The white stuff in the fish's belly

Many friends still like fish, so they often buy fish to eat in their lives. If friends find white stuff on the belly of the fish they bought, they should be very careful, because these white stuff may be parasites in the fish. They must be cleaned thoroughly when washing and the fish must be cooked thoroughly.

What exactly is this noodle-like object?

This is a tongue-shaped red worm, which is a parasite of fish. It is common for fish to have parasites in their bodies, and the parasites can be large or small. If they are worm eggs, they are difficult to see with the naked eye. It mainly infects carp, crucian carp, grass carp and silver carp. This parasite will be closely intertwined with the fish's internal organs, causing compression of the fish's digestive tract, liver, spleen and other internal organs, disrupting their normal functions, causing the fish to become emaciated or even die.

Whether there are parasites in fish is related to many factors such as the fish species, growth environment, and parasite prevention measures. If fish swallow water fleas infected with parasites, or if there are parasites in the water they live in, the fish may be infected with parasites.

The dangers of parasites and how to avoid them

Red worm disease is a zoonotic disease. If people accidentally eat fish infected with red worms, they may be infected by the red worms. Once people are infected, they will develop symptoms such as intestinal perforation and parasite anemia. Adult worms can survive in the human body for 5 to 13 years. Because the capsule of the crimson worm eggs is very hard, only high temperature can kill the eggs. Therefore, when citizens find such "living things" in the belly of a fish, they should not eat it hastily, but should process it thoroughly and make sure that the parasites and their eggs are completely removed before eating. Also, remember to cook the fish thoroughly before eating.

When buying fish, pay attention to whether there are red spots on the fish, whether there is any abnormal swelling in the abdomen, and whether there are any abnormalities in the fins, eyes, etc. If so, it means there may be parasites. If you find any "living things" in the fish's belly, it is better not to eat it for safety reasons.

Introduction of tongueworm

The sparganum of the tongue-shaped crimson worm is in the shape of long white ribbons and is commonly known as the "noodle worm". English name ligula sp. The adult parasite lives in the intestines of water birds, mainly gulls, and fish are its second intermediate host. Its eggs are eventually excreted into the water along with the feces of the host gulls, where they hatch into oncogenic larvae. The oncogenic larvae swim freely in the water and are swallowed by a kind of fine-dart water flea, where they develop into procercariae in its body.

After the worm parasitizes in the fish's body, it causes the fish's abdomen to swell. The main reason is that the feces of birds carrying such parasites infect aquatic organisms. The water temperature in summer and autumn is suitable for the growth of such parasites, so this situation occurs. In addition, red worm disease is a zoonotic disease. The worm lays eggs in the body of fish, and accidentally ingesting contaminated fish can cause harm to human health. Therefore, when citizens find such "living things" in the belly of fish, they should not eat them hastily, but should fully process them and make sure that the parasites and their eggs are cleared before eating.