In freshwater, ich is known as ichthyophthiriasis. [1] X Research source In saltwater, ich is known as cryptocaryon irritans and is often confused with other parasites that produce white spots. Saltwater ich can take longer than freshwater ich to replicate but only have 12 to 18 hours to find a host before they die as opposed to freshwater ich which can last up to 48 hours without a host.
Incorrect water temperatures and bad water quality. Other tank inhabitants. New tank inhabitants. An improper diet. Shipping and handling of fish during transport Your own home environment, especially if your home is prone to loud noises, banging or shaking doors, or have a lot of traffic around the tank.
White spots on the body and gills of fish. The spots may even join together to form white patches. Sometimes, the ich is only found on the fish’s gills. Excessive flashing. Your fish may excessively rub against plants or rocks in the tank in attempt to get rid of the parasites or because the disease is causing the fish irritation. Clamped fins. This means your fish constantly folds its fins against its body instead of letting them fan out and rest freely by its sides. [3] X Research source Laboured breathing. If your fish is gasping at the surface of the water or hovering near the tank’s filter, it’s probably suffering from a lack of oxygen. The ich on its gills makes it difficult for your fish to absorb oxygen from the water. Loss of appetite. If you fish is not eating or spitting back out its food, this may be a sign of stress and disease. Reclusive behaviour. Animals often hide when they’re feeling ill and any change in normal behaviour is often a sign of stress or disease. Your fish might hide out in the decor or not be as active as usual.
Trophont stage: This is when the ich parasite is visible on your fish. It burrows under your fish’s mucus coating forming a cyst which protects it from chemicals so that any treatment becomes ineffective. In a typical tank with a temperature of 75 to 80ºF (24 to 27ºC), the trophont stage or feeding stage will last a few days before the fully developed cyst drops off the fish. Tomont or tomite stage: At this stage, treatment of ich is possible. The parasite or tomont will float for several hours in the water until it attaches itself on a plant or some other surface. Once attached, it begins to divide or replicate rapidly inside the cyst. In a few days, it will burst open and new organisms will start swimming out in search of a new host. Freshwater tomont can replicate as fast as 8 hours while saltwater tomont may take up to 3 to 28 days to replicate. Thermonts or swarmer stage: Freshwater swarmers must find a host or fish within a 48 hours or it will die while saltwater swarmers only have 12 to 18 hours. For this reason, one way to ensure a tank is clear of ich is to leave it uninhabited for a week or two.
Never increase the temperature of your tank drastically. This can stress your fish and some fish do not tolerate higher temperatures. Most tropical fish are can withstand temperatures as high as 86ºF (30ºC). Always consult your tropical fish expert or learn about your fish to find out what temperatures they can tolerate.
Make sure that the other fish in the tank can handle the higher temperatures beforehand. If your fish can handle temperatures higher than 86ºF (30ºC), raise the temperature to 89ºF (32ºC) for 3 to 4 days and then decrease it back to 86ºF (30ºC) for another 10 days. Be sure your tank has enough oxygen or aeration as water holds less oxygen at higher temperatures. At the same time, you can treat the water with salt or medicine everyday. Always be sure your fish can handle a rise in temperature. Observe how your fish react to a slowly heating tank or read up on how high of a temperature your fish can tolerate.
Decrease the water level so that when your filtered water hits the surface, it creates more oxygen. Place more airstones in the tank or move them closer to the surface of the water. Use bubble disks to create bigger bubble streams. [4] X Research source Use powerheads to not only increase oxygen but also improve water movement in the tank. [5] X Research source
Use aquarium salt that is specifically design for fish and not table salt which is not iodine-free. Never use medication along with salt and heat as the salt and medication can react and restrict oxygen within the tank. Change 25% of the tank water every few days and only add the correct amount of salt to water taken out. However, if the treatment is over, do partial water changes but don’t add anymore salt.
If water changes stress your fish, decrease the amount of water or frequency that you change.
Always perform a water change and vacuum your gravel before you administer the medicine. Medicine is more effective in a clean tank without other dissolved organics or nitrates to get in the way. Always remove the carbon from your filter as the carbon can neutralize or entrap medicines added to the tank.
Always follow the instructions on the product. Remove the carbon from your filter as the carbon can neutralize or entrap medicines added to the tank. Copper combines with calcium carbonate or magnesium carbonate based rocks, sand, and gravel so be sure to only use copper in a bare tank. Copper is highly toxic for invertebrates, reefs, and plants. Separate invertebrates, reefs, and plants and treat them with other safe methods.
Malachite green: Similar to chemotherapy in humans, malachite green works to damage all cell’s ability to produce energy which is vital for metabolic processes. This chemical doesn’t differentiate from a fish’s cell to the cell of an ich parasite. Formalin: Formalin kills microorganisms by reacting with a cell’s proteins and nucleic acids which alter the cell’s function and structure and often used to preserve biological specimens. It can damage your filter system, deplete oxygen levels and kill invertebrates or weaker fish.
Some fish have very good immune systems and may just act as carriers to the disease. By introducing a carrier to ich, you are exposing your resident or current tank inhabitants to ich who may or may not have similarly strong immune systems as your new fish.
When you add new fish to a quarantine tank or any tank, never add the water it was previously in into your aquarium. This reduces the likelihood of transferring tomites into your tank.
If you can’t afford multiple nets, sponges, and cleaning tools, allow for each item to completely dry before using it on another tank. Ich cannot survive in a dry environment.
