Ich
Ick
/white spot disease
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•Symptoms
-small white spots on the fish’s body, which can resemble grains of salt
-possible rapid breathing
-lethargy
-flashing (quickly rubbing against things)
Basic info
Treatment:
Main tank
-Very contagious, most likely all your fish have it. -larvae free floats in water
Hospital tank
If you’re using copper based medication‘s consider a Hospital tank. Copper can mess with bacteria and can harm scaleless fish.
Illness:
Parasitic
Infects:
Fresh and salt vertebrates
Cause:
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•Stress
Stress can weaken the immune system, opening the body for issues.
Stressful conditions:
-aggressive tank mates
-poor water quality
-low oxygen
-improper diet
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•Infected fish/plants
Ich is heavily contagious so be sure to quarantine your fish.
Plants can sometimes have free floating larva
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•Infected environment
Ich has a free floating stage, meaning they are in the water column sometimes.
Cure:
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•How to prevent
-Quarantine new fish
-Keep good water quality
-Keep a stress-free environment
-Don’t use pet store fish bag water
-Disinfect equipment to not spread
•How to help
-Keep stress to a minimum e.g tannins
-Up aeration if poor
-Raise water temperature to speed up ichs life cycle (stay within tank stocks comfortable range)
-Maintain good water quality
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Blue texts are
product links!
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•Malachite green
Hospital tank
Medications:
-Malachite green is effective against protozoan, parasites. It damages, the parasite cell membrane, and disrupts DNA replication. Prolonged exposure can harm fish. May stain tank lining. DO NOT USE THIS VIA FISH FOOD
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•Copper
Medications:
‼️Toxic to invertebrate and scaleless fish (e.g snails, shrimp, loach, corys)
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•Other treatments
Medications:
These may be less effective
Deep dive
Saltwater can get it too, but it’s technically not ich. It’s a different species.
Freshwater ich:
Ichthyophthirius multifiliis
The name comes from Ichthyophthirius multifiliis.
Saltwater ich:
Cryptocaryon irritans
Life cycle:
(Salt and fresh)
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Trophont stage:
Parasitic stage, this is when we’re attached to the fish. During this they feed on the fish’s body. (3-7 days)
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Protomont stage:
Detach from the fish and drops into the substrate. (Hours to a day)
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Tomont stage:
Creates a protective cyst wall around itself. Then produces hundreds to thousands of daughter cells called Tomites. (10-20 days)
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Theront stage:
The Tomites grow into the theront sage, which is when they go and find a host. They have 24 to 48 hours to find one or they die.
Eukarya - cells have a nucleus
Chromista - plastids contain chlorophyll / surrounded by four membranes
Ciliophora - has hair-like organelles
Oligohymenophorea - Class of single-celled organisms
Hymenostome - Order of single-celled organisms
Ichthyophthiriidae - Parasitic species of protozoan
Ichthyophthirius -
Prednisone parasite: a single celled organism that relies on a host and causes disease
