Fungus on perch?

[Cornbread]

Today I caught a perch on lonepine that had a growth on it near its tail that looked like a soft greenish grey mushroom or maybe like super dense moss like what grows on rocks under water in really warm water. I lifted it a bit and it looked like it was growing in a series of lesions on the perch. This perch was in the 10" - 11" range if that helps any. Wish I would have thought to take a picture of it. Has anyone seen anything like this before? If you have, what is it?

[adkRoy]

Its a water mold. Here's a link:

http://botit.botany.wisc.edu/toms_fungi/saprolegnia.html

[missoulafish]

Yuck!

[Cornbread]

Yep that is pretty much exactly what I saw on it. Yuck! Thanks for the link.

[RobG]

I hear when mixed with perch roe it makes an awesome salad.

[curdog]

lol

[missoulafish]

*burp*

[heine]

there are tons of perch in island lake that get that nasty fungus it deforms their scales and bodies sometimes too! I catch a couple each time I go that have these nasty growths

[snotsickle]

Saprolegnia is generally a secondary infection.  It grows on lesions that are caused by bacterial, viral, and/or parasitic infections.  It mostly thrives on dead tissue.  Rough handling and injury to the fish can also open up a spot for the mold to grow.  Maybe those perch got attacked by a northern or something and lived to tell the tale.