how do fish get ick, were does it come from and how do you prevent it,?

Question

must be doing something right no ick in my 6 years of keeping fish x

Answer 1

Ick is to fish as what a cold is to humans, pretty much. We carry a lot of viruses, bacteria and fungi around with us all the time. Usually it doesn't bother us until there are so many that it overwhelms our immune systems.

Often, it is brought on by stress, rapid temperature change, etc.. It happens to fish for pretty much the same reasons. The "bug" that causes Ick is everywhere. It's when a fish is stressed that it multiplies and causes illness. I've usually seen this occur when there was a major (10 degrees F or more) and rapid temperature drop or when a fish has been shipped or otherwise transported for a fair distance.

The preventions are 1 - maintain the temperature with a good, quality heater, making sure to keep the aquarium out of direct sun or drafts. (having a larger aquarium helps as it takes longer for the temperature to change with a greater amount of water) 2 - Isolate any newcomers you are planning to add to the aquarium. 3 - Maintain good tank hygiene. Regular partial water changes and no overcrowding.

Answer 2

Lots of answers, some good some bad.
That's because no matter how common ick is, or how well it is understood by science, most aquarium keepers don;t know that much about it really.

Ick is a parasite. It doesn't come from stress, bad water, from the air or anything else of the sort. It doesn't hang around in your tank waiting to attack fish or waiting for stress before it attacks. It's not like a cold or virus, it's a parasite. If you have ick in the tank, it will get on your fish or it will die, that's all there is to it. Without living on a fish, ick dies. You can only get ick in a tank by bringing live ick from another source. Usually that when you buy new fish or plants. Plants don't have ick, but it can be in the water clinging to the plants.

You have obviously done a good job of keeping ick out of your tank. The best way to continue to not have ick is to use a quarentine tank. Any fish you buy goes in there for 10 days - 2 weeks so that you can see it's disease free before adding it to your tank. Plants should go there too so that any ick on them will die from no fish to live on. That's the real way top prevent getting ick.

Also, other here are completely 100% wrong about treating ick. Salt does kill ick as does high heat. 88-90F kills ick. Salt at just 1% in your water kills ick and will not harm the fish. The lie that salt will not kill ick continues to hang around due to ignorance and lack of research. It's been proven in labs across the country and has been well known to fish farmers for decades. Remember: to fish farmers controlling ick is real money, it pays them to get it right. Take 10-15 minutes and do a google search about it, the scientific evidence is there as well as tons of aquarium sites that will tell you the same thing.

Great job handling the most common parasite in fish keeping! Kepp up the good work.

MM

Answer 3

Musicman is wrong about ich. Ich is in most water sources including tap water and not just introduced by other fish since MOST fish stores run UV lights on their filters. Salt does not kill ich this is an old myth that so badly has not gone away. The ich parasite does not like salt, however it does not kill it.

Fish that are stressed or injured are prone to getting ich from the water. Even when you treat your tank, once do a water change new free swimming ich are reentered into the water.

Answer 4

ich is a parasite, like mites on your dog
they are all around even in some drinking water, but fish only get infested with them when they are stressed out

preventing ich is not an easy thing, because changes in a fishes life all can cause ich to attack a fish

but i agree maintaining a contastant temp, and i reccommend strongly quarentine fish before you add them to yoru tanks, it is the best way to keep your fish healthy

Answer 5

Ick is like a virus for fish, My fish had it, Just go to your nearest pet store and get the solution to put in the tank, it works great. Your fish will be better in no time.

Answer 6

What is ich and where does it come from:
Is it white spot disease or is it Ich? You need to know the difference between the two since they are treated differently.

Cryptocaryoniasis, White Spot Disease or Marine Ich is caused by an infestation of the ciliated protozoan Cryptocaryon irritans. Although Cryptocaryon becomes a parasitic organism at one stage in its life cycle like Oodinium and Brooklynella do, and it progesses less rapidly than these other ich diseases, in a closed aquarium system it can reach overwhelming and disasterous numbers just the same if it is not diagnosed and treated upon recognition.

Unlike Oodinium and Brooklynella that typically attack the gills first, which allows these ich diseases to advance into life-threatening levels quickly as they go unnoticed, Cryptocaryon usually appears at the onset as salt-sized white spots visible on the body and fins of a host fish, and when the organisms become parasitic, it is then that they move inwards to the gills. Because crypto is more easily recognized in its beginning stage, this makes it much easier to treat and cure before it gets out of control.

