Ick Season : local fish store theory - Aquarium Advice

webmoose · 10-08-2004, 09:30 AM

I have to post this and get it off my chest:

I went to a local fish store yesterday and the one of the owners started talking about ICK. This is the theory according to this store:

It is ICK season and they likened it to 'dandlylion season'. I was told that they were recommending that anyone that buys fish at this time of year should be extra careful with ick to the point of buying ick medication and turning up the tank water... (kind of like a flu shot for flu season)

interesting theory.. I don't agree. Just had to share my experience.

It would be great if ICK was seasonal....

However I did start thinking about how this time of year could promote Ick to the point of having this [acronym:59b9521dfe="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:59b9521dfe] thinking this way..

1 of my theory's in my head is that the weather is changing drastically locally on a daily bases here so when you are transporting fish at this time of year you might expose them to a more stressful transport home....

Menagerie · 10-08-2004, 10:06 AM

I will vouch that a change in temp and stress on fish may lead to ich. A few weeks ago, the heater in my 10 [acronym:45091fc1bf="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:45091fc1bf] tank broke--I didn't know it until my fish broke out with ich and I tried to turn up the heat!

Moose~what [acronym:45091fc1bf="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:45091fc1bf] were you at?

Cafe Jeff · 10-08-2004, 10:11 AM

Sounds like just good marketing to me. Jeff

deeni0z · 10-08-2004, 05:37 PM

the temperature doesn't really change that much in [acronym:e7e6ff78bb="Calcium"]CA[/acronym:e7e6ff78bb]. It stays summer until about.. november-ish.

revhtree · 10-08-2004, 05:39 PM

I have visited 7 different fish stores in the past 2 weeks. Every fish store I visited the fish had ick. Some worse than others. I was wondering what was up. A couple of the [acronym:56035ac50e="Local Fish Store"]lfs[/acronym:56035ac50e] I had never seen ich at. Well maybe this is why. One [acronym:56035ac50e="Local Fish Store"]lfs[/acronym:56035ac50e] that NEVER has ich, had a tank full of fish with ich that he was treating. He said they came in that way.

Thanks for sharing!

BrianNY · 10-08-2004, 06:59 PM

Yes. If the distributors are selling fish with ich.................

The ich debate is never ending. If the parasite is present, a fish in stress will fall victim. Can ich ever truly be erradicated?

revhtree · 10-09-2004, 11:30 AM

I HATE ICH!!!!!!!!!

urville · 10-09-2004, 12:24 PM

the one good [acronym:8f17e258da="Local Fish Store"]lfs[/acronym:8f17e258da] here has never had ich ever. in the waht 3 years they have been here not one episode of ich. i have on the other hand seen glass tetras with acne which was the craziest thing i've ever seen.

oscarbreeder · 10-09-2004, 02:49 PM

I agree with revhtree.

I HATE ICH!!!

They should invent a cure to wipe it out for GOOD!!!

**QTOFFER** · 10-09-2004, 05:58 PM

Here's my take on ich: It's endemic within the commercial tropical fish industry. It's a PITA, but fortunately, it's relatively easy to treat.

I believe that most, if not all distributors have ich because of the tremendously high turnover within their tanks. Also, distributors are probably not too fussy about quarrantine or husbandry, since they are in the business to ship their livestock out fast. That's probably why I've seen ich, at one time or another, in every [acronym:4e4d045302="Local Fish Store"]lfs[/acronym:4e4d045302] I've visited. Lfs that deal directly with the breeders probably have fewer incidences of ich, since most breeders are very particular about their husbandry. However, if the [acronym:4e4d045302="Local Fish Store"]lfs[/acronym:4e4d045302] fails to quarrantine new arrivals.....

I'm sure that temperature changes can stress out a fish' immune system, but consider this: I've purchased and brought home seemingly healthy fish, both on frigid cold days, and on warm sunny days; eventually, they all got ich. I was always able to eradicate the disease with elevated temperature and I never lost a fish to ich itself, (although I have lost several to secondary infections that showed up after the ich was gone). Once cured, the fish never developed ich again.

I think the stress of being netted, jostled on the way home, and placed into an unfamiliar tank is enough to weaken the immune system to the point where ich can break out.

10-08-2004, 09:30 AM	#1 (permalink)
webmoose Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Canada Posts: 1,508 Images: 7	Ick Season : local fish store theory I have to post this and get it off my chest: I went to a local fish store yesterday and the one of the owners started talking about ICK. This is the theory according to this store: It is ICK season and they likened it to 'dandlylion season'. I was told that they were recommending that anyone that buys fish at this time of year should be extra careful with ick to the point of buying ick medication and turning up the tank water... (kind of like a flu shot for flu season) interesting theory.. I don't agree. Just had to share my experience. It would be great if ICK was seasonal.... However I did start thinking about how this time of year could promote Ick to the point of having this [acronym:59b9521dfe="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:59b9521dfe] thinking this way.. 1 of my theory's in my head is that the weather is changing drastically locally on a daily bases here so when you are transporting fish at this time of year you might expose them to a more stressful transport home.... __________________ 58 gallon Community Planted - 4 boesmani / 1 praecox rainbow, 3 giant danios, 1 clown / 1 albino pl*co, 1 bronze / 2 albino cories, cherry barbs, sunset platy's, cardinal tetras 8 Gallon hex - 3 F1 Black Brichardi and fry..("Lamprologus sp. Walter") 10 gallon work tank - Pair of dwarf gourami and 2 cherry barbs / 2 gallon - 4 Fundulopanchax gardneri / 10 gallon - bunch of killitanks Vote Here for Aquarium Advice

