Aquarium question?

Question

what causes ick. what type of conditions will help it thrive and how do you get rid of it completly

Answer 1

Ich has only one cause. It is caused be a parasite, namely Ichthyophthirius multifilis (hence the short common name). There are a few other freshwater parasites that can cause similar initial symptoms which leads to some confusion over the disease. There are also saltwater parasites that cause similar symptoms and are often called marine or saltwater ich, but they are not related to ich and this also leads to confusion. Factors such as moderate temperature and high pH cause ich to thrive. Additionally, any factors that stress fish cause them to be more susceptible to the parasite and appear to cause ich to thrive. The only way to get ich in an aquarium is to introduce it through contaminated fish or water.

In an aquarium ich can be completely killed off by various means. Common and accepted methods include treatment with salt & heat, formalin, Malachite Green, copper sulphate and potassium permanganate. The key to all successful treatments is the fact that ich can only be killed in one of it's four life stages, when it is free swimming in the water seeking a host. The stage before that it is in the gravel or substrate and can't be killed without killing the fish. To successfully treat ich you must continue treatment until it completes that stage and becomes free swimming. Once all of the ich in a tank has become free swimming and is killed by the treatment method being used, the tank is ich free. This can take over a week to occur.

MM

Answer 2

I don't know what causes ick -- sometimes it just seems to show up, usuallly from new fish that you have introduced to the tank. You can get some sort of medicine that you put into the tank that will help get rid of it. It has worked for me. Most pet stores will have ick medicine.

Here's a hint. Never buy fish right away when they come into the pet store or pet department. Wait for a week or so. The weaker fish will have died off by then, and you will be able to get these tougher, disease-free fish.

Answer 3

Have to go with MM on this. It's caused by a specific freshwater parasite (Ichthyophthirius multifilis) and it has to be introduced to your tank - usually when you add another fish, inverts, or plants. The new fish might already be infected, or the parasite may just be in the water with inverts or plants, if you add the water from the bag to your tank (NEVER a good idea!).

Saltwater ich is caused by a different parasite (Cryptocaryon irritans) that survives only in saltwater, but is still introduced in much the same way.

All either needs to thrive is a fish host and proper temperature and salinity. Remove the fish, change the salinity, or add copper, formalin, etc. they die. Raising the temperature just speeds up the life cycle so the parasites drop off the fish faster (they aren't affected by meds when attached to the fish) and get into the water where they can be killed.

More sources on ich & treatments: http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquarium_Ich.html
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/ich.php
http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/health/ich.shtml

Answer 4

Ick can be caused from a variety of reasons, usually stress is involved, it can be a sudden change in temp. or it can be from one fish harassing another. To prevent ick, you can do a few things : float your new fish in the bag to climatize them for 20 minutes or so before releasing them, always use a high quality water conditioner, I like the Hagen brand it has cucumber in it which puts a protective coating on the fish and also is kinda like a relaxer, (like a glass of wine), if you notice one fish is really probing at another fish you should remove one of them. Also maintain a steadying temp. in the aquarium. Adding a bit of aquarium salt to the tank will also boost immune systems in fish, and help them to remain healthy.
To get rid of ick you can purchase things like Nox Ick at the pet store. Hope this helps.

Answer 5

First step:
20-25% water change with gravel vac. Most likely your poor water conditions contributed to the outbreak of ich.
Second step:
Raise temperature (no more than 1° per hour) to 85°.
Third step:
Add aquarium salt (not table salt) in the amount of one rounded tablespoon per 5 gallons. If you have scaleless fish, reduce that to one rounded teaspoon per 5 gallons, as they don't tolerate salt.
http://www.aquariumpharm.com/en_us/productCategory.asp?categoryname=WaterConditioners
Fourth step:
After 24 hours, a second 20-25% water change. Add more salt. If you took 5 gallons out in the change, put another rounded tablespoon in. Adjust for your situation.
Fifth step:
Wait 24 hours.
Sixth Step:
A third water change of 20-25% and replace salt removed.
If this does not cure the fish, you will want to use a commercial ich curative, such as copper sulfate like Aquarasol http://www.aq-products.com/APpro/aquarisol.htm
or in more extreme cases, Malachite Green
http://www.aq-products.com/APpro/quickcure.htm

Good Luck

Answer 6

Ich is cause dby a parasite that attack a weak fish in your tank and sometimes all of them, from my experience. it's caused by all of a sudden drops in temp. And you can't erradicate it completeley. It will somhow always be in your tank.