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NFC: RE: Re: RE: Re: Parasites

I heard over the weekend that these black spots are likely some type of
parasitic nematode (worm).  I didn't, however, get any info on the
communicability between fish, or the negative impacts it has on its fish
host.
-Bryce

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-nfc at actwin_com [mailto:owner-nfc at actwin_com]On Behalf Of
nickel55
Sent: Friday, December 07, 2001 10:29 PM
To: nfc at actwin_com
Subject: NFC: Re: RE: Re: Parasites


In reply to Wally and Bryce, the fish in question, were collected from small
pools from the over flow of a nearby stream. The pools were not the best
water conditions. I know that one sunfish I collected a couple months ago,
was from the stream itself, and that fish seems to be free of parasites. If
they don't harm the fish and they don't seem to be spreading, I guess I'll
just have to get use to a few spotted fish. I do have a couple of killifish
that I netted in open moving water, they only have a couple of these
parasites, so the worst one's were from the pools.
                                                                      Terry
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bryce Daniels" <brycedan at mindspring_com>
To: <nfc at actwin_com>
Sent: Friday, December 07, 2001 11:09 AM
Subject: NFC: RE: Re: Parasites


> Those black spots are definitely not glochidia (mussel larvae)--these
mussel
> larvae encyst either on the gills or fins of their fish host.  When a fish
> does carry them, they're usually white or translucent, not black.  The
black
> spots you're seeing are likely all over the scales or beneath them??  I'm
> not sure what they are, but I've seen them commonly referred to as "black
> spot," and seem usually to be indicative of some type of water quality
> problem.  The places where I've seen them most dense are generally areas
> with a low diversity of fish and macroinvertebrates, with many habitat
> disturbances.  However, they can also be seen on fish in pristine
> conditions, but their numbers are usually less and they are found on just
a
> few fish, if any.  This has been my experience, anyway.  Someone else
would
> have to tell you exactly what they are, and whether they can be
transported
> from fish to fish.  As for the mussel glochidia, they can sometimes be
seen
> by the naked eye when encysted upon the fins of a fish, but it's harder to
> see them on the gills without cutting off the mantle flaps and looking
under
> a microscope.
> -Bryce
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-nfc at actwin_com [mailto:owner-nfc at actwin_com]On Behalf Of
> Wally Billingham
> Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2001 11:28 PM
> To: nfc at actwin_com
> Subject: NFC: Re: Parasites
>
>
> Were they in a stream with a lot of fresh water mussels? The first stage
in
> the life cycle of a mussel is to be a parasite on a fish. That way the
fish
> move them around and when they feel like it they just drop off and will
> spend the rest of their life within a few feet of that spot. I see it on
the
> fish here in French Creek (N.W. PA) all of the time. If thats what they
are
> they will do know harm. Also many (if not all) native species of fresh
water
> mussels are Federally Protected or Federally Endangered. Mainly due to
> exotic introductions and pollution.
>
> There is NOTHING sadder to me than to see a huge endangered mussel covered
> with 100's of Exotic Zebra Mussels. Unfortunately I saw that WAY to many
> times this past year in Lake Erie and the streams that feed it. I PRAY
that
> they never find their way into French Creek but I know that they will. The
> problem is that the Zebra Mussels grow so well on other mussels that they
> can't open their shells and starve or suffocate.
>
>
> Wally
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: nickel55 <nickel55 at worldnet_att.net>
> To: <nfc at actwin_com>
> Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2001 10:16 PM
> Subject: NFC: Parasites
>
>
> > Thanks, to the people that answered my question about stonerollers and
why
> they're not sold in the pet shop trade. Now to my other question. Some of
> the fish I have collected this year, my first year collecting, I have
> noticed some small black spots on them. One small sunfish really has a lot
> of them, I didn't notice the spots until I put the fish in the tank. The
> fish in question have been in the tank at least 4 to 6 weeks and no
> problems. Now I have read that these black , pin head size, spots are a
> parasite, that really doesn't harm the fish and don't spread from fish to
> fish. Is this true? and can anything be done to get rid of the them?
> >
> >
> Terry
> >
> >
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