Please help ID this fish!

[Master Zero]

Ok so today I went fishing and caught the fish below. It might be some sort of a tout, but I am unsure. I also spotted what looks like a worm, passing through its dossal fins, near the end, could be a parasite. You can clearly see in from both pictures below. What are your recommendations on how to get rid of this hitchhiker? And can someone give me a positive ID for this fish?

 

[Dangerdoll]

Looks like what we call "Sunfish" in Jersey. If that is a parasite on him, get rid of it...I suggest due to the size, tweezers may help.

 

[mellowvision]

I can't even imagine trying to hold a fish and remove a worm with tweezers.... I don't think I could do it.

 

[DaisyTattoo]

I've held a goldie and used tweezers to get a stuck rock out of its mouth. Rubber gloves are a God send when you have to do something like that.

 

[Nolapete]

Belongs to the perch family and likes cooler waters than your angel does. 70-72. Definitely remove the parasitic worm from his dorsal. You really shouldn't keep him unless you can provide him with a large tank and lots of live critters to eat like crickets, earthworms, small fish, etc.

 

[southpaw]

Might want to check your local wildlife laws aswell... You might be breaking them by keeping a wild fish without some sort of permit...but I could be wrong

 

[Alestro Bakai]

If you seriously want to perform surgery (or well, in this case tweezery) on a fish, I suggest using clove oil.

How to sedate fish using clove oil

 

[FishyMatty]

Its a sunny. or sunfish. Do you also realize how bad of an idea that was putting it in with your fish. Other then the fact that you can see a parasite with your eyes and you introduced it into your tank and not to mention the countless other bacteria that could have come with it. And you cant keep it with your angle, sunnies are cold water fish.

 

[enrique4jc]

It's definitely something from the Sunfish (Centrarchidae) family. It is a coldwater fish, and as was stated above, probably came with its own special collection of bacteria and parasites. Be careful with your other fishy friends. It will be a very messy fish in your aquarium as well. I think its cool to want to house it, but I'd want to put it in a different tank. Also, as stated above, check the laws to make sure its legal for you to keep it.

 

[Master Zero]

Thanks for the reply, the tank is a 125, but I will be getting a 300 soon, and the temperature is set to around 75. After checking the laws, and quarantining the Sunfish. Would it be a better idea to transfer him to an outdoor pond?