What killed “Splash”

  • dtro
    Inactive
    Jordan
    Posts: 1501
    #1220016

    Dr. Andy Gluesenkamp, a skeletal preparator for the Texas Natural Science Center (TNSC) in Austin, and his colleagues have discovered what probably killed “Splash,” the former world record blue cat: severe damage to bone in its jaw area.
    Gluesenkamp noticed the damage while “skeletalizing” the 121.5-pound Lake Texoma cat caught by Cody Mullennix of Howe, Texas, on Jan. 16, 2004, after its death.
    “It’s hard to tell if the injury was a break that got infected, or if the bone became so infected it simply fell apart,” he says. “She sustained that injury a long time ago. The bone basically rotted away. I would not be surprised if that was where she took the hook, and bacteria got inside the bone. I’m not a fish veterinarian, but I would bet dollars to doughnuts that the injury was what killed the fish.”
    An examination of the bones by Dr. Dean Hendrickson, Curator of Ichthyology for TNSC, confirmed Gluesenkamp’s suspicions. “Andy was definitely right. Splash clearly had a nasty infection that had been festering for some time,” Hendrickson says.
    Hendrickson’s analysis showed that the damage occurred in an area where two bones join. “This area is called the hyoid arch and is between the lower jaw and the gills,” he explains. “The arch is involved in creating the pumping action that keeps water flowing over the gills and the strong suction used for predatory feeding. Infection from the injury apparently penetrated the bone and consumed it. At some point blood loss would have been extensive. While we don’t know for certain that the initial injury was due to being hooked, that seems to be the most likely explanation.”
    Presently Gluesenkamp and Jessica Rosales, Ichthyology Collection Manager for the Texas Natural History Collections, are working to prepare Splash’s skeleton for display at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center.
    Following hand removal of as much flesh as possible from the bones, the skeleton was placed in plastic tubs with larvae from dermestid beetles. These flesh-eating insects, which are also found on the floor of bat caves, are the most effective way of removing all the flesh from a skeleton. “Splash probably has 5,000 to 10,000 beetles on her right now,” Gluesenkamp says. “We’ve never worked on a fish this large. We had to delay the start of work until we built up our beetle colony to be sure we had enough to do the job.”
    Once Gluesenkamp and the beetles finish their work, Rosales will rearticulate the skeleton—put it back together with hot glue, posed in a lifelike position. “It takes time, patience and modeling clay in addition to lots of hot glue,” he says. “I estimate it may take a week of painstaking work to put the skeleton back together.”
    “Splash had such an impact on TFFC,” says Allen Forshage, director of the East Texas facility. “Her first year here she increased our visitation by 43 percent. She was an amazing fish to look at. She would look at you eye-to-eye from her home in the dive tank. Her death saddened everyone here at the center, plus we had inquiries from around the country about her death. The findings about the hooking injury helped us understand why she died so quickly after we moved her in December 2005 because of repair work on the dive tank. We are going to add a new display which will have her replica (done by Lake Fork Taxidermy) and a really unusual display of her skeleton, thanks to the work now being done at the Texas Natural Science Center.”
    Gluesenkamp says working on Splash has been the highlight of his career. “I have to say it’s been really exciting. I saw photos of that fish in the arms of the man who caught her, and to be involved with that fish two years later is a joy. I am really thankful to be able to work on a fish with celebrity status. Splash: Everyone knows her name.”

    mplspug
    Palmetto, Florida
    Posts: 25026
    #483654

    Great, now we can’t use hooks!

    That’s too bad. I wonder with every fish that I release if it is going to make it. Even with good hooksets, I wonder is it going to get infected or did I keep her out of the water too long while removing the hook. With other species like bass, it really bugs me when I hook an eye or through the gillplate. Fortunately, all the cats I have caught have been in good places.

    RIP Splash and may your genes continue to propogate with the generations of fish you have produced!

    larry_haugh
    MN
    Posts: 1767
    #483837

    Interesting article. I had seen that one a little while back.
    It makes you think about the fish with the Cleft pallet that Brian K. Caught on the MN earlier this year. (the one with the Y whisker). If that fish was hooked at one time and then had its jaw broke or stringerd. It didnt look infected but it was an interesting site on the fish.

    dfresh
    Fridley, MN
    Posts: 3053
    #483902

    Quote:


    Fortunately, all the cats I have caught have been in good places.


    Both of them?

    mplspug
    Palmetto, Florida
    Posts: 25026
    #483936

    Well 2 for 2 is 100%

    david_scott
    Twin Cities
    Posts: 2946
    #483945

    This story has bugged me a lot. It bugs me because the standard way of holding a flathead is by the lower jaw, and I know there is a very low mortality rate for CPR flats..

    But is it as low as I think it is? I have caught the same fish over and over on different outings more than once which proves that at least some fish have no difficulties after being caught. On the other hand, I did have the jaw of a good size flathead break(dislocate?) while I was holding it. You could feel it pop and see the side of the mouth was a little odd. The fish still had plenty of biting pressure on my hand and the mouth seemed to function just fine. I hae caught many fish with akward jaws over time.. so its obvious they do survive at least some of the time.

