Do Marine Fish Have Any Natural Resistance to Ich...

[Patroklos]

...or is it a once you have it you've got it?

I am about to quarantine a fish that I think might be showing signs of it, has a few white specks on its tail fins. I ask because the fish is healthy and strong, eats like a horse. I would imagine an otherwise healthy fish could fend off such an infection or wouldn't every fish have ich?

I would prefer not using medications, though I will try a fresh water dip (how exactly do you go about this?). If I put him in a hospital tank and pamper him will he naturally get over it, or do I literally have to half poison the little guy?

 

[DJLiquid]

Quarantine the fish with hypo-salinity. All fish ar susceptable, especially stressed fish. Ich is a parasite (not a infection which usually refers to bacterium) that's in the water you get from the LFS or on the fish itself. My fish had super strong appetites until the day they died. I wouldn't use appetite as a measure of your fishes health, it's not the case with all fish.

 

[melosu58]

I personally would not try a fresh water dip. It will stress the fish out and cause it`s immune system to suffer. I have never seen a FW dip do any good. JMO. I would QT your fish and treat with hypo. Read these

Marine Ich/Cryptocaryon irritans - A Discussion of this Parasite and the Treatment Options Available, Part I by Steven Pro - Reefkeeping.com

Marine Ich/Cryptocaryon irritans - A Discussion of this Parasite and the Treatment Options Available, Part II by Steven Pro - Reefkeeping.com

An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure: A Quarantine Tank for Everything by Steven Pro - Reefkeeping.com

ATJ's Marine Aquarium Site - Reference - Hyposalinity Treatment

 

[Patroklos]

Okay, hypo it is, I just want to avoid using any artificial meds as I hear a lot of bad stories (and they cost money!).

So what happens when a fish catches ich in the wild, they just die? I am not really sure how the ich got in the tank in the first place, I quarantine anything. I suppose it could be from adding starfish, I was told not to expose them from air and while I tried my best to dilude the LFS water while acclimating it is impossible to not add LFS water if the things can't be exposed to air!

 

[Patroklos]

Hmmm...

So, just finished reading the articles, and I have a question. Can I just hyposalinity my entire reef tank. The articles say I would have to quarantine ALL my fish not just the one, and that is one tall order since my QT is only 10 gallons. It would be far easier to QT my blood shimp and two corals than catch all those fish!

 

[melosu58]

In the vast expanse of the ocean the parasites are not as close together as they are in a confining tank. Also fish have a much stronger immune system in the wild then the ones that have to be caught, shipped, acclimated to the LFS tank, caught again, shipped to your home and acclimated again that are in our tank. Dont be so fast to blame the starfish. It could have been any fish, coral or maybe even an invert added to your tank. Even at QT them the parasite could have hidden in the skin of the fish.

 

[melosu58]

Hmmm...

So, just finished reading the articles, and I have a question. Can I just hyposalinity my entire reef tank. The articles say I would have to quarantine ALL my fish not just the one, and that is one tall order since my QT is only 10 gallons. It would be far easier to QT my blood shimp and two corals than catch all those fish!

The only problem is any life in your LR and sand will not make it. I agree that a 10 gallon is too small maybe you could borrow a 20 or 29 to treat. You`ve got alot of life in that LR. More than you think you do.

 

[Patroklos]

When I suggested that I didn't realize how that would affect my millions of less visible inhabitants!

Funnily enough, I bet it wouldnt affect the carpet of hair algea currently coating my LR one bit!

 

[mwrmma]

my maroon clown just got over ich. i always wondered if they could get over an ich infestation on their own too if they are healthy enough. luckily he got through it. just my 2 cents.

 

[Patroklos]

Did you quarantine him or leave him in the display?

How contagious is ich?

 

[mwrmma]

i left him in the main tank. please know that this is the only time (probably the last too) that this has ever happened to me. i dont think that many fish survive ich. as i understand it, all fish have some sort of immunity built up to it, and that it is present more often than we know, and the slightest stress makes them more susceptable to getting it. i think. . . . .

 

[melosu58]

all fish have some sort of immunity built up to it, and that it is present more often than we know, and the slightest stress makes them more susceptable to getting it. i think. . . . .

I kind of believe that also. Whether it`s 100% true I`m not sure.

 

[Innovator]

Fish do have a natural resistance to most diseases as do all animals including humans in conjunction with susceptibilities, but they also have countless "cleaner" animals at their disposal along with natural/healthy food sources to aid in case of those with weakened systems. I personally believe the stress is very different between that of an animal in the wild and those within our captive care, of which those in the wild getting the better end of the deal.

 

[Justin_Toronto]

As far as I understand, the parasite exists in many (most?) aquariums, and a fish with a weakened immune system will become infected easier. Similar to us humans who have white blood cells to fight off bad antigens (bacteria). If our immune system is weakened due to stress on our cardiovascular system, we may catch a cold (bacterial infection) easier.

With that said, I decided that before investing in the extra tank and equipment to set up a QT... (I live in an apartment so I don't have the luxury of having room everywhere to set up these extra systems, especially to keep them looking pretty.) I would try the advice from my LFS of giving them some garlic/omega food, and raising the temp in the water a few degrees. (which does not kill the parasites, but will speed up the process before the parasites 'drop off' the fish.)

My fish had the ich for 2 days. I gave them the flake food, and raised the temp. The white spots left the fish within 6 hours of the temp raised, and they immediately became much more active and playful. It's been almost a week now since then, and they're still fine again. I'm sure the parasite is still in the system, but the fish do not seem to care anymore.

A separate QT tank with hypo treatment is always better, but this is what I'm experimenting with right now to see what happens. So far, so good.

 

[Patroklos]

I think you probably need a few more weeks to ensure the life cycle of the parasite ahs run its course. I would be interested in knowing if it shows back up.

In my case the white spots on my fish I thought were ich are now gone. I did go through the effort of firing up my QT and I will leave it up for a bit in case it is required near term.

 

[Justin_Toronto]

I agree. I think the entire life cycle will can run a solid 6 weeks. The immediate results are good, the fish no longer seem stressed in any way. We'll see how things progress down the line. I'm keeping a close eye on them.