Parasite, fungi cause fish sick in Australia's Queensland harbor

A fungal disease and a parasite are making fish sick at a central Queensland harbor in Australia, the Queensland Government agency Fisheries Queensland said on Friday. Fishing in Gladstone's harbor has been banned for three weeks after fish were found with sores and cloudy eyes. Fisheries Queensland General Manager of Habitat and Assessment John Robertson said initial test results identified two conditions: red-spot disease and a parasite. Robertson said red-spot disease is endemic in Queensland and usually occurs either during winter months when the immunity of the fish is lower, or following the first heavy rainfall of the wet season. "It is typically caused by a fungus and often occurs in fish when they are under stress," Robertson said He said more research was needed into the parasite, which affected the eye of the fish. "We now know that this parasite is what has been causing the cloudy eyes in some barramundi in the area," he said. "We still have more to learn about this condition and how it is affecting fish within the area." More tests are being conducted on fish, prawns and mud crabs from Gladstone's harbor.