# Leatherjacket parasites.



## Krisyak (Jan 9, 2012)

hey all

i thought you might find this interesting. Caught this leatherjacket awhile back that had a great big parasite eating away at it's insides, I pulled the parasite out and couldn't believe the size of it or how alien it looked :shock: . This isn't the first leatherjacket i've caught with these parasites either. I used to enjoy eating leatherjackets but never again. Has anyone else seen these parasites before or know what there called.


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## john316 (Jan 15, 2009)

looks to be very similar to the bug that is often found in the throat of some trevally.

john


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## Pkat87 (Apr 19, 2011)

That is one of the most disgusting things I have seen, poor little leathery...

Just make sure you properly clean and gut them before cooking I'm sure you would've seen it if cooking them


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## Zed (Sep 18, 2006)

Looks like a type of isopod.


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## prowler (Oct 29, 2009)

I don't know there real name but we always called them fish doctors when we were kids. We often found them in the throat of blackfish as well. Once removed we would eat the fish without any problems. I think they are actually pretty common, especially in fish from the harbour.
Cheers,
Sam.


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## Krisyak (Jan 9, 2012)

Pkat87 said:


> That is one of the most disgusting things I have seen, poor little leathery...
> 
> Just make sure you properly clean and gut them before cooking I'm sure you would've seen it if cooking them


Yeah you would see them well before cooking them, but who knows what they might have done to the flesh of the fish I wouldn't be surprised if they secrete some sort of toxin into the fish so they don't feel there insides disappearing, it's a bit hard to see in the bottom view photo but each one of there legs has a very sharp spike protruding out the end of it. I would never handle these things with bare hands.


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## Squidley (May 8, 2010)

Disappointment at a leatherjacket becomes jubilation as it turns out there's a moreton bay bug for dinner 

I've seen these things in the throats of gar at Coffin Bay, it was surprising how big they were relative to the fish's head. Those gar also had these long red worms under their skin you could pull out and see the skin of the gar move. We ate them all the same, and 14 or so years down the track we're all good


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## bunsen (Jan 2, 2009)

Yep, it's a doctor.
You see them in the throats of everything from slimies and yakkas to kings and marlin.
Pretty harmless I think.


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