What's wrong with this flat head catfish

[Jamesl]

Caught this flat today but he didn't look quite right. Here are some pics. What is the brown stuff in his mouth? His eyes looked glazed over. We decided not to keep him. Bummer, flatheads are one of my favorite fish.

[2050z]

nasty

[Jamesl]

I apologize about the upside down pics. That is weird, they are not upside down in the folder on my desktop.

[rladner]

[jaker_cc]

Looks like he was put thru the ringer.

[Jamesl]

Maybe he was swallowed by a bigger flathead and spit out. I would still like to know what that stuff in his mouth is.

[sharkhunter]

He's got the "funk nasty" !!

[boh347]

[TRH]

Zombie fish. It has started.

[Muddy Bud]

I have seen big drum and redfish with that type of pigmentation and glazed over eyes. Usually when they are trapped in shallow water that is deprived of oxygen. They get really lethargic, you can walk right up to them and catch them. But the mouth sores are something new to me.

[slomo]

Hmm maybe he fought off an underwater chupacabra..... Haven't seen one like that before

[Jamesl]

I have seen big drum and redfish with that type of pigmentation and glazed over eyes. Usually when they are trapped in shallow water that is deprived of oxygen. They get really lethargic, you can walk right up to them and catch them. But the mouth sores are something new to me.

That would make sense because of all the scratches all over him/her. Gill net?

[old killer]

It's obvious. He is not in hot oil!

[Bluesman]

Looks like he was dying.

[krisw]

Fish aids