What's up with this fish in South Carolina?
It's the stuff of nightmares. Photos of a really odd-looking catfish caught in South Carolina's Lake Cherokee are currently making the usual internet rounds.
The photos of the bulb-headed mass that appears to be a tumor were freaky enough to catch the attention of the South Carolina Department of natural Resources. Now the photos have been sent to the Southeastern Cooperative Fish Disease Project in an attempt to gather more information.
The cause of such a tumor or deformation is as of yet, unknown. But the DNR is also saying such an odd sight isn't that unusual.
"It's not uncommon to see a fish with this kind of problem every now and then," said Ross Self, the DNR Chief of Freshwater Fisheries in a statement on Facebook. "Tumors like this appear to be caused by viruses, environmental factors and other things that may be harmful to humans."
That is also why DNR biologists will now head to the lake where the fish was caught to gather water samples and try to get more information.
For now, the DNR is still encouraging people to keep fishing at the lake. Although, judging by the photos and viral internet response, we wouldn't be surprised to see smaller crowds there for a while.
NEXT: IS THIS BIGFOOT CAUGHT ON A TRAIL CAMERA IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA?
