Hey Guys, I went snapper fishing over the weekend, and caught one a little over 22 lbs. Got it on ice immediately and cleaned late yesterday. Today I'm just cutting into smaller filets and saw a bunch of these little brown dots. Looks like brown pieces of rice. My wife happend to see me picking one out and now she doesn't want to eat any of this.

I posted this on TFF also, but figured i'd try here too, any idea what these things are they, and is the meat bad?

Some sort of parasites I would think cooking properly would kill everything

Parasites that are normal to adult reef fish! I've never heard of anyone harmed by eating them and unless you eat them raw I'm sure you will never taste any thing but snapper. Eat away!!

Always figured they are some sort of parasite. Just pick them out and cook the fish, you'll be perfectly fine. You could even leave them in if you wanna, cooking or freezing will kill any parasites but good luck explaining that to your wife.

Thanks fellas. Yeah, explaining that will be tough. I guess if she won't eat it, more for me. But that also means she probably won't be making her fish tacos. I'll keep picking out what I can - hopefully she'll forget about it by the time we pull it out of the freezer...

x2

I found them in a snapper I caught once. Picked them out and froze them for a while. They tasted fine.

Just tell her it is bird shot from last years dove season, act like it is no big deal

Bird shot in a snapper...knowing the friends I was with, that just may be a believable story.

Cleaned what I could, all in the freezer now!

Well, if she eats it and finds out, come back and one of us internet lawyers will counsel you, or at least we may be able to help you find a place to stay Secrets are sometimes to the death

i see them often in larger red snappers and amberjack

those worms are safe to eat, just cook and eat

Ling, trout, amberjack, not uncommon for salt water fish

cook and eat

We can let my wife try it first!!!