Aside from the appearance of the white spots, fish will scratch against objects in an attempt to dislodge the parasites, and rapid respiration develops as tomonts, mucus, and tissue debris clogs the gills. Fish become listless, refuse to eat, loss of color occurs in patches or blotches as the trophonts destroy the pigment cells, and secondary bacterial infections invade the lesions caused by the trophonts.

Although copper is very effective on Oodinium, and it works well to eliminate crypto organisms in their free-swimming tomite stage, it is not as effective on the Cryptocaryon trophonts that burrow deeply into the tissues of fish. A combination of freshwater and formalin treatments adminstered by means of dips, baths, and prolonged treatment over a period of time in a QT is recommended

Reinfection will occur no matter how effectively the fish have been treated if Cryptocaryon is not eradicated from the main aquarium, which can be accomplished by keeping the tank devoid of any fish for at least 4 weeks. For fish-only aquariums hyposalinity can be applied, and to speed up the life cycle of the organisms, elevate the tank temperature to 85 degrees for 10 days to 12 days. For treating reef tanks, FishVet No-Ich Marine, Ruby Reef Kick-Ich, and Chem-Marin Stop Parasites are Cryptocaryon specific remedies that are said to be "reef safe". Several days prior to returning fish to the main aquarium, clean all filtering equipment, change any filtering materials, and do a water change.

Remember to remove all filters media and turn off protein skimmers when treating for any types of Ich.

Although many over-the-counter remedies contain the general name Ich or Ick, carefully read the product information to be sure it is designed to specifically target and treat "Cryptocaryon"

Brooklynella hostilis - these protozoa reproduce asexually by means of simple binary fission through conjugation, which is why they are able to multiply so much more rapidly than Cryptocaryon (White Spot), and Oodinium (Velvet Ich), and why it can kill fish within a few days and even hours upon recognition

Most similar symptomatically to Oodinium, this too is a parasite that primarily attacks the gills first. At the onset fish may scrap up against objects, rapid respiration develops, and fish often gasp for air at the surface as the gills become clogged with mucus. Fish become lethargic, refuse to eat, and colors fade, but the most noticeable difference that sets Brooklynella apart from Oodinium is the heavy amount of slime that is produced. As the disease progresses a thick whitish mucus covers the body, usually starting at the head and spreading outward, skin lesions appear, and it is not uncommon for signs of secondary bacterial infections to arise.

Suggestions range from copper, malachite green and other remedies, with some recommended being used in conjunction with formaldehyde. However the general consensus is these types of medications are either largely ineffective or do not work at all, and that the best and most effective treatment for Brooklynella is formaldehyde alone. Typically a standard 37% formalin solution (shop & compare prices) is mixed with either fresh or saltwater in a separate treatment container, initially all fish are given a quick dip or a prolonged bath, followed by continued treatment and care in a QT. Of course the longer fish are exposed to the formalin treatment, the more effective it will be at eliminating this "disease". Whether to administer a dip or a bath to start with is something you will have to determine yourself, but there's a very simple way to do this.

Since these are Free swimming parasites which are in watersources, come attached to our fish etc. The only way to ensure NO ICH is to get a UV Sterilizer and addit to the tank. The UV Sterilizer kills the free swimming forms of various ich and other parasites.
Also feeding your fish garlic lased foods (food soaked in garlic, smashed garlic or foods containing garlic) also helps to prevent ich. Kind of like garlic helps humans and dogs mask the Carbon smell to prevent ticks from finding you.

Also, the old myth that ich is killed by salt (hence the salt dips) is just that a myth. Ich parasites don't like salt but they are not killed by it. Adding salt to your aquarium does not less the ich parasite nor does it kill it. The quantity of salt needed would kill a fresh water fish over time of treatment. (Saltwater cannot add more salt to the water either) Also, only temperatures in excess of 90 degrees will will kill ich.

