by Kimberley Heit

Created on: October 28, 2008   Last Updated: October 29, 2008

Ick or white spot disease is the most common disease aquarium fish face. Ick is caused by a protozoan parasite that lives in virtually all fish tanks. An outbreak of ick in your fish tank it not dissimilar to children getting head lice. The protozoan attaches itself to the fish and feeds of its skin making the fish itchy. It spreads rapidly to all of the fish in your tank and is hard to get rid of.

Ick can be identified by tiny white spots which predominately appear on the fins and tail, but also over the scales on the body. Fish in good health tend to have the immunity to fight off ick. This means the number one cause of an ick outbreak is stress. Stress lowers the immune system in a fish just like it does so in humans. Moving tanks, introducing new fish to a tank, incorrect water temperatures, dirty water and poor diet are all contributors.

Ick is often thought of as a common nuisance, but ick can also cause respiratory problems, loss of appetite and subsequently death. In fact ick causes more deaths then any other aquarium disease. Adequate prevention and treatment are therefore vital.

PREVENTION

Since we all know the adage "prevention is better then cure" rings true let's start with ways to prevent ick. The following are some suggested strategies:

-Consider purchasing an ultraviolet sterilizing unit for your aquarium, the protozoan parasite is not found in tanks fitted with these.

-Keep stress to a minimum by making sure you don't over crowd your aquarium.

-Ensure your fish are receiving an adequate diet, but by the same token do not over feed your fish. Overfeeding can lead to increased toxins in the tank which can lead to unhealthiness.

-Clean your fish tank on a regular basis, replacing 10-20% of the water each week. If you do this it will minimize the need for you to empty your tank and transfer the fish elsewhere. This means your fish will face less disruption.

-Do not keep your fish tank near a window or heating or cooling vents because this can cause swift changes in temperature which contribute to stress.

-Since fish can startle easily it is a good idea to include hiding places in your tank. This way if a fish gets scared it feels like it has somewhere to go and will not become as stressed.

-Do not purchase new fish that show any signs of unhealthiness. In addition never purchase fish from a tank that has been contaminated with dead fish.

-Before adding new fish to your tank make sure the breeds are compatible, otherwise you could end up with traumatized fish.

-Just

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