Unusual fish with leucism reeled in from Vermont pond
WeirdNews
"It doesn't happen often in fish, so this is a very special catch."
VERMONT (Web Desk) - Wildlife officials in Vermont said an odd-looking fish that appeared to be frozen was in fact alive and has a condition called leucism.
Photos of the chain pickerel reeled in by Caden Hurley at Sabin Pond in Woodbury went viral after observers pointed out an unusual coloration that made the live fish look like it had been kept in a cooler in direct contact with ice for several hours.
Vermont Fish and Wildlife said the fish is actually perfectly healthy, but it has a condition called leucism.
"Leucism is a pigment condition that affects some of an animal's cells, resulting in pale color that may be patchy or nearly complete across the body," officials wrote in a Facebook post.
The post said the fish had normal-colored eyes for its species, indicating it has leucism and not "true albinism," which would mean a complete lack of pigment in the fish's entire body.
"It doesn't happen often in fish, so this is a very special catch," VFW said.
