Why Do White Bubbles Form on Fish?

Various disorders in fish cause symptoms, including bubbles and whiteness, that manifest on the animals' skin. However, the most likely culprit behind what can be called specifically white bubbles is Ichthyophthirius, or, appropriately, "Ich" for short. It can also be called white spot disease. Accurate diagnostic procedure can determine whether this is the affliction as well as the required treatments to ensure the fish become healthy again and to keep the disease from spreading to others.

  1. Ichthyophthirius Symptoms

    • Ichthyophthirius is fairly common parasite infection. The symptoms of an outbreak show up as white pustules that often look like grains or spots. Each of these is an adult parasite. Fish with Ich will also often be seen rubbing against gravel or tank ornaments in an attempt to remove the parasites. The skin will also get abnormally slimy and the fish will get thinner and much less active. If left unchecked, infections can reach the gills to cause respiratory distress, which can be fatal.

    Causes of Ichthyophthirius

    • In many cases, fish can develop natural immunities to pathogens in the water. However, this equilibrium can be disrupted if the fish undergo any sort of stress, which weakens their immune systems. Causes of this range from unsanitary water quality to stark temperature fluctuations. If the room temperature changes rapidly due to weather conditions, a tank's heater may have trouble keeping up. Sudden chills are a cause as opposed to heat.

    Stages of Ichthyophthirius

    • There are three distinct stages of development for Ichthyophthirius. The first stage is the attachment of the parasites to the fish and is the most visible symptom. The second stage is when the parasite drops from the fish. They then live at the bottom of the tank, protected by a gelatinous covering, and divide. The third stage involves infecting other fish, repeating the cycle over again if treatment hasn't been attempted to fight against it.

    Ichthyophthirius Treatment

    • At the stage where it is living at the bottom of the tank, Ichthyophthirius is invulnerable to any medication acquired from a pet store. Raising tank temperature is recommended but only as high as 87 degrees F. The most important thing to do is to ensure Ich cannot thrive by keeping the temperature and pH constant, keeping the water clean and not overcrowding the tank.