Suikerbos

[ArkEyes]

So after the awesome rains we had this weekend i decided to take a halfday yesterday and to hit the Suikerbos for a few hours. Must say if time was not so limited i would have opted for the Vaal - still so many horror hi-jacking stories in this area.

Aaanyways

Temp was around 22 degrees, Water temp at 17. River was considerably quicker and viz not great. Lots of rock snot made things interesting. All in all though the river looks pretty darn good.

Only a few casts in i got a decent muddie - in the mouth (donated to the local farm worker there in the hopes of educating him on the differences between yellows and the rest)
The barbel were extremely active and spawning in one section.
Got a yellow in a run about 1.5m deep. 1st for the season and a solid reminder of why we just love targetting these fish. Fish was in really good condition.

Just before sundown another yellow absolutely smashed my fly in a run 80cm deep. This one seems to have a rather eina poephoel .. is this due to spawning activity?

[gazzarowan]

nice one meneer...

it probably is due to spawning, but good to see the fish are looking so healthy there...

[Stones]

Hey ArkEyes,

Congrats dude. The poephol thing does look a little different than the norms but this could have been due to an otter or bird.

Ok, as for the fish condition; not the best (still beautiful) but there is black spots, which are cysts caused by metacercaria, and is basically an external parasite. This parasite has a complex life cycle that requires fish-eating birds, snails, and fish at different stages in order to survive. I see this a lot in the rivers, and find them mostly on fish species that aren’t normally found in the flowing waters of rivers such as your tilapia species and some of the minnow species. These cysts are not normally a problem unless they grow in the fish’s eye, which will result in blindness. Snails are the primary hosts of these parasites, fish their secondary hosts, and birds such as herons and kingfishers their final hosts.

Then the fins, also not bad but do suspect some fin rot but looks ok.

[ArkEyes]

Thanks Gazza - I have not forgotten

Shot Stones - I have often (way more than not anyway) seen the black dots on yellows. Could there be another cause?
Also where do you see signs of fin rot?

All out of interest of course

[Stones]

Thanks Gazza - I have not forgotten

Shot Stones - I have often (way more than not anyway) seen the black dots on yellows. Could there be another cause?
Also where do you see signs of fin rot?

All out of interest of course

Hey Ark,

I always thought the black spots were a form of dropsy, which causes the scales to lift and from poor water quality but the experts tell me its the cysts. Still believe it's from the water

Fin rot is a symptom of disease or the actual disease in fish. This is a disease which is most often observed in aquaria and aquaculture, but can also occur in natural populations.

Fin rot can be the result of a bacterial infection (Pseudomonas fluorescens, which causes a ragged rotting of the fin), or as a fungal infection (which rots the fin more evenly and is more likely to produce a white 'edge'). Sometimes, both types of infection are seen together. Infection is commonly brought on by bad water conditions, injury, poor diet, or as a secondary infection in a fish which is already stressed by other disease.

Fin rot starts at the edge of the fins, and destroys more and more tissue until it reaches the fin base. If it does reach the fin base, the fish will never be able to regenerate the lost tissue. At this point, the disease may attack the fish's body directly.

Look, I'm no expert so you may critisize my suspicions but have seen and learnt a few things with my quest in saving the fish. The funny thing is; the experts cant even give me a proper answer all the time...

[Bernard]

Next time you catch a muddy, release it to the river.

[ArkEyes]

Thanks Stones. Knowledge is power they say - appreciate the feedback.

Bernard - I always release fish, however in this scenario the guy lives a stone throw from the water and fishes it daily for supper. I would much rather give him a muddie/barbel/carp/bass then have him running jigging lines through spawn areas or any area for that matter.
Some people might never appreciate how prized our endemic species are but unfortunately there is not much more you can do than keep trying to educate them.

[Bernard]

Sure, Ive done it too so Im not pointing fingers or anything, and Im not particularly keen to get into a debate here, but I do fail to see how giving the guy a muddie is turning him into a better conservation steward.

[caranx]

I've caught a largie with quite a prominent black spot. Is this also some type of cyst?

[Stones]

I've caught a largie with quite a prominent black spot. Is this also some type of cyst?

Hey caranx,

Definitely looks like it, although I have not seen one that size.....interesting