    How often is it that we land a fish, pick it up for photos, weigh it on a scale, and release it? Just about every respectable fish. Its possible that the jaws could be getting fractured on the scale occasionaly with the smaller surface area suspending the weight of the fish.

    I noticed Brian started weighing fish in the net this year. I am not sure why, maybe because of the difficulty of a large fish flopping off the scale hook, maybe something happened on a scale he didnt like at one time.. I dont know. I see some people trying to go under the V of the gill plate to weigh fish.. that has to be tough on the gills, and likely a higher fatality rate than anything else.

    When a net is handy, I will be weighing my fish in the net. I might even put an extra net basket(without metal loop) in the tackle bag for the purpose of weighing large fish.

    I would hate to learn that I am unknowingly killing a low percentage of the fish I am catching in any way it could be avoided.

    larry_haugh
    MN
    Posts: 1767
    #484132

    Quote:


    This story has bugged me a lot. It bugs me because the standard way of holding a flathead is by the lower jaw, and I know there is a very low mortality rate for CPR flats..

    But is it as low as I think it is? I have caught the same fish over and over on different outings more than once which proves that at least some fish have no difficulties after being caught. On the other hand, I did have the jaw of a good size flathead break(dislocate?) while I was holding it. You could feel it pop and see the side of the mouth was a little odd. The fish still had plenty of biting pressure on my hand and the mouth seemed to function just fine. I hae caught many fish with akward jaws over time.. so its obvious they do survive at least some of the time.

    How often is it that we land a fish, pick it up for photos, weigh it on a scale, and release it? Just about every respectable fish. Its possible that the jaws could be getting fractured on the scale occasionaly with the smaller surface area suspending the weight of the fish.

    I noticed Brian started weighing fish in the net this year. I am not sure why, maybe because of the difficulty of a large fish flopping off the scale hook, maybe something happened on a scale he didnt like at one time.. I dont know. I see some people trying to go under the V of the gill plate to weigh fish.. that has to be tough on the gills, and likely a higher fatality rate than anything else.

    When a net is handy, I will be weighing my fish in the net. I might even put an extra net basket(without metal loop) in the tackle bag for the purpose of weighing large fish.

    I would hate to learn that I am unknowingly killing a low percentage of the fish I am catching in any way it could be avoided.


    Very interesting thoughts you posted FD.
    I used to use a bogga grippers earlier this season and then just went to grabbing most of the Flats by hand. I could see how this might pose some problems with the fish.
    I like the idea of a net, But I really dont like damaging the skin of the fish (IE rubbing on anything remotely abrasive). Even rubber nets leave marks on the fish.
    I havent seen a cradle in real life yet. Seen plenty on TV I like the idea of some sort of bag to give the fish a little more support. I’ll have to think on this a little more.
    Anyone with experience handling lots of Big fish, I;m opne to your thoughts on this topic.
    This is turning into a very interesting thread.

    Brian Klawitter
    Keymaster
    Minnesota/Wisconsin Mississippi River
    Posts: 59992
    #484295

    Good thread guys!

    One thing to consider when there’s concern about using a net…and marks it leaves and slime coat it removes is…

    the wounds a flat gets while spawning. They seem to heal from those well. (Of course I don’t have any data on this…all assumption here)

    Everyone wants a pic of a flat in the “classic” hold.

    Unless they are a little guy, I try to discourage this.

    By the way, my first flat, a 15 pounder was held by the gill plates. The fella I was with said…just hold him by the mouth…after he hit the floor once. Since I didn’t know any better…I picked him up by the plates again.

    The best we all can do is what makes sense to the individual catter.

    I prefer the net and taking a chance on the slime over lifting the big guys by the jaw. Left over hooks come into play on my decision too.

    mplspug
    Palmetto, Florida
    Posts: 25026
    #484309

    I think it’s a good idea to use a net. I would think they could regenerate the slime pretty quick. Plus, when you hold them by the jaw you inadvertantly are brushing off slime here and there anyway. The nice thing about the net is the innards (sp?) weight gets distributed more evenly. Very important with the larger fish who can get internal damage from the sudden weight of being out of the water. But the flip side is I think not netting the smaller fish because the slime coat might be more important to their smaller bodies/ smaller surface area.

    I think it’s safe to say that we all do a good job of taking care of our catch before releasing. This is a good discussion.

    Brian Klawitter
    Keymaster
    Minnesota/Wisconsin Mississippi River
    Posts: 59992
    #484398

    Quote:


    I think it’s safe to say that we all do a good job of taking care of our catch before releasing. This is a good discussion.


    For all the joking around we do in the cat forum, the guys here that contribute are the best at taking care of the fish that they catch. AND teaching newcomers to the sport.

    When I see a cat or a sturgeon held up by the gill plates…I cringe…but remind myself I’ve done it to…it’s all about talking about it and that ends up being education. There will alway be folk that don’t care…but it’s going to be less and less with posts like this.

    I was brought up in a time when the proper way to hold a northern was by the eyes…c&r or not…I think that is gone.

    Take the best care for whatever fish you have a passion for and they will be around for your kids and grandkids.

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