American freshwater fish.

 

The yellow grub is a digenetic trematode. These types of parasites require several hosts to complete their life cycles. In the case of the yellow grub, the adult parasite is found in the throats of fish eating birds, such as herons. During the feeding process, eggs produced by the adults are washed out of the bird's mouth and into the water. There they hatch, yielding a free swimming larval stage (miracidia) that will die within several hours if it does not find and infect a snail of the genus Helisoma. After further development within the snail, a free swimming cercaria leaves the snail and seeks a fish host. The cercariae burrow through the skin of the fish and encyst, where they develop into the metacercariae. These yellow grubs may live several years in the fish. If the fish is eaten by the bird host the larval metacercariae will develop into adult parasites, completing the life cycle.

 

Infestations by a few individuals likely cause little harm to fish, however, under certain circumstances, heavy infestations can kill fish. Yellow grubs are described as unsightly by fishermen. A related species occurring in Asia has been found to infect the upper respiratory tract of humans. Thorough cooking kills the North American yellow grub and the parasite does not alter the flavor or the infected fish; however, fish with heavy infestations are typically not eaten by anglers.

 

Infestation is somewhat greater for fish caught in shallow water where snails and fish eating birds are most prevalent. Fish caught from deep water typically exhibit less infestation. Like many biological phenomenon, prevalence of the grub may be greater in some years and less in others for a variety of reasons including an abundance of intermediate host mollusks and birds.

 

 

Thanks Nipfisher! I guess "if" i decide to keep any fish I know that it won't cause any issues. Too bad I had to throw it away.

[quickme]

Very healthy, I'd just leave them in there. Just don't tell anyone at the dinner table!

 

 

I was cooking for the kids not the IN-Laws....

[manitoubass2]

As others have said, no problems unless it's a complete infestation. I find it funny how the perch have them but the walleye don't. Maybe because the walleye travel and keep moving, while perch will somtimes stay stationary?

 

I've found them in walleye, as well as tape worms.

 

But to your point, I'd say yes. That and walleye will typically be in deeper water, or faster moving water. I'd think the more stationary the water, the warmer and increase infestation. Not 100% sure about that though.

 

I must say I was pretty creeped out be the tapeworms, but removed them and continued on eating them. No issues yet, but if it grows to be 30ft long inside of me and pops outta my mouth while trying to eat a steak, I'll be sure to let everyone know

[Rod Caster]

I've found them in walleye, as well as tape worms.

 

But to your point, I'd say yes. That and walleye will typically be in deeper water, or faster moving water. I'd think the more stationary the water, the warmer and increase infestation. Not 100% sure about that though.

 

I must say I was pretty creeped out be the tapeworms, but removed them and continued on eating them. No issues yet, but if it grows to be 30ft long inside of me and pops outta my mouth while trying to eat a steak, I'll be sure to let everyone know

 

 

Don't put any muffins near your butt

[manitoubass2]

Don't put any muffins near your butt

 

That would be one awesome party trick

[Homer Is King]

Yep, very gross but harmless (if properly cooked).

 

Another common parasite is Black Spot. It appears as black dots on the skin of the fish, especially on the fins and gill plates. Again, they are harmless.

 

I have found that if the fish has a lot of Black Spot it usually has a lot of Yellow Grub in the flesh. If they are "covered in pepper" I usually let them go.

[quickme]

Yep, very gross but harmless (if properly cooked).

 

Another common parasite is Black Spot. It appears as black dots on the skin of the fish, especially on the fins and gill plates. Again, they are harmless.

 

I have found that if the fish has a lot of Black Spot it usually has a lot of Yellow Grub in the flesh. If they are "covered in pepper" I usually let them go.

 

 

Interesting, I've caught many fish that have those black spots but i've never come across those little yellow grubs.

[pikehunter]

I've found many Simcoe/Couchiching perch that were infested with them. Some were so bad that you would swear there were more worms than fish. Those ones never made to the pan and managed to pick them out of the ones that found the pan.

 

Funny thing is Lake Erie perch so far at least, have been grub/worm free, from what I have seen anyway.