(Ichthyophthirius multifilis)
Photo Credit: Thomas Kaczmarczyk
Introduction
Freshwater Ich, or simply Ich from this point on in this article, is a ciliate protozoan parasite that is clearly visable to the naked eye. This parasite is very common in all freshwater tanks, as is the saltwater version (Crytocaryon irritans) in that respective environment.
Cause
Ich is most common in tanks which are unstable in some way, or in new specimens which have just gone through a stressful event like shipping or changing tanks. The actual presence of nitrogen and ammonia in themselves do not cause Ich, however, the presence of these in the aquarium lessens the ability of the fish to fight of protozoan outbreaks such as Ich. Abiotic factors such as temperature change and predator-prey interactions or fighting are also cited as stresses which make fish much more susceptible to the disease (Wikipedia, 2012).
*In the context of Piranha keeping, please not that last sentence. Adding feeder fish, which are constantly being chased and stressed, creates ideal conditions for parasites to take hold and reproduce. Even though a healthy Piranha will not succumb to these parasites, they will proliferate under these conditions, and the rotting organic compounds left in the water can causes stress to the Piranha. Always thoroughly clean up your tank after feeding live, and only feed live when necessary.*
Symptoms
Unless you have time, and a powerful microscope, only the whitish nodules on the fishes body will be visible. This, however, is only one part of the Ich life cycle, and this stage is indeed untreatable.
Some common symptoms fish with Ich tend to exhibit are:
- Rapid breathing.
- Scratching on objects, such as wood, decorations, plants, rocks and substrate.
- Loss of appetite, consequentially loss of weight.
- Hiding or separating self from other fish or school.
Photo Credit: United States Fish and Wildlife Service, La Crosse Fish Health Center (2007).
Treatment
General: Treatment of Ich is not an overly difficult process, but one should study each of the methods listed and choose which one of these best suits the aquarium based on the species, the seriousness of the outbreak and the materials on hand.
Many of the medications listed are harsh, and some may use up oxygen in the tank. It is highly recommended to keep a very close watch on water parameters during treatment, and to overaerate the tank being treated. Remove activated carbon when using chemical intervention.
The below dosages are based are the raw medication. Always check the label on the bottle first to guarantee proper dosage.
Below is a format outline guide for the medications list.
Medicinal: Name
- Dosage
- Duration/Frequency
- Comments
Medicinal: Copper
- 0.15-0.3mg/L
- Continuous bath for up to 4 weeks. Monitor with test kit.
- No apparent effect on Nitrogen cycle in FW; effects SW cycle. Harmful to invertebrae and scaless fish. May be noticeably more toxic in fish from softwater than hardwater.
- 0.1-0.2mg/L (Quick bath - 1-2mg/L)
- Continuous bath for several days; may need repeat doses. (Quick bath - One hour, may need repeating)
- May effect freshwater nitrifying bacteria. Closely watch parameters during treatment and be prepared for mini-cycles. Do not overdose. No data for Marine systems. Scaleless fish, such as catfish do not handle this medication well. Only handle stock solutions, never the powder form, as it is highly dangerous when inhaled or ingested.
Medicinal: Malachite Green and Formalin
- 0.1mg/L MG with 25mg/L FN
- Continuous bath for several days; may need repeat doses.
- May effect freshwater nitrifying bacteria. Closely watch parameters during treatment and be prepared for mini-cycles. Do not overdose. Most common combination of medications available in commercial products for the aquarium. Formalin removes oxygen from the water.
Medicinal: Sodium Chloride, or "Aquarium Salt"
- 2-3 table spoons per 5 gallons (Wittig, 2012)
- Continuous bath for about 10 days. Do not remove salt for at least 3 days after the visible parasites are gone. (Wittig, 2012)
- Use in conjunction with a raised heat regiment (see below: Non-medicinal). Overdosing can cause interruptions in the nitrogen cycle. Higher concentrations can be used for Live bearers (especially Mollies), African Cichlids and other hard water fish. Extreme care should be used when adding salt to tanks with softwater fish such as Discus, Catfish, Neons, and other Amazonian Tetras. In such cases, be prepared to do large water changes if an emergency arises. Gradual raising of specific gravity, using a hydrometer, is recommended. Plants may be effected by long term levels of salt in the aquarium water. Planted tanks are best treated using a gradual temperature raising regiment.
Non-medicinal: Heat
- Wittig (2012), in the article "Understanding and treating Aquarium White Spot", claims that temperatures above 75dF in freshwater aquariums will speed up the lifecycle of Ich parasites in freshwater tanks. Wittig (2012) goes on to say that the Ich parasite cannot reproduce above temperatures of 85dF, and that if this level is maintained for several days (rising gradually, 1-2 degrees per hour) that the Ich will be exterminated without need of salt or medications. When using heat as a treatment, be sure that your water is highly oxygenated, and more oxygen is used and needed at higher temperatures.
Prevention
There are many common ways to prevent Ich (and other parasites or pathogens) from reaching your tank. While Ich may be present in some aquariums, and is easily transferred, Dr. Peter Burgess claims that not all tanks have Ich all the time. With this in mind, it is important to reduce the risk of tank infection, and to help keep your fish strong. Here are some steps one can take to reduce the risk:
- Never reuse a net that has been in a tank infected with Ich until the net has been sterilized or dried. Freshwater Ich cannot survive in waters with salt (due to osmotic pressure) and will die if dried out (Neale Monks, Ph.D)
- Feed high quality food and keep aquarium parameters safe and stable (helps the immune system).
- Do not allow "travelling bag water" to enter your systems.
- Never buy a fish that shows any of the symptoms or a fish that is housed in a system connected to an Ich infested tank.
- Dipping your plants in a salt bath (not the roots, only leaves) sterilizes most of the plant, longer quarantine is recommended if possible.
Research
Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia....ius_multifiliis
La Crosse Fish Health Center - http://www.fws.gov/m...Center/Ich.html
[Thread] Piranha Keepers - http://piranhakeeper...44-adding-salt/
Fish Channel - http://www.fishchann...es/pdfs/Ich.pdf
Reefkeeping Magazine - http://reefkeeping.c...08/sp/index.php
University of Perdue - http://www.extension...a/AS/AS-459.pdf
Cichlid-Forum - http://www.cichlid-f...rticles/ich.php
References
Andrews, C., Exell, A. & Carrington, N. (2010). The Manual of Fish Health. ON: Firefly Books Ltd.
Monks, N. Ph.D. (2012). Freshwater Ich: Diagnosis and treatment of Freshwater Ich. Retrieved from:
http://www.fishchann...itions/ich.aspx
United States Fish And WildLife Service. (2009). Ich. Retrieved from:
Wikipedia. (2012). Ichthyophitirius multifilis. Retrieved from:
http://en.wikipedia....ius_multifiliis
Wittig, S. (2012). Understanding and Treating Ich or White Spot. Retrieved from:
http://www.cichlid-f...rticles/ich.php
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