Spinach with Yellow Mottling

[Bob Campbell]

I wonder if anyone can help me diagnose this problem I'm having with my spinach.
I suspect either a lack of light, salt burn from treating my fish, or a bug, but I see no bugs.

My spinach leaves are mottled with yellow. 

The orange arrow points to a very small white area that I found behind the stem of a leaf I removed.  It looks like foam.

The underside of this leaf has very small round white spots.  This picture is through a magnify glass.

[Zalinda Farms Inc]

Anyone thinking THRIP?

[Alpine Aquaponics]

It looks suspicious. I am currently diagnosing the same issue: yellow spots on the leaves, followed by eventual wilt and then dead leaf. Look closely along the veins of the leaves and in creases and crevices. Thrips, as I have identified to be the problem tend to hang out in these areas and feed right along the veins. however you can and will find them out on open exposed areas as well.

[Bob Campbell]

After looking at some examples via a Google search I believe you are correct.  Thank you for your help.  Do you have any advice for getting rid of Thrip in an aquaponic system?

Zalinda Farms Inc said:

Anyone thinking THRIP?

[Zalinda Farms Inc]

Possibly Neem Oil...Supposedly Non-Toxic to fish.......Double check that information

Bob Campbell said:

After looking at some examples via a Google search I believe you are correct.  Thank you for your help.  Do you have any advice for getting rid of Thrip in an aquaponic system?

Zalinda Farms Inc said:

Anyone thinking THRIP?

[Bob Campbell]

I found this site that offers a predator mite.  They also offer a nematode, but I believe the nematodes would drown in the aquaponic water.  Click Here

[Alpine Aquaponics]

Nice. I believe the nematodes could thrive in a system, depending on your design application. if using media beds that flood and drain, and your flood level doesnt breech the surface of your media (leaving a dry 2" top layer or so) , you should be fine. i even have a few dozen red wigglers in each of my media beds, and they do very well. It seems like a viable option, especially because down in/around grow blocks is where they tend to pupate.

[Bob Campbell]

I've posted everything I learned since yesterday about Thrip on My Blog.