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White
Spots Disease of Marine Fish:
Topics on this page What is White Spots Disease? 1. White Spots Disease is often called ick or ich. 2.The actual parasite is cryptocaryon irritans. Symptoms of Ich 1. Fish display tiny white spots, about the size of salt granules on their fins and bodies. 2. Spots seem to multiply as time progresses. 3. Fish may show itching or scratching. 4. Fish may dart or take off in quick spurts for no apparent reason. 5. The fish may have a slowed rate of breathing or slightly unbalanced equilibrium. How Ich Reproduces 1. The microscopic parasite attaches to fish. 2. The tiny hooks of the parasite that grab onto the fish cause minute tears in the fish skin. 3. The ich cysts feed off the fish for about 24 hours. 4. The cysts grow from the nutrients of the fish to become visible white spots. 5. The spots drop off the fish and fall into the substrate. 6. The fallen cysts multiply 10 to 100 fold by producing microscopic, free-swimming young. 7. The free-swimming young have about 24 hours to find a host before they die. 8. The ich cyst young attach to the fish, eventually appearing as several white spots. 9. The cycle continues until fish are overcome and die. Why Fish Get Ich 1. Fish naturally harbor the parasite. 2. Poor water quality, sudden tank temperature changes, inadequate nutrition, or fighting with other fish cause stress on fish. 3. Weakened or stressed fish have low resistance and cannot fight off normal attacks. Safely Cure Ich 1. Use a product called Stop Parasites or Biospheres AntiBacteria for treatment, following directions exactly. Beware! Many aquarists will observe improvement in their fish within 24 hours of treatment, leaving the impression that ANY medicine is working. However, this is the point where the cysts have merely dropped off in order to reproduce. Continue treatment. With insufficient treatment, the cysts will multiply and attack the fish with greater numbers than ever! 2. Reduce or completely turn off lighting during treatment.
3. Slowly elevate tank temperature during treatment.
4. Slowly lower the specific gravity to 1.016.
5. Vacuum the tank substrate to remove fallen cysts and prevent their reproduction. 1. Advanced cases of ich leave many microscopic injuries on the fish. 2. The shredded fish flesh is prone to secondary bacterial infection. 3. Fish skin may begin to slough off at this point. 4. Tetracycline treatment will cure the bacterial infection and allow injured fish skin to heal. About Stop Parasites 1. Stop Parasites is a hot-pepper, mint based liquid. 2. It is fish, reef, invertebrate, and even human safe. 3. It is non-carcinogenic. 4. It causes the fish’s slime coat to slough off at an accelerated rate. 5. Ich cysts are not given an opportunity to attach to a fish host. 6. The Ich cycle is broken because the parasite cannot nourish itself and reproduce. 7. Sources for Stop Parasites:
About Biospheres Antibacteria 1. Contains Sulfadimidine and Tremethoprim. 2. Anti-bacterial as well as anti-parasitic. 3. It also clears mouth fungus, fin and tail rot, popeye, dropsy, and ulcers. 4. Prevents reinifections during treatment. 5. Dramatically clears ich within three days of treatment. 6. Sources for Biospheres AntiBacteria:
Treatment for Brackish Puffers The treatment for brackish puffers seems almost the opposite of marine recommendations. The following treatment was applied by at least one member of Cowfish, Puffers, and More with success. This is particularly impressive because her fish was in an intermediate to advanced state of ich, and was no longer eating, nor swimming normally. 1. INCREASE the brackish water specific gravity until it approaches marine levels. 2. Elevate the temperature the same as for marine treatment. 3. Feed fresh garlic piece to the fish during treatment. It is recommend to hold the garlic in a food clip that the fish can find easily. 4. Use ich medication of choice, and perform 25% water changes for the duration of the treatment. 5. Keep reduced lighting. |
