Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Identifying plants Any ideas what it was?

I was in Northern Wi. over the weekend (Pike lake, Fifield, Wi.) and saw what I can only describe as a growth on the stems of lily pads that were in the lake. It looked like a pineapple shaped mass of frog eggs, but when I picked one out of the water that was floating it was slightly slimy but hard, akin to the concestincy of a very firm water balloon. The size varied, from 3" dia x 5" long to 6" dia x 8" or 9" long. I didn't have the camera with me, and didn't think to take a pic on my cell phone. It was growing under the water surface, but it would float if the stem of the lily pad broke off and the leaf wasn't present. I saw either one or 2 masses on a stem.

The outside looked like it was made up of different pieces, like the outside of a pineapple does, but when picked up out of the water, it held together and couldn't be poked apart easily. No real color to it, mostly translucent with a hint of black/grey in it.

I don't think it was eggs of any sort because it's late in the year, but I could be wrong.

Any ideas?????

Holy cow, you didn't actually touch it, did you???
yep, that's how it always starts, somebody HAS to touch it....

Next thing you know, you've got an alien zombie infestation.



Sorry Scott, It's slow here today.

Yep, I just had to touch it. At least Catmandoo wasn't with me, he would have wanted to see how it was on the BBQ.

On another note, only caught 2 hammerhandles, but had a Muskie that was about 7" to 8" wide across the back behind it's head follow the Manns -1 that I was using to the boat. Why it would follow such a small lure I have no idea. It didn't take a 2nd look at the muskie lures that I immediately started throwing.

One of the pike had a set of teeth marks on both sides of it's body that were about 5 1/2" - 6" apart......

Freshwater Bryzoa?

Brian, you hit it right on the head. The first picture is what they looked like, although a bit more pointed on the ends.

Its suppose to be a sign of good water quality.. I think i read or seen that somewhere lol..

Seems like they might be pretty good served as "muskeg mushrooms over filet of pike."

However, I would worry about eating them unless properly prepared. As you may know, they are zooids, and all the freshwater species are simultaneous hermaphrodites. I'm not sure what the effect of eating them might be.

Ken