Pond Boss Forums FISH & FISHING Sunfish-Including Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass HBG Spots on filets - What are they

We catch a about 40 HBG and I would say 10 had black spots in the filet. They had spots on their fins and then spots on the filets, but you can rub them off and they seem to be like seeds, maybe weed seeds? ideas? I have attached a picture of a filet thru a plastic bag.

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Don't worry, it won't do ya any harm. Here's what the Indiana DNR has to say about them. One more reason to have RES in the pond. Since you're in the dairy state, RES might not survive the winters. Look for a supplier that has Pumpkinseed Sunfish. They will act like RES and eat snails. Keystone Hatchery North of Rockford, Ill usually has them.

These parasitic flatworms appear as tiny black spots on the skin, fins and flesh of fish. No method of control is available for the elimination of this problem. This organism does little harm to the fish. The main problem associated with black-spot is the unsightly appearance it may cause. Skinning infected fish will remove most black spots.

The life cycle of the parasite is quite complex. A fish-eating bird (typically a great blue heron or kingfisher) eats an infected fish. The black spot or worms are released and grow to sexual maturity in the bird's intestine. The adult worms pass eggs with the bird's droppings. When the eggs reach water, they hatch into free-swimming organisms which then penetrate snails for further development. Finally, after leaving the snails they burrow into the skin of fish and form a cyst. The fish surrounds the cyst with black pigment that gives the disease its name. If an infected fish is consumed by a bird, the cycle repeats itself.

Thanks, figured that was what they were. Have heard people talk about that, now I know. Pumpkinseed huh? Didn't know that RES wouldn't make it here. So really pumpkinseed do the same thing? They have a tooth or whatever to eat snails?

Take a look at this article. You might know the authors....

http://www.sdstate.edu/nrm/outreach/pond/upload/Redear-Sunfish-May-June-2010.pdf

"Redear sunfish have "molariform pharyngeal
teeth," which are grinding surfaces in the throat
(think of the molars in your mouth). Thus,
they can grind snails and small clams because
of these structures. Bluegills do not have such
structures and thus cannot grind. Pumpkinseeds
do have the grinding pharyngeal teeth and are
the snail eating sunfish of the north. Both redear
sunfish and pumpkinseeds have that further
benefit in their ability to eat snai ls, which often
are hosts for fish parasites. Common examples
are yellow grub and black-spot disease. If
the snail population in a pond is reduced, the parasite cycle is disturbed and the incidence of
the grubs may decline."

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