Millions of people around the world keep aquariums stocked with colorful ornamental fish, enjoying one of the most popular leisure-time activities. Among them, Currently, huge selections of beautifully colored aquarium fish are available so hobbyists can stock their aquariums to satisfy their taste and add beauty to their homes.
Aquariums are often placed in the waiting rooms or lobbies of restaurants, clinical offices, hospitals, commercial buildings, and hotels, providing enjoyment, satisfaction, and relaxation for people in these areas. Several factors influence the health of aquarium fish, and parasitic disease is a major one.
Several major groups of parasites can be seen in aquarium fish. Protozoans are single-celled organisms that typically have a direct lifecycle, requiring no intermediate host to reproduce. Monogenetic trematodes flatworms or flukes commonly invade the gills, skin, and fins of fish. They have no intermediate host, but are host- and site-specific—if they are found in one species, they usually will not spread to other species of fish, even in the same tank.
Digenetic trematodes grubs have a complex lifecycle involving a series of hosts, including snails and birds, nematodes and leeches, meaning they cannot complete their lifecycle in an aquarium because they cannot reproduce.
Crustacean parasites come in many types, such as Argulus fish louse , Lernaea anchor worm , and Ergasilus gill lice. Most of the parasitic diseases encountered in aquarium fish are protozoan parasites, especially those that cause white spot disease. White spot disease is a very common problem in freshwater aquarium fish. The disease is caused by the ciliate protozoan Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, commonly called ich or ick. If the infection is restricted to the gills, however, no white spots will be seen.
Ich infects almost all freshwater fish and has a high mortality rate. All the fish in a tank could be easily killed in a short period. White spot disease can be mistaken for other non-serious issues. Fin ray fractures, or fractures to the cartilage of a fin, can look very similar, but are not life threatening. Breeding tubercles on male goldfish, producing multiple white bumps on the operculum and pectoral fin, also look identical to white spot disease, but are normal anatomical variations.
Lymphocystis , a viral disease in fish, can produce similar white bumps but can be differentiated by your veterinarian. The most common cause of Ich is failure to quarantine a new fish addition to the aquarium. Since it only takes one infectious Ich parasite to reproduce and then spread through an entire tank or pond, most fish will "look okay" and not act sick at all until a few life cycles of the parasite are complete, which can take a few days to a few weeks, depending on your water temperature.
Safely quarantining all new fish will prevent the spread of Ich to your main aquarium. Additional causes may include:. For treatment to be successful, you may have a veterinarian to examine your sick fish to make a correct diagnosis. Remember, there are other things on fish that can look remarkably similar to white spot disease that will require different treatment.
Once a diagnosis is confirmed, there are treatment options available for prescription through your aquatic veterinarian and fish store. Monitoring and maintaining your water temperature is critical to ensure the parasite is completely eliminated from your system. Many over-the-counter "treatments" do not take this into account and if not properly used can severely hurt your fish in addition to not completely treating the Ich. Many online forums will recommend manipulating your tank temperature to speed up or immobilize Ich.
Unfortunately, in doing so, you will stress out your fish and make them more susceptible to death from secondary causes. Already have an account? Login here. Fire Skinks are obligate insectivores, find out what that means here. You have just fed your fish and are admiring their lovely colours and movements and then you notice tiny white spots on them.
The parasites spend a portion of their life cycle embedded beneath the skin of the fish where they feed off of the body tissue. You may notice your fishes fins are clamped and that they flick themselves on the bottom of the aquarium to try to remove the parasites.
Sometimes you will notice that the fishes fins are clamped even before you see any white spots. This can indicate that the spots are about to appear. These white spots are embedded beneath the slime coating and are not easily removed by the fish.
Adults emerge from these cysts and fall to the floor of the aquarium where they multiply inside a protective capsule. The capsule eventually bursts, releasing hundreds of free-swimming infectious parasites which attach themselves to new hosts, and the cycle begins again. Ich can also be introduced when the temperature of the aquarium drops dramatically from a power outage or a sudden change in climate, or simply just because.
Though it can be used on marine fish, marine invertebrates respond poorly. It cannot be used in a reef tank, or setups with shrimps or snails. Scaleless fish are also sensitive to this medication to a lesser extent. It is recommended to use half the dose for them. The water will become discolored during treatment if you do not remove the activated carbon from your filter before starting treatment.
After treatment is completed then restore the activated carbon and change the water. This medication is designed to remove a range of ectoparasites, including Ich. Seachem Cupramine Copper is suitable for use in marine and freshwater aquariums.
It is non-acidic and less toxic to fish than other similar products containing copper sulfate , chloride, and citrate. Doses are measured in drops. The chemical can be removed from your aquarium using chemical filtration. This is important because any lingering copper in your tank could be toxic to your fish over a long period.
Treatment requires 0. The large difference makes it unlikely that you will poison your fish, as long as directions are followed properly. This medication works well to remove Ich and other parasites. People have exceeded the recommended doses that are toxic to the fish. The medication is measured in drops, which makes it less accurate. The product is good at removing parasites, but not other pathogens, which is okay if Ich is your only problem. Otherwise, you will need other medications to remove more diseases.
Since it does not contain copper, this medication is suitable in aquariums containing invertebrates. It has been formulated to interrupt the infectious stage of Ich in both marine and freshwater setups. The liquid lasts a year when stored at room temperature and can treat tanks up to gallons in volume. Most Ich treatments contain copper, which is toxic to invertebrates and makes this medicine suited for all aquariums, including coral reefs.
If Ich has been in your aquarium for a long while, this treatment may not effectively eradicate the disease. It may take up to four weeks. This is a fast-acting medication designed to combat Ich, as well as a few other pathogens.
Each bottle contains 32 oz of liquid. One drop is needed per gallon of either freshwater or saltwater, the parasites are killed upon contact. This treatment is effective at removing Ich and a few other pathogens. Results are noticeable very quickly. Half a dose is needed for more sensitive creatures, however, you risk a poor response to the medication. While the recommendation is one drop per gallon of water this product does not include a dropper, which could lead to measurement inaccuracies.
Tetra Lifeguard All-in-One Treatment is a medication to treat Ich and many other bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Each pack contains 32 tablets. This product is only for freshwater aquariums.
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