10-08-2004, 10:06 AM	#2 (permalink)
Menagerie Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Vancouver, WA Posts: 10,932 Images: 77	I will vouch that a change in temp and stress on fish may lead to ich. A few weeks ago, the heater in my 10 [acronym:45091fc1bf="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:45091fc1bf] tank broke--I didn't know it until my fish broke out with ich and I tried to turn up the heat! Moose~what [acronym:45091fc1bf="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:45091fc1bf] were you at? __________________

10-08-2004, 10:11 AM	#3 (permalink)
Cafe Jeff Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Toronto Posts: 513	Sounds like just good marketing to me. Jeff __________________ In theory there should be no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is.

10-08-2004, 05:37 PM	#4 (permalink)
deeni0z Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: San Fernando Valley/Northridge Area, CA Posts: 239	the temperature doesn't really change that much in [acronym:e7e6ff78bb="Calcium"]CA[/acronym:e7e6ff78bb]. It stays summer until about.. november-ish. __________________ This is Major Tom to Ground Control I'm stepping through the door And I'm floating in the most peculiar way And the stars look very different today

10-08-2004, 05:39 PM	#5 (permalink)
revhtree Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Rossville. Ga Posts: 4,012 Images: 1	I have visited 7 different fish stores in the past 2 weeks. Every fish store I visited the fish had ick. Some worse than others. I was wondering what was up. A couple of the [acronym:56035ac50e="Local Fish Store"]lfs[/acronym:56035ac50e] I had never seen ich at. Well maybe this is why. One [acronym:56035ac50e="Local Fish Store"]lfs[/acronym:56035ac50e] that NEVER has ich, had a tank full of fish with ich that he was treating. He said they came in that way. Thanks for sharing! __________________ Remember to Keep Christ First! 120G - Deltec AP601 Skimmer - Reefkeeper2 - Geo 618 - (2)Tunze 6100 - Tunze 6212 Wave Box - (2) 250w MH's w/VHO

10-08-2004, 06:59 PM	#6 (permalink)
BrianNY Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NY Posts: 4,248 Images: 18	Yes. If the distributors are selling fish with ich................. The ich debate is never ending. If the parasite is present, a fish in stress will fall victim. Can ich ever truly be erradicated?

10-09-2004, 11:30 AM	#7 (permalink)
revhtree Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Rossville. Ga Posts: 4,012 Images: 1	I HATE ICH!!!!!!!!! __________________ Remember to Keep Christ First! 120G - Deltec AP601 Skimmer - Reefkeeper2 - Geo 618 - (2)Tunze 6100 - Tunze 6212 Wave Box - (2) 250w MH's w/VHO

10-09-2004, 12:24 PM	#8 (permalink)
urville Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Wy Posts: 268 Images: 5	the one good [acronym:8f17e258da="Local Fish Store"]lfs[/acronym:8f17e258da] here has never had ich ever. in the waht 3 years they have been here not one episode of ich. i have on the other hand seen glass tetras with acne which was the craziest thing i've ever seen. __________________ 125 gallon Reef - 50 gallon Refugium/Sump

10-09-2004, 02:49 PM	#9 (permalink)
oscarbreeder Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Columbia,S.C. Posts: 3,085 Images: 13	I agree with revhtree. I HATE ICH!!! They should invent a cure to wipe it out for GOOD!!! __________________ Please remember to vote for Aquarium Advice! http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v328/kyman_33/sig.jpg

10-09-2004, 05:58 PM	#10 (permalink)
QTOFFER Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Kew Gardens, NY Posts: 3,672 Images: 30	Here's my take on ich: It's endemic within the commercial tropical fish industry. It's a PITA, but fortunately, it's relatively easy to treat. I believe that most, if not all distributors have ich because of the tremendously high turnover within their tanks. Also, distributors are probably not too fussy about quarrantine or husbandry, since they are in the business to ship their livestock out fast. That's probably why I've seen ich, at one time or another, in every [acronym:4e4d045302="Local Fish Store"]lfs[/acronym:4e4d045302] I've visited. Lfs that deal directly with the breeders probably have fewer incidences of ich, since most breeders are very particular about their husbandry. However, if the [acronym:4e4d045302="Local Fish Store"]lfs[/acronym:4e4d045302] fails to quarrantine new arrivals..... I'm sure that temperature changes can stress out a fish' immune system, but consider this: I've purchased and brought home seemingly healthy fish, both on frigid cold days, and on warm sunny days; eventually, they all got ich. I was always able to eradicate the disease with elevated temperature and I never lost a fish to ich itself, (although I have lost several to secondary infections that showed up after the ich was gone). Once cured, the fish never developed ich again. I think the stress of being netted, jostled on the way home, and placed into an unfamiliar tank is enough to weaken the immune system to the point where ich can break out.

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