Hope this helps

Answer 7

Ick is a common parasite which most aquarists eventually encounter. Even if you follow quarantine procedures you may at some point acquire an infected fish, which should be treated before being introduced into your main aquarium. The good news is that if handled correctly, this disease can be easily and permanently eliminated.
What Is It?:
The scientific name for this nuisance is Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, or “ich/ick” for short. It is the largest known ciliated protozoan found on fishes. It appears on the body and fins as tiny white dots resembling grains of salt; hence the other nickname, “white spot disease.” These white spots may join together to form white patches. Other signs of infestation can include excessive flashing (rubbing against the substrate or decorations), labored breathing, clamped fins, loss of appetite, lethargic and/or reclusive behavior, and hovering near filter returns. Keep in mind, however, that all of these symptoms are common with fish in distress and do not point directly to Ich. As a matter of fact, flashing often occurs after routine water changes due simply to a fluctuation in general hardness.
Ich has three life stages, which are important to understand for proper diagnosis and treatment.
When the parasite is visible to the naked eye, it is a nearly fully developed trophont which has burrowed under the fish’s mucus coating where it is protected from chemicals (medication). It has likely been feeding on the body fluid of the fish for several days and has swelled to many times its original size. At common aquarium temperatures of 75 to 80ºF this feeding stage lasts only a few days, at which point the fully developed cyst drops off the fish as a tomont.

The tomont may swim for several hours before settling on and attaching to the substrate, a plant, or some other surface. During that time it is susceptible to chemicals and medication will be effective. Once attached, it begins its reproductive stage. It encysts and begins rapidly dividing. At this point, it is again immune to chemicals. Within a few days, hundreds of new organisms burst from the cyst, sprout cilia and start swimming in search of a host.

These are now referred to as thermonts or swarmers, and they must find a host within a few days or they will die. (For this reason, we know that even an aquarium heavily infested with Ich would be “clean” and safe for new fish after only a week or two without fish in the tank.) Medication is effective at this stage. Once the thermont attaches to a host and burrows in, it is referred to as a trophont and the cycle begins again. Unfortunately, with each cycle the number of organisms in the tank increases dramatically.

Left untreated, Ich is almost certainly fatal. Infected fish are weakened by the ever growing number of parasites feeding on them. Secondary bacteria and fungi attack more easily. Trophonts on the gills eventually restrict oxygen flow and respiration is hindered. The ailing fish will ultimately succumb either to the infestation itself or a secondary condition.

How Do I Prevent It?:

It is a commonly held belief that the Ichthyophthirius organism is always present in your aquarium and needs only the right opportunity, such as stress resulting in a weakened immune function, to attack your fish. I found no scientific data to support that claim. Credible sources state that there is no long-term dormant stage this parasite can exist in. While its lifecycle is longer at low temperatures (like that of an outdoor pond in a cooler climate), at average home aquarium temperatures this parasite would likely complete a lifecycle in less than a week. Considering that a single organism produces hundreds (if not thousands) of offspring, the logical question is “where would they all go?”

The proliferation of this myth could be due to the fact that it is possible for a strong, healthy fish to resist severe infestations, especially if it was infected previously and developed some resistance. While the organisms attach easily to the gills of most fish (where they cannot be seen), the body may be sufficiently protected by a tougher mucus coating. Such a fish could serve as an asymptomatic carrier; potentially hosting many lifecycles without showing any visible signs. When introduced to a new tank it brings the parasite with it. Scaleless fish such as loaches and catfish often show symptoms first, but most likely every fish in the tank will eventually be infected; if not visibly on the body, on the gills at the very least.

It stands to reason that a stressed fish with a weakened immune function is an easy host, but only if the parasite is present in the tank to begin with. That brings us back to how to prevent it, now that we know it is not lurking in every aquarium waiting to strike. Here are few guidelines:

Never buy fish from a tank where any fish show signs of disease.

Quarantine new fish for 14-21 days and observe for any signs of illness. Do not take “low dosage” preventative measures against quarantined fish (such as half the recommended medication dosage) as this would only spare the organisms most resistant to medication. If you’re going to treat, do a full treatment just as you would if you were certain the fish was infected.

If you do not quarantine (not everyone has an extra tank set up), after floating the bag and adding small amounts of your tank water to acclimate the new fish, gently empty the bag into a net (working over a bucket) and then place the netted fish in the aquarium. Never add the water from the travel bag to your aquarium as it could contain Ich thermonts or other dangerous organisms. Still, your fish could have trophonts on the gills or on the body which have not swelled enough yet to be visible. You’re gambling with the health of all your fish if you don’t quarantine.

