Strange Fish Seen In The Bow

[threepwood]

Hi all,

 

I was out in the side channel of the Bow by Bankside, in Fish Creek Park this afternoon, and I saw a bizarre fish. It was mottled in large blotches, light and dark, like you might see in a koi. It was cruising through the area and freaked out when it saw me, and leaped out of the water once. It was a fairly sizable fish - I'd guess 17 inches or more. I didn't get a great look at it, but its coloration was different than anything I'd ever seen in the Bow.

 

So what did I see? It went too fast for me to get a photograph, but the random jumping made me worry it was some kind of invasive species.

[ÜberFly]

Probably a koi. Unfortunately, people release those, goldfish, etc. all the time.

[BBBrownie]

Or a trout infected with Saprolegniosis. Produces large white patches of fungus which looks like mottles. when fish are badly infected with sapro they often start jumping. Not sure if they are trying to throw the infection off, but it is common to see sapro infected salmon leaping out of the water when they are near death.

[threepwood]

Or a trout infected with Saprolegniosis. Produces large white patches of fungus which looks like mottles. when fish are badly infected with sapro they often start jumping. Not sure if they are trying to throw the infection off, but it is common to see sapro infected salmon leaping out of the water when they are near death.

This sounds like it might be the case. Not highly contagious to other fish I hope?

[bcubed]

This sounds like it might be the case. Not highly contagious to other fish I hope?

It's always present, shows up with high stress (and lots of rainbows have it now following the spawn, and can recover)

[jpinkster]

Is Sapro usually fatal?

[BBBrownie]

Mortality is high in infected fish, but it isnt necessarily fatal.

[SilverDoctor]

We had a real bad Sapro a few years back. Its a very nasty mold that attacks stressed or damaged fish. Lots of big Browns were lost. You could see a lot of them in the shallows, Like it was said mortality is high. Brown Trout were infected at higher rates in older males and the infections were more common in larger fish. It happens when males fight among each other for females or territory, by decreasing the protective mucous on the skin. Poor fish handling can also play a factor. I saw quite a number of fish that show hand and finger areas of mold. Avoid using cloth-mesh nets to land fish and minimize all handling if you care about the Trout. This warm weather and low water I believe will add to the outbreak this year.

 

You can read a report here.

[muha]

Saw a burbot in fc park, half his head was covered in sapro . Almost stepped on him.

[Dangus]

Ya saw a brown tonight about 20 or so inches with a head covered in it. Thought it was dead as it was belly up, but swam when I moved it. Don't think it had much time left.