Whitespot help...

[MarkW19]

Things are confusing me about whitespot.

I'm still being told that whitespot can occur a year after a fish has been introduced, even if it's been QT'd correctly before being put in the tank, because stress at a later date will bring the whitespot out.

Whitespot = ich right?

And, the best thing to do is just to leave the whitespot as is and it'll right itself and go.

Is this right?

[fishman]

If your saying that whitespot = ick then the answer is...if the fish was QT properly and there is no exposure of ick to the tank, then no the fish can not catch ick. Ick is a parasite. If the fish is introduced to the tank and doesnt have ick, then there is no way for the ish or the tank to just get ick....However if the fish was not QT for the length of time needed and or treated, then yes the outbreak of ick can occur. And no-if you leave ick to run its course, most if not all off the fish will succomb to it.
I dont know any other terms used to describe ick, but I have heard whitespot and as far as I know these are the same.HTH

[MarkW19]

I guess whitespot = ick = ich ?

[Atari]

Who is telling you these lies!! :P

[MarkW19]

lol, can't say... :p hehe...

Am I right in thinking that if a fish is ok and shows no signs of whitespot (ich/ick whatever you wanna call it) within 6 weeks then the parasite isn't present in the fish?

[fishman]

I would assume 6 weeks is good...however make sure its 6 weeks!! I went 4.5 and saw no signs then all of the sudden woke up to find my regal covered!

[MarkW19]

eek...is he ok?

[MarkW19]

So, will the whitespot DEFINITELY show itself in 6 weeks, if it's there? Or could it not lurk behind the scenes for a few months if the fish isn't stressed, then be brought out in a few months if the fish gets stressed etc.?

Or, after 6 weeks if there are no signs, does that mean the parasite is DEFINITELY not present in the fish and can't be in the future (considering no other fish/the tank doesn't have it etc.)? Will it definitely show up in 6 weeks if it's there?

Originally Posted by MarkW19

Will it definitely show up in 6 weeks if it's there?

It really depends on the fish but there is a very very low possibility it could go through without showing up. Never say never but the chances of it showing up in the display having never gone through QT is very high. Choose the lesser of two evils as they say and QT the fish. If present, the parasite should definately show up. For C. irritans to show up from a fish after the QT process was done properly would be very improbable but not impossible.

Cheers
Steve

[MarkW19]

OK, cheers

Can whitespot go away if left untreated Steve?