If you keep multiple tanks, use separate nets for each tank and/or let your net dry completely between uses. Ich cannot survive being dried out.

Buy plants only from tanks without fish, or quarantine plants for 5-7 days without fish, or bathe plants in potassium permanganate before putting them in the main tank (unfortunately this can be hard on the plants).

If your tank does become infected, be accurate and thorough with treatment to ensure total eradication. It only takes a single surviving trophont to reproduce and start the whole ugly process again.

How Do I Treat It?:

There are many over-the-counter medications for ich. They all boil down to a few common ingredients, each of which has a downside. In addition, Ich outbreaks often accompany cycling problems and it is difficult to keep up with frequent small water changes (to minimize ammonia and nitrite levels) while dosing with a medication that advises not to do any water changes during treatment.

Traditional Medications:
As stated previously, there are many products available for treating ich. Whatever you choose, be sure to:

Read the label thoroughly for dosage information, special instructions, and warnings related to your own health and that of your plants, invertebrates, and scaleless or sensitive species of fish.

Perform a water change and vacuum the gravel before medicating. Most meds are less effective with excessive dissolved organics (nitrates) present and you’re often instructed not to change any water during treatment.

Remove the carbon from your filter.

Maintain good surface agitation and water movement. This is always important, but it is absolutely critical when raising your water temperature and administering meds – both of which reduce the oxygen content of the water and can kill your fish if care is not taken. For that reason, it is not advisable to raise the temperature more than 2 degrees above normal when using any of the following Ich treatment products.

Continue treatment for the duration advised. Because of the lifecycle of the parasite it is critical that you continue treatment for a minimum of 3 days after any visible signs of Ich can be detected. Do not discontinue treatment when the spots go away. If the instructions advise you to retreat, do so.

Disregard grandiose claims. Some products claim to “cure ick within 24 hours.” Based on what we know about the lifecycle of this parasite, that is simply not possible.

Copper-based medications are commonly recommended for treating ich. Some brand names include CopperSafe® by Mardel, General Cure® by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals, and Aquari-Sol®. Look for the active ingredient “copper sulfate” or “soluble copper salts.” Copper does not stain and is highly recommended by some aquarists. It does have drawbacks, however. It causes oxygen concentration to drop, it is toxic to snails and invertebrates, it may not be tolerated well by scaleless fish and plants, and like any chemical, it can certainly be toxic to your fish especially if dosed incorrectly. Apparently the toxicity increases as total alkalinity (KH) decreases. This would suggest that copper-based meds may be better suited for use with African rift lake cichlids than with soft water fish from low pH/KH conditions. But beware; if you should have a drop in your pH while using copper your fish could perish.

Potassium Permanganate has been suggested as an alternative to copper for treating ich, especially in soft water fish. It is primarily used in ponds, and is not in my opinion the best choice for aquarium use. It most certainly is not for the beginner. It can be purchased under its chemical name, or found as the active ingredient in products such as Flukes Control® by Aquatronics. As with so many chemicals, there’s a fine line between calling it a wonder drug and a lethal substance. It is not really a medication but an oxidizing agent that reacts with organic material, resulting in the destruction of external bacteria, fungus and parasites. For that reason, it is considerably less effective with excessive nitrates present, because its oxidizing power is “used up” on the dissolved organics in the water and is consequently not effective against the target pathogen. It is often used by retailers as a dip for incoming plants, to eliminate snails and their eggs. It is toxic in high doses, especially in high pH water; there are better choices for treating African rift lake cichlids. It is not safe for eggs and fry, and excessive treatments can cause gill damage in adults. It will damage your biological filter, kill algae, and reduce oxygen concentration in the water; strong aeration and water movement is critical. It can be tough on live plants and catfish, and should not be combined with any other chemicals – especially Formalin. It can burn your skin and eyes, and will stain your hands and clothing brown; gloves are recommended. It cannot be removed with carbon like other meds; it is neutralized with hydrogen peroxide but I don’t know exactly how that is accomplished safely in the aquarium. Again… this is for the advanced fishkeeper.

