Male Bass in Potomac Producing Eggs 52
Shakrai writes "The Washington Post is carrying a story about how male bass in the Potomac river are actually producing eggs. The source of this interesting phenomena is currently unknown. Scientists are speculating that it may have something to do with chicken estrogen left over in manure or perhaps even human hormones dumped in the river from sewage treatment plants. Scientists aren't sure if the affected fish are still able to reproduce and the long-term repercussions of this find are unknown."
Re:WTF? (Score:3, Interesting)
This has got to be one of the strangest things i've ever heard of. lol
I dunno. When I read the part about "human hormones" possibly being to blame I immediately thought of unused birth control pills/patches being to blame. I told my girlfriend not to flush her used patch down the toilet the last time we stayed in WV.... ;)
Re:WTF? (Score:5, Informative)
Other oestrogenic endocrine disruptors include soy products (esp. after metabolization of genistein and daidzein into equol by the intestinal flora), heavy metals (esp. Cadmium; though I suspect hair metal could have some effect along the same line), many phytosanitary chemicals (DDT was a prime exemple, but atrazine and pyrethrenoids aren't bad either), as well as a whole lot of chemicals containing one or several phenol groups.
Re:WTF? (Score:2)
We definitely need a ban on Motley Crue and Poison, then.
Re:WTF? (Score:2)
Oh no! (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Oh no! (Score:1)
Politely pass on bass caviar if offered.
Re:Oh no! (Score:2)
Re:Oh no! (Score:1)
I, for one.... (Score:1, Funny)
shock (Score:3, Funny)
Re:shock (Score:2)
Hollywood just announced... (Score:3, Funny)
It's all your fault. (Score:2, Interesting)
Why is it that strange behavior (or what seems strange to us) is always seen as unnatural, and somehow our fault? Even the people looking into this case seem to be jumping to the conclusion that it is a pollutant, but in the same sentance they say that they don't really know what's causing it.
IIRC, there are a few species of
Re:It's all your fault. (Score:4, Insightful)
o Male fish producing eggs.
o Only observed in Potomac.
o Potomac is polluted as all get out.
They're going on what they know. It's not like their being dishonest by concluding that pollution is the culprit without enough evidence. They've come right out and said, we don't know, but this is our best guess.
Not only Potomac. (Score:1)
This BBC story [bbc.co.uk] is the source quoted in the under reported story.
At least the BBC clearly says that a 5 year study concluded what is immediately obvious (it is human waste causing the problem) as opposed to some spin related to chickens.
I'd wager all major urban centers are affected by this.
I recal the local newspaper (Toronto Star) saying estrogen like hormones are detectable in the drinking water, (but the Star is a net
Re:It's all your fault. (Score:2, Insightful)
Why is it "bad science" to speculate that this bizarre phenomenon is our fault? While I do gather from the article that they only suspect that these male fish producing eggs is a result of pollution, can any good ever come of polluting the environment with poultry manure or "processed sewage" ?
Even the people looking into this case seem to be jumping to the conclusion that it is a pollutant, but in the same sentance they say that they don't really know what's causing it.
I don't know exactly which sen
Yeah, it's a new SPECIES! (Score:4, Interesting)
Yeah, the Potomac is famous for its purity. So despite the fact that it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, in all probability it is actually a fish-frog hybrid.
It's not as if we have any scientific [mindfully.org] evidence [findarticles.com] that human-created pollutants like chemicals released by common household plastics [007b.com] can produce weird hormonal reactions [altpenis.com] in humans and animals. By the way, please stop chewing on your pen, Bobby.
Re:It's all your fault. (Score:2)
Funny answer:
Maybe these particular bass cross bred with some frogs.
God I've love to see a fish try.
Re:It's all your fault. (Score:1)
God I've love to see a fish try.
I run a fish/frog porn site that only cost a moddest 4.95 a month. If you're interested checkout the free tour at http://www.fishfuckingfrogs.com/freetour.html
Let me know what you think
Re:It's all your fault. (Score:2)
Fish aren't the only things with this problem.... (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Fish aren't the only things with this problem.. (Score:2)
Re:Fish aren't the only things with this problem.. (Score:1)
Fish aren't the only things with this problem...
yes... why, just the other day, I began to sobb for no apparent reason what-so-ever. surely I'll be producing eggs any day now.
Fish susceptibility (Score:1)
But did you ask if it was NORMAL? (Score:5, Interesting)
In this case, it's much worse than that. The fish's testicular tissue is claimed to have produced eggs, but you might notice that the article didn't mention anything about the morphological changes required to become a functioning female. If you began producing ova in your nuts would that make you female in any meaningful sense of the word, or just ill?
This phenomenon needs to be analyzed, the cause identified and stopped. If we don't do this, we're going to lose things starting with the fish, and continuing up to ourselves - and if this doesn't worry you, spend some time looking up the literature on hormone mimics, phthalate and the other disturbing stuff that gets to us in eerie ways like leaching out of baby bottles.
Sweet. (Score:2)
Re:Sweet. (Score:2)
Super Bass-o-Matic '76 wins again.
Bass Ale (Score:3, Funny)
Sorry, I can't take it anymore... (Score:1, Offtopic)
Re:Sorry, I can't take it anymore... (Score:2)
I would have thought sewage in the Potomac... (Score:2, Funny)
" long-term repercussions"... (Score:2)
Maybe we can do an on-location production of Das Rheingold...
Not surprised (Score:1)
Interesting... but... (Score:1)
Aquaman can do more than just talk with fish! (Score:2, Funny)
I, for one, welcome our new fishman overlords!
Re:Aquaman can do more than just talk with fish! (Score:1)
Bonus! (Score:2)
They Dropped Us The Hormones (Score:4, Funny)