Sweetwater Fishing Forums

General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Capitan Morgan on April 03, 2011, 02:40:40 PM

Title: half gill covers
Post by: Capitan Morgan on April 03, 2011, 02:40:40 PM

Is it common for fresh water fish to have half the gill cover missing? Quite a few I have caught over the last couple off weeks have suffered from this.

Title: Re: half gill covers
Post by: elops on April 03, 2011, 04:05:03 PM

This is something which occurs in cultured/stocked fish.

cheers
Steve

Title: Re: half gill covers
Post by: Capitan Morgan on April 03, 2011, 04:33:59 PM

Thanks, I have been fishing down river from Moogerah. I presume a genetic issue?

Title: Re: half gill covers
Post by: k.hutchby on April 03, 2011, 05:45:24 PM

yeah the missing gill cover syndrome is common in cultured fish, in particular barramundi.  these cover however in barramundi do grow over throughout time, and i have experienced crops in the hatchery with up to 90% of this.  not a major drama.  the cause, is bacteria in the hatching to larval stages, not genetic.  mainly vibrio spp of bacteria which inhibit the movement of the gill cover once developed, once the gill covers atart moving after hatch this tears away the tissue leaving a big hole, so to speak.  in no way doe this inhibit the fishes performance in growth or ability for oxygen exchange.

hope this helps

cheers
kh