Formalin is a form of formaldehyde and is often used by fish farmers and home aquarists to treat ich. It can be purchased under its chemical name, or found as the active ingredient in products such as Ick Guard II® by Jungle, and Formalite III® by Aquatronics (which also contains copper). While it is non-staining and said to be safe for live plants (and at lower dosages…) scaleless fish, eggs and fry, it is nevertheless a strong chemical – a preservative for biological specimens (AKA embalming fluid). It may damage your biological filter, deplete oxygen levels in the aquarium, and destroy invertebrates and weak fish. Its toxicity increases with water temperature and acidity, making it a questionable choice for soft water fish.

Malachite Green is an ominous substance that’s highly effective against Ich and fungi. It can be purchased separately under its chemical name, or found as the active ingredient in products such as Maracide® by Mardel, Ich Cure® by Aquatrol, Super Ich Plus® by Aquatronics, and Fungus Plus® by Aquatronics. It is carcinogenic and dangerous to handle or breathe (especially for pregnant women). There are rumors circulating that it could be banned for aquarium use by the FDA in the future. It cannot be used on food fish and is toxic to eggs, fry, some varieties of tetras, catfish, elephant noses, loaches and small marine fish. It also may damage your biological filter and will likely stain aquarium decorations and silicone sealant. Malachite Green is light sensitive, and you will be advised to keep your aquarium lights off during treatment to prevent the chemical from oxidizing.

Formalin and Malachite Green are often used in conjunction with one another. The two chemicals are said to have a synergistic effect when combined, having a greater impact together than either one by itself. Products include Rid-Ich+® by Kordon, Quick Cure® by Aquarium Products, Cure-Ick® by Aquarium Products, Ick Guard® by Jungle, and Formalite I® by Aquatronics. This combination of chemicals is probably the most common choice for treating ich.

Acriflavine is a chemical found in some Ich medications such as Ick Clear® by Jungle, and Acriflavin Plus® by Aquatronics. It is considered to be highly effective against protozoan parasites, as well as external bacterial infections and fungus which sometimes occur as a secondary condition. It may damage your biological filter, harm live plants, cause skin irritation, and stain your hands and tank decorations; gloves are recommended. I do not know how well it is tolerated by invertebrates, sensitive species, scaleless fish and fry, but I do know that it cannot be used on food fish – which is sometimes a clue as to the toxicity of the substance. As always, read warning labels thoroughly.

Methylene Blue is used primarily for superficial fungal or bacterial infections, and nitrite or cyanide poisoning. It is also considered to be an alternative to Malachite Green for the treatment of fungus and external protozoa in sensitive fish, eggs and fry. It is available under its chemical name or in products such as Methyblu® by Aquatronics. It too cannot be used on food fish, and is a powerful dye that may stain tank decorations and silicone sealant. Damage to plants and biological filter may also occur.

There are other antiparasitic medications available, but I believe I’ve covered those most commonly used. Clout® by Aquarium Products is one more worth mentioning since it appears on nearly every LFS and pet store shelf that carries fish and is often recommended as a cure-all. It is an extremely strong blend of medications which I am unfamiliar with, including dimethylamino, phenylbenzylidene and cyclohexadien. I believe it is best suited for internal parasites. It is definitely not to be used with scaleless fish. Read the label carefully.

Alternative Medications:

There are a few products that have been developed which take a completely different approach to treating Ich than those outlined above. One is Stop Parasites® by Chem-Marin. It utilizes a proprietary blend of food-based ingredients including hot peppers, which may be safer for you and your fish than traditional meds. According to its creator, the product took eight years to develop. It apparently stimulates the fish’s slime coat production to excess, which causes the parasites to slough off, or be shed. Then it provides a “false host” for the parasites to feed upon which is more desirable than the fish. Kent Marine makes a similar product for saltwater parasites called RxP®. I cannot endorse either product, never having used them, but if you are open to homeopathic-type treatments and want to experiment with something other than salt or raised temperature, this product might be for you.
Most strains of Ich will respond to the treatments described here. However, researchers have recorded rare instances where trophonts were able to encyst and reproduce without leaving the body of the host fish, essentially skipping the second life stage described above. Obviously this is a menacing thought, but one to be considered should all attempts to eradicate the parasite fail. In such an event, it would be impossible to destroy all the organisms and the frustrated hobbyist would fight an endless battle with repeated outbreaks of the disease. Euthanasia would be the only humane option. Let me stress, however, that I read about this in a research paper and have never heard of this actually occurring to a fellow aquarist. Let’s hope it never does.