Ick - At one point in your fish's life you'll probably have to deal with Ick, or Ichtyopthirius. Which ever you choose to call it, these little lice like parasites will attach themselves to your fish causing irritation and extreme discomfort. They will reproduce inside your tank and the young will attach themselves to your fish eventually killing your fish. Like most harmfull things, Ick is always in your tank. However, stressfull times, poor water conditions, and already ill fish all contribute to contracting Ick. This is a very very common illness and so it has a million cures. Different products can be bought all at different price ranges so your best bet would be to go to the local pet shop
Description:
Ichthyophthirius multifiliis is a ciliated parasite that occurs in aquarium and wild freshwater fish. This parasite causes a common disease in fish known as ich. Trophozoites contain a large macronucleus that nearly encircles the entire micronucleus. It has several contractile vacuoles, and a cytopyge is located at the anterior end. This parasite spreads vary easily in aquariums; therefore, it is not wise to feed wild fish to aquarium fish nor to keep wild freshwater fish as pets with aquarium fish. Most fish are susceptible to infection.
Life Cycle:
Mature trophozoites form pustules in the skin of the host. When a pustule ruptures, the freed trophozoites spread throughout the water and eventually settle to the bottom of the aquatic environment. The cilia of the trophozoite secrete a thick cyst coating around the trophozoite, which undergoes a series of divisions, producing hundreds (maybe thousands) of cells. The daughter trophozoites, or swarmers, leave the cyst to search for a host. Swarmers have a tear-drop shape in which the pointed end contains a penetration apparatus. They can survive for as long as 96 hours without a host. Once a host is discovered, the swarmer burrows under the scales and into the epidermis of the fish with its anterior end, where it matures.
Pathology:
The parasite affects the fish in two ways:
1. It irritates the epidermal layer by increasing the fish's production of mucous.
2. It interferes with gas exchange by attaching to the fish's gill filaments (where oxygen enters the blood).
Diagnosis:
Usually white spots and pustules are obvious by visual inspection throughout the skin of a fish infected with ick. In addition, a gill biopsy may be used to determine infection. These parasites are large (trophozoites are 1 mm in diameter).
IMO the best way to get rid of this nasty ick.
1-Move the infected fish into a new clean tank !!! This tank must be clean and with no gravel (as gravel will give ick a chance to attach itself until a new host is found)
2-Where possible increase temp to about 30 deg this will help speed up the life cycle of this parasite – down from the average of 96 hours
3-(treat tank with chosen product ..)I use as a Treatment:
diluted formaldehyde, malachite green, or methylene blue to the water.
4-Make sure filter that u use has no activated carbon as it will absorb most of the above treatments
5-Make good water changes every day 30- 50% this water must also be treated
The above have saved many fish for me in the past and lots $$$$$$$$$$$$$
Good luck
Note: in most cases it’s a steep drop in water temp that brings these guys into attack as your fish is shocked and the lower temp make them more susceptible to the infection.
A notorious on-bringer of this are also loaches like clowns loaches people mostly purchase these guys and stick them first thing in an established tank..WRONG
As with most loaches they have very small scales and don’t handle dramatic lower water changes and since they are the ones closest to the ground they usually are the first to carry the disease and also the first to die!!!!!
