Whirling Disease

[j5ep00]

i was out at arbour lake today and we caught two fish that show what i think is whirling disease.

i didnt have my camera but we kept one of the fish and gave it to the manager of the lake.

i can probally snap some pics of it if i stop by tomorrow.

the first fish had a few folds in the back half. it seemed to be more of a skin thing then the whole body.

the second fish was curved just a little bit in the last quater of the fish. we let this one go.

i would like to know if this is something of concern or if there could be something else that caused this?

i will stop by for pics tomorrow. im pretty sure the fish was put in the freezer.

[Brownstone]

Whriling Disease only affects juvenile trout, mainly Bows and Cutties .. if your fish was better than 6" .. it's not probably not WD, I've caught a few trout that have had the visual symptoms of WD..(bent tail/spine) but after researching found out a fish with WD will die before it matures ..

[j5ep00]

ok cool the bigger one was 16 or so and the smaller was around 12

[Brownstone]

those fish seem to be well over age for WD, I'd probably guess deformities from bird of prey or predatory fish such as a pike if they are in there .. there are a few resident "pistol grip tail" rainbows just south of the city that I have caught personally and have heard reports or a few others, other than the bent tails they were very healthy looking fish..

[j5ep00]

no pike or other predators really, there is the odd osprey the grabs a fish.

the fish were stocked last week so it would have to be something to do with the hatchery...

although it could be from a previous stock who knows.

il still snap some pics of it and we can have another round of what do you think happened to this guy.

[Brownstone]

good idea .. always great to discuss and educate, more and more of these discussion's arising every week..should almost start an abnormal trout thread ..