Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations BG With One Bulging Eye

So we were at the farm yesterday and my wife noticed this BG hanging out in some weeds near the edge of the pond. Every time it started to swim towards open water, she said 3 bigger LMB appeared, probably waiting for a chance to get a quick lunch. My daughter waded in and netted the fish with no trouble and we were all pretty amazed at the way it's right side eyeball was bulging out. There did not appear to be anything else wrong with it, but it did not appear this was going to go away, so I dispatched the fish on the spot and left it for a raccoon. I did knife the eye and what looked like puss flowed out pretty copiously, so I don't know if this could have been an infection or what. Any suggestions?

That sure is ugly!

Probably a parasite like a fluke, roundworm... Wait for the experts.

Did you accidentally dump some really fine curd cottage cheese on that poor fish?

Ugly all day, for sure! My wife, our kids, and the two little neighbor girls who came over to play were all grossed out by it!

Cottage cheese! That's too funny, and at the same time makes my stomach churn just a little bit as I look at that eyeball! No, no cottage cheese, just sun reflections from the gorgeous day we had here.

So the small white spots are all sun reflection?

Yeah, they are. Looking at the pics again, I see what you're talking about and it really does look like find curd cottage cheese! Frankly, I am a large curd cottage cheese guy all the way, so I would never have anything that little in my fridge OR on my fish!

You should have tossed it back in and watched the LMB hammer it.

I like large curd cottage cheese myself. That small stuff is just too dry and pasty for me! Glad it is just sunlight!

Would have been fun, but in this pond "bigger" LMB are probably no more than 15 - 16 inches and this BG was around 8 inches or so, definitely out of their range, but they were definitely lurking to at least take a stab!

I am, too, but it still turns my stomach a bit thinking of a bowl of cottage cheese with that freakin' eye perched on top like some sort of unholy peach!

To take your mind off of thinking about such things, think about finding a snake at the edge of the pond while you are walking around the pond barefoot!

Did that fish also have a healed up gash in it's right side?

Sure seems like some sort of infection that got out of control.

I came close to that last week while mowing. Saw a deadly snake, perhaps 14 - 16 inches long, that I had apparently clipped with the mower. I grabbed it and threw it in the pond to see if a bass would eat it, but no such luck. It never moved after it landed in the water, so I think it may have died. In other words, it was turned into a good snake!



I didn't look too closely, but it does appear that's the case from the picture, doesn't it? It seemed to be in otherwise good condition - very thick and no other visible issues beyond that disgusting eyeball.

After seeing that puss-like crap come out of the eye, I'd have to agree that seems to make sense. Haven't ever seen another fish in there with any issues like that, so it seems that it was a pretty isolated incident. Just guess I wanted to hear that it's not some sort of condition that is likely to affect all our fish.

If you have one with BCPE it is likely that 20% plus of your BG have the genetic predisposition to the affliction. It will eventually spread to all fish species in your pond(s).

What kind of parasite/virus causes that?

What the heck is BCPE? Bulbous Crazy Protruding Eye disease?

BCPE (Big Curd Puss Eye) is pretty much limited to attorney owned ponds.

Whew, then I caught a break. My wife is a co-owner and she is NOT an attorney!

Any attorney involvement is all it takes.

I think I can argue against the validity of that point!

BCPE is a serious affliction that receives far less discussion than warranted. I'd leave the cavalier attitude at the curb...Dwight is right on - the entire fishery is likely doomed.

In all seriousness - Todd that is one funky looking BG! Didn't know BG could get eyezits...but looks as though it's about to blow. Reminds me of Belushi in Animal House.

And when it blew, it was nasty! Reddish-brown puss poured out of the eye where I punctured it. Like the worst freaking boil you've ever seen!

Sunil should be reading this right about breakfast time.

Priceless!

Heading into work early today. Guess I'll skip breakfast also