Fish Sores

01 Sep 2011

Why do my fish have sores on them? Are they safe to eat? These and other questions about the appearance of game fish in ponds are common throughout the spring and summer months. We will attempt to give answers to these questions and more about the appearance of sores on game fish.

First of all, sores are a separate symptom from parasites, white grubs, and other disorders that may be seen on fish. Sores are ulcerated conditions usually caused by the fish rubbing to remove something, such as fungus or bacterial infections.

Most sores begin with an irritation. This could be caused by a cut or an abrasion or it could be caused by the growth of fungus on the surface of the skin. Either way, once the irritation is dealt with by rubbing the irritated areas against rocks or pieces of wood, bacteria enter these sores or lesions and begin growing and causing more discomfort.

More often than not, if the situation is not complicated by other stress inducing issues, the sores will heal up on their own. However, there are antibiotics and antifungal treatments that can be administered to the fish if it becomes necessary. Fungus grows in water that is organic rich, so if precautions such as Natural Pond Cleaner are used to reduce these nutrients, they could very well head off the likelihood of sores becoming an issue in your fish population.

Sores on fish may be unsightly, but they generally do not make the fish inedible. The bacterial infection is on the surface, not in the meat. However, be sure to cook the fish completely in order to ensure that any bacteria present are killed.

For more information on fish sores contact Sanco.