Carp with white patches?

**MikeH** · 06-23-2012, 10:01 PM

Anyone know what causes the white patches or blotches I am seeing on the Carp I have caught recently?

**MuskieBait** · 06-24-2012, 04:58 AM

Usually signs of stress. Just a guess, they could be bacterial or fungal infection.

Spawning is rough on fish, especially how carp would run along the bottom when they spawn. They could pick up bacteria and fungus doing that while at the same time rubbing off that slime layer.

I did a co-op term with a professor at U of Waterloo one summer and he was looking at fungal infection in carp due to cold water stress. Similar infection could possibly happen to fish, especially this year with the water so warm.

BTW, I visited your pet carp (at you chumming spot

) yesterday...they didn't want to feed in the afternoon....

**MikeH** · 06-24-2012, 06:52 AM

Originally Posted by MuskieBait

BTW, I visited your pet carp (at you chumming spot

) yesterday...they didn't want to feed in the afternoon....

LOL !

Did you try chunks of bread crust under a clear bubble float.....

**MuskieBait** · 06-24-2012, 06:23 PM

No...but good to know. I'll try it next time.

So hard to land any fish from there though...

**tangledline** · 06-24-2012, 11:09 PM

was fishing the don for a couple hours sunday...90 perecent of the carp there were covered in the white......i see small areas on the harbour carp....none on the islands but the don carp look in real bad shape..... saw a 24 inch gar pike in the don 5 feet from me it broke the surface after baby carp....awesome stuff
the carp in the outer harbour do not have the white eigther....do not have an answer yet for you but we are making observations.

**MikeH** · 06-25-2012, 08:32 AM

Originally Posted by tangledline

was fishing the don for a couple hours sunday...90 perecent of the carp there were covered in the white......i see small areas on the harbour carp....none on the islands but the don carp look in real bad shape..... saw a 24 inch gar pike in the don 5 feet from me it broke the surface after baby carp....awesome stuff
the carp in the outer harbour do not have the white eigther....do not have an answer yet for you but we are making observations.

I caught one on the Islands that had a large white patch, and I caught one in OP on the weekend that had a white spot on the top of its head. I did a bit of research on some UK Carp sites and its seems that it may be a fungus, or a reaction to high nitrate levels. The nitrate levels would seem to fit the Don Carp, with the amount if urban runoff in the lower Don.

**tangledline** · 06-25-2012, 03:57 PM

goose / duck / swan / comerant /seagull feces in the water would elevate the nitrate levels....

a culling would help we can have another holiday like thanksgiving....summer bbq duck and swan....

ok i am now putting fish b4 other creatures....this might not be a nice thing....canada goose on the bbq .....mmmmmmm

**MuskieBait** · 06-25-2012, 04:04 PM

A friend of mine hunts and he loves Canada Geese. He would cut out the goose breast and eats them like steaks. I had goose sausages and they are great!