Black spots

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Thalia

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Roach fishing the Thames today and caught a small chub about 3oz. It had black spots on it almost like those seen on a brown trout. Most around the head, one or two behind the gills and a couple in the tail fins rays (these two were like lumps and were thicker than the tail fin itself).

No camera with me so no snaps I'm afraid.

Is this a disease? If so is it a sign of something badly wrong or something the fish can deal with itself?
 
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Warren 'Hatrick' (Wol) Gaunt

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Sound like the Black spot that isnormally associated with Roach, was itdeffo Chub? I think its something to do with a Mussel parasite and dont think it actually harms the fish.
 
Mark Wintle

Mark Wintle

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It's a parasite with a complex lifecycle. When a fish with blackspot is eaten by a heron the black cysts open to move the cycle on. From the heron's droppings it gets into water snails, developsagain, snails eaten by chub, roach etc. hence black spots. The fish don't seem to be affected unduly. It's just evidence of herons on the water.
 
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JimmyFloyd

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Mark, isn't that the parasite that actually debilitates the fish slightly making it an easier target for fish eating birds?

Can't remember what it's called but I think it needs to gestate in the birds themselves - read about it somewhere. It's one of those 'how the hell did that evolve??' creatures.
 
T

Thalia

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Definitely Chub Wol.

Mark - you're good. Loads of herons around there.
 
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