Do Fish Die From Ich?

Are your fish swimming slower than usual, scratching against rocks and carrying around white spots? If so, you may have an ich infestation. While ich is in almost every fish tank, it attacks when your fish least expect it. Recognizing and treating it quickly helps your fish bounce back.

  1. Cause

    • Ich is a parasite formed from ciliated protozoa called Ichthyophthirius multifiliis. Ich swims freely in most aquariums and attacks stressed fish. Once attached to the fish, the ich feeds off of the fish̵7;s blood until it forms a cyst. This is what appears as white spots on the fish and when reproduction occurs. After the cysts fall off, the new trophozoite forms tomites, which begin searching for a new host.

    Treatment

    • Removing and replacing 50 percent of the water in your aquarium and washing the gravel helps rid the tank of ich. Commercial products available over-the-counter that are added to the water help fight ich as well. FishChannel.com recommends adding 1 teaspoon of pickling salt per 1 gallon of water to the tank. This reduces the osmotic pressure and helps the fish fight the parasite naturally.

    Outcome

    • The small white patches of the ich parasite bore into the fish̵7;s skin and gills. At this time, the parasite feeds off of the blood and causes damage to the skin. While ich itself does not generally kill fish, it often causes a secondary bacterial infection that may be fatal. However, if the fish becomes infested time and time again, his immune system may become too week and he may die.

    Prevention

    • Since ich mainly causes problems in stressed fish, keeping the fish stress-free helps deter the attachment of ich to the host. This includes providing the proper nutrition, avoiding overcrowding and keeping the water conditions, such as pH, nitrate and ammonia, at the recommended levels. Since ich prefers cooler water, keeping the water in your aquarium between 85 and 88 degrees helps stop the growth of ich.