What's wrong with this crappie?

One of the few crappie today from lake fork! Any comments on what these pink sores are? Don't know but makes the meat pink too!

I caught one on Fork a few days ago with the same thing on the tail area.
I assumed it was some type of fungus. Similar to what I have seen before on fish very infrequently. The meat looked o.k.

We have the se thing on WPL and Sulphur river.I'd like to know also. I figure its from pollution.

Yeah it looks like a sore from getting in a fight with another fish, but it's soft and makes the meat a weird pink color!? Anybody got any ideas?

I always heard it was from rubbing on concrete kinda like a hot spot on a dog.

Caught several like this on Sandlin about a month ago, sores were on sides, around the mouth, and at the tail.

I thought it was from rubbing against bottom when making nests

It is actually called red sore disease and it usually appears more this time of year and into early spring.

Is the meat bad to eat? Or will the grease burn it out?

I fished with a fisheries biologist that said it was called Lymphocystis. He told me the slime on the crappie usually protected the fish from this, but if it gets rubbed off for some reason ,they are more susceptible to getting it.

I call it "East Texas Funk" I've never seen it in our Central Tx. limestone lakes but, would settle for it if our lakes grew crappie as big and abundant as those in East Tx.

It's not red spot disease, so I can't tell you exactly what it is, looks like a fungus, I've caught a few with that on them myself, never bothered me when I'm eating them, frying should kill anything bad.

I have seen this more with East Texas lakes. I don't remember seeing that in the lakes around DFW before.

Supposedly it's a fungus that occurs from stress...changing water levels...temperature...spawn...whatever stresses a fish. It seldom reaches down into the meat but if it does just cut it out. The fish is ok to eat. We do see it often in East Texas...some lakes more others.

thanks guys for the advice

Found this response on another post with the same problem - looks pretty good and think reiterates what everyone is saying...

The red eroded area in the center of the lesion is from the bacteria and the white foamy area around the central lesion is a secondary fungal infection. The disease is endemic in nearly all fish populations and manifests itself any time the fish’s immune system is suppressed from external factors such as rapid temperature change or spawning stress. Frequently the lesions occur where the fish has been previously handled and the slime was rubbed off (this is why it is always better for the fish to handle it with wet hands). Although the disease is contagious between fishes it is not harmful to humans – the fish may still be eaten if properly prepared. It is also a disease that is more common when fish are crowded together or when numbers are high. This is one of natures ways of keeping populations in balance.

[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']Generally fish are not so stressed by the disease that they stop feeding (obviously if you caught it). As long as the fish continue to feed they usually are able to recover.



Richard A. Ott, Jr.
Natural Resources Specialist VI
Inland Fisheries District 3C – Tyler

I'll tell you what, grease at 350 degrees will cure just about all your problems.