black specks on fish

[Amandafish]

im sure someone would know? i've caught fish with the black spots on there skin and thrown them back but the sunfish we caught today did not have any on the outside but when cleaning them we found them all over in the fillet.i have heard thoose are worms? after the third fish we threw all of them away!thanks for any info. Amanda

[korn_fish]

Amanda - it is not uncommon to see wormy fish. However, cooked there should not be an issue. Im sure someone else will speak up here as well. Its good to be cautious, but I think they were probably still good.

What lake where they from? And did you take any pictures of the meat?

[Amandafish]

they were caught at odowd lake,in shakopee.no i did not take any pics. even if cooked and safe to eat i dont think i could bring myself to eat them every time i took a bite i would think of worms eeewwww

[can it be luck?]

You're going about it all wrong....Think pepper!!

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[This message has been edited by can it be luck? (edited 12-26-2003).]

[89Bronco]

It is fairly common to get those wormy things in pan fish. Like the other post said--if you cook it properly it is fine. It's like a protein boost!

[can it be luck?]

What about those white worms that are in perch? Now those are eeewwwwww!! ......I pick out the ones I can, then eat em anyways.

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[toenail]

Thats what it is called,"black spot".
Its safe to eat fillets with it.
Northerns are commonly found with it.
TonyS

[Guest]

I believe those black spots you were seeing are actually parasites which are passed on via bird droppings. Doesn't that sound appetizing? Actually, if your fish are thoroughly cooked, you won't have any problems. I've never noticed anything different as far as the taste goes.

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DIRTBALL2

[Matt Johnson]

Yep, those black spots are parasites and are safe to eat. The worms are the whiteish-creme colored things. Those black parasites are from the birds and sometimes from the area of the lake the fish are in, like the weeds. Fish that relate heavily to the weeds will have those black parasites thick sometimes. Pumkinseed sunfish will get them bad too.

Good Fishin,
Matt Johnson

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[Tofishem]

Several members of this genus cause "black spot" in fish --- the best known species is Uvulifer ambloplitis. The life cycles of most members of this genus are similar. The definitive host is most often a bird, and the parasite's eggs are passed in the bird's feces. The first intermediate host is a snail, and the second intermediate host is a fish. The fish is infected when cercariae penetrate the skin. The cercariae lose their tails and transform into a stage called the "neascus larva" or "neascus metacercaria." The definitive host is infected when it eats an infected second intermediate host.http://www.biosci.ohio-state.edu/~parasite/uvulifer.html

[Tofishem]

These Neascus spots do not hurt you. Just don't eat the fish as sushi.

[Minnetonka]

The other posters were correct about the neascus. This is a fluke that does not transmit to people. I used to work as a fisheries biologist. You can not show me a fish that does not have a parisite in it somewhere. As long as you cook fish parisites will not hurt you. The only parisite to worry about in Minnesota is a tapeworm.

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Mike

[merc]

The "black spots" will not hurt you, or change the taste or anything. Many lakes you catch fish in have them, Just cook them and eat them, and enjoy!!!

[Steve Foss]

Thanks 'tonka, you took the words right out of my mouth. Doesn't look that appetizing, but won't hurt us. Also, if you're that put off by the white worms, you can flick them out with the tip of your fillet knife.

As for the black spots, I've been eating fillets with those on them for years. No big deal. Well, I HOPE no big deal. I've seen them at one time or another on most species of freshwater fish.

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"Worry less, fish more."
Steve Foss
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[Amandafish]

So what you guys are saying if cooked well the parasites are dead and cant be passed on to you,but you are still eating dead parasites and there eggs!!!Do the worms kill the fish after having them for so long? And does the whole lake population have them? Not sure if I will be fishing there anymore.
Thank you for all the replys.Amanda

[Trany]

As a member of the medical community, parasites are harmless when cooked above the 165^F mark. Almost every parasite will not live above the mid 160's. This is due to the host(aka the fish) not being able to offer a warm and hospitable environment for said parasite. The tape worm was actually used in the turn of the century as a weight loss suplement from the form of the tape worm larva in a pill. That is just a side note. The truth is if you temp it above 165^F you are fine. Most bacteria and parasites will die at the 145^F mark, but the few that can survive are nasty little buggers. When in doubt temp it and if you are still unsure eat around the "spots" and as a final measure if neither of the prior work toss it. Although I hate the idea of people tossing perfectly good fish, a trip to the ER is not the answer to being dumb(reguardless of the situation).

Happy fishing,

Trany

[Amandafish]

I did a search on (neascus) and I found out the black spots are just a change in the pigment on the meat,caused from the parasite.
So now I feel bad for throwing them away.
Amanda