Parasitic Fish Infections Ich (Ick or White Spot Disease)

Ich is one of the most common and persistent parasitic diseases found in aquariums. It’s caused when a protozoan attacks and attaches itself to your fish’s body, fins, and gills.

Physical Signs

• White spots on the body and gills
• White spots may join together to form white patches
• Clamped fins

Behavioral Signs

• Labored breathing. Your fish may gasp for air at the surface or stay by the filter to try and get more oxygen.
• Loss of appetite
• Your fish may rub up against objects in the tank

Potential Causes

A major cause of this disease is sudden temperature drops. This can happen during colder winter months or if replacement water is at a lower temperature.

Outbreaks can also occur when you introduce that were incubating the disease into a poorly-maintained aquarium. As well as decorations or plants that are carrying cysts of the parasite.

Possible Treatments

Once the parasites establish themselves in your aquarium, it’s difficult to control because of the rate they reproduce. If you don’t control it, there’s a 100% mortality rate. So it’s important you act fast.

Because the disease is so common, you can easily pick up medication from your local aquatic shop or online. Follow the instructions carefully and always remove carbon from your filter when medicating.

Combining aquarium salt (not table salt) to increased temperatures will further effectively kill off Ich. Salt can disrupt the fluid regulation of Ich and helps your fish’s natural mucus or slime coats to protect it from the parasite.

You should also use other treatments alongside medication. Turning up the water temperature to as high as 30°C/86°F (if your fish can tolerate it), as this will help speed up the life cycle of the parasite.

Author – modestfish