Soft plastics and fish health

[Yab Man]

Hello all,
After I cleaned out a grunter I found he had plastics still in his belly,

has anyone seen anyinfo on the effects that soft plastics have on the fishes health?

It can't be good for them to be eating plastics, or even trying to digest them?

[chief 1]

That's a good point,i don't think there is much wrong with it but i guess it could have an effect,but i don't think it would be anything major

[oldboot]

Ahh well that would depend on what sort of plastic it was.

One of the major brands is in fact a protein based plastic so one would expect the fish should be able to digest it...... that brand is biodegradable.


the otheres, well.......... one hopes that "too will pass."

cheers

[BARRAkid]

They are fine with barra i know that :)
I fished for my pet barras with a piece of line and a plastic.
Some times they rip the plastic off and swallow it and they are fine after a few days the piece of plastic is floating.
They seem to love it i could sit there all day and they will still try to eat it :D

[NAGG]

Hello all,
After I cleaned out a grunter I found he had plastics still in his belly,

has anyone seen anyinfo on the effects that soft plastics have on the fishes health?

It can't be good for them to be eating plastics, or even trying to digest them?

As opposed to the nutritional value of a bait with a steel hook in it ::) ..... unless they have an iron deficiency;)

On a serious note , though ...... I guess there must be plasticisers (PVC) or catalysts (silicone) .... which may have some long term effect :-/

Gulps ... shouldn't be a problem

Nagg

[Yab Man]

auuuu next time I buy plastics I'll be sure to get the right ones
thanks for the input

[Local_Guy]

fishes version of a stress ball.

[GPB]

Research on the biodegradables show it takes over 12 months to 'dissolve', of coarse it is better than normal SP's but still not good :( . How fast it can break down in the fish's stomach, not known :-/ .

[Poodroo]

How often have we cleaned our catch and emptied the stomach contents to find small fish, bits and pieces of crustacians which also includes pieces of shell? Sometimes I am amazed that fish can stomach some of the things they devour but they do. By comparison I doubt that small bits of soft plastic will cause any ill effects. If they can pass shells through their system then a soft bit of plastic should not pose as any problems either. I always use gulps because firstly they work and secondly they are biodegradable.

Poodroo