Fish Cancer?

[BenLubbs]

So one of the fish I caught last night had something really weird going on with it. When we first pulled it into the boat I noticed that it had a round hole right in the top of its head. The hole was probably a quarter inch deep and healed over. What was weirder was later when I was filleting it out it had some very nasty puss filled abscesses in the meat. There were two, one right below the dorsal fin and one farther back by the lateral line. Each was about the size of a small egg. Other than the hole in the head there were no other marks on the outside of the fish. I've never seen this before and looking back I probably should have taken some pictures, and maybe thrown it in the head freezer for the DNR to take a look at. I didn't try to take any of the meat.

[bmsstp4u]

We had one like that I believe it was mercury poisoning of the fish

[pbrktrt]

Sounds like damage from a lamprey.

[hear fishy fishy]

Had a lake trout earlier in the year which had reddish to purple spots all over it. To may spots for lamprey scaring. On the inside of the skin there were hard spots in the meat.

[fishsniffer]

I had a king like thT a few years ago. Nothing noticeable on the outside but when I filleted there was a pocket in the meat filled with a light yellow fluid in it. I also tossed the fish. Didn't know what the heck it was

[Wasabi]

Probably just parasites, happens to the walleye up in nw ontarios pristine waters too. I suggest just cutting away the questionable flesh and thoroughly cooking the rest vs. wasting it. Lake trout on the other hand...

[Dr Hook]

I'd tend to agree with the parasites. I'm no expert in fish biology but in humans, findings like that would be suspicious for infection or parasite or tumor. Mercury poisoning causes neurologic symptoms the most famous example being the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland. So watch out for fish throwing tea parties.

[SUPERTRAMP]

I'd tend to agree with the parasites. I'm no expert in fish biology but in humans, findings like that would be suspicious for infection or parasite or tumor. Mercury poisoning causes neurologic symptoms the most famous example being the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland. So watch out for fish throwing tea parties.

now thats funny!!!!~!!!

[Jay Wesley]

I have seen a few pictures from Lake Michigan. Reminds me of Bacterial Kidney Disease. However, we can not tell for sure unless it is analyzed in a lab.

We do test the adult fish at the weirs for BKD, so it will be interesting to see if that disease is showing itself again.

[BenLubbs]

Thanks for giving your input Jay, I was sort of hoping you would chime in. I know it was not lamprey damage because I have seen fish with lamprey scars before but nothing like this. It did sort of look like something was "burrowing" through the flesh so my initial thought was some sort of worm or something.

[Dave.C]

I caught an 8 lb laker of Kincardine a couple of weeks ago, It had a scar like liqson behind it's gill. When I cut into it,a yellowish pussy liquid came out of it. We disposed of it.