MOST COMMON PARASITIC DISEASE AMONG TROPICAL FISH
ICK (Or ICH)

Ick (or Ich) is probably the most common parasitic disease among tropical fish. Freshwater Ick (Ichtophthirus), or marine Ick (Cryptocaryon) is almost always present in an aquarium and infects fish that are in poor health or have had a recent infection that has temporarily left them without certain immunities. Ick can soon become visible on a fish if the fish’s natural resistance is weakened from shock, unsuitable water conditions, over crowding or an improper diet. Therefore, like most fish diseases, the best way to prevent Ick from occurring is to maintain optimum water conditions provide a proper diet.

The life cycle of Ick is usually three to five days, during which time it releases itself from the fish and floats to the bottom. At this stage, the parasite reproduces by cell division. The new juveniles number from 100 to 1000 and then free swim in search of a new host. It is during this period that the proper medication can kill the juveniles before they find and infect a new host. In other Ick infestations, the disease may be covered by fish mucus or skin, and thus, will repopulate on the same host fish.

If treatment begins as soon as the symptoms are first noticed, your fish can usually be cured of Ick. The key to controlling and curing fish of Ick is to quarantine the fish before the juvenile spores are released into the main tank. If left untreated, however, Ick can kill a fish within a few days. After a few life cycles, Ick may become so rampant that it may kill all the fish in the tank!

Symptoms: A fish that has contracted Ick will generally have a few small white dots on the fins or body. As the disease spreads, the fish will have the appearance that it has been sprinkled with salt. Other symptoms of Ick may include the fish scratching against the gravel, rapid breathing, cloudy eyes, cloudy fins and / or some fin deterioration.

Don’t confuse Ick with Amyloodinium. Ick usually has distinct, individual pinhead sized white dots. Amyloodinium’s spots are smaller and clustered closer together, which gives the dusty or “velvet” appearance. However, Dwarf Ick (or Invisible Ick) reproduces at one-third to on-half of the adult size and can be easily confused with Amyloodinium.

Treatment: At the first signs of Ick the fish should be treated in a separate “hospital” tank. Medicate the hospital tank with a proper marine or freshwater Ick (or Ich) medicine available at all of our V.I. Pets stores. The most common external parasitic control drugs packaged for use against Ick are malachite green, aureomycin, benzaldedehyde, quinine hydrochloride, or quinine sulfate. Ask any of our staff to recommend the brand that has been the most successful. Please remember to follow all of our staff and the manufacturere’s instructions. Turn off all the aquarium lights and keep the hospital tank as dark as possible. Increase aeration to ease breathing problems, and increase temperature slowly to about 85 degrees, at a rate of one degree every problems, and increase temperature slowly to about 85 degrees, at a rate of one degree every five hours. Maintain these conditions throughout the treatment period (at least 3 to 7 days).