article I wanted to share..Ich (crytocaryon irratans)

[Ed Hahn]

I read a article on Natural Therapy for Ich in TFH January 2003. I found it interesting that the parasite returns to the fish in reproductive cycle. That is, it goes through three stages, the tomite (infective)stage, a trophont (feeding)stage, and a tomant (encrusted) stage.
The article stated during the free-swimming stage, the parasite find its way into fish by gills or skin.
The article also states that the warmer temperature of water the faster the parasite's life cycle, and at the same temperature above 90 degrees F, the parasite can not encrust. The warm water treatment must be done in a tank with out invertebrates and usually takes a week.
The other treatment which we have been taught repeatedly is to lower the specific gravity of 1.014 for seven days. Then slowly bringing the salinity back up to normal.
The other fix is to keep your fish healthy by providing good nutrition(makes me want to research healthy foods for fish) to your fish and providing good water conditions for your fish to live.
If fish is feed a good diet and water quality is good, the fishes imune system will usually respond, the Natural therapy for Ich.

I found this article interesting because I do not like to treat for Ich.
I hope this helps someone out there.
see you around at the next Meeting,
Ed

 

[NaH2O]

Ed - sounds like it was an informative article.

Here is a quote from Terry B's series on ich with regards to elevating the temperature:

Raising the water temperature to a lesser degree has also been suggested as a means of speeding up the life cycle of Cryptocaryon irritans. While it is true that the life cycle of this parasite is temperature dependant, speeding up the life cycle may not be helpful to the fish. Raising the temperature can change the blood pH causing further stress to fish already weakened by disease (Bartelme, 2000a. McDonald & Milligan, 1992). If the water temperature was not too low to begin with, then it may be better not to adjust this parameter. If the temperature is adjusted, any change should be small and take place slowly.

There is also a method where you can "outrun" the tomont stage of the disease. Transfer the fish to a new tank every couple of days:

The transfer method consists of moving the fish every third day for a total of four moves between two aquariums. The aquariums are then dried between uses to kill the tomonts that are left behind (Noga, 2000. Colorni, 1985). This will effectively interrupt the life cycle of this parasite. Again however, the stress of frequent handling and the potential injuries associated with such a practice could threaten the health and well being of the fish in question (Noga, 2000).

For further reading on this series:

News from the Warfront with Cryptocaryon irritans - Part 1 of 5
News from the Warfront with Cryptocaryon irritans - Part 2 of 5
News from the Warfront with Cryptocaryon irritans - Part 3 of 5
News from the Warfront with Cryptocaryon irritans - Part 4 of 5
News from the Warfront with Cryptocaryon irritans - Part 5 of 5

 

[spongebob lover]

hey that's very informative Ed.
did it say what's the best food to feed your fishes?
i wonder what would be faster because i know you can do fresh water deeps.
did they say anything about that?

 

[Ed Hahn]

Nikki's thread was very imformative..Thanks you very much Nikki. Again,Terry B Rocks!!

Gabriella,
I like New Lifes Spectrum Thera +A. I can smell the vitamins in it. Then again, I just read a article about Morish Idols in the above Magazine. Morish Idols are pretty picky eaters.

The last professional oppinion I got on Fresh water dips, Was that they tend to really stress the fish. I trust the person that stated that. When You stress the fish, the fish becomes weaker and acceptable to deseases.

 

[Krish]

Thanks Ed for sharing that with us...Very informative. Hopefully I'll never have to try out any of those techniques (knock on wood)

 

[steve-s]

Good thread, some points of interest though...

To expand on what Nikki said, raising the temp alone is also very unwise for the fish if there is no proper treatment in place. The increased reproductive rate combined with the greatly reduced immune system means a faster rate of infection. The parasite would be the "victor" so to speak. Maintaining a normal, consitant temp allows the fish to better defend itself.

Hyposalinity is one of the best recommended and non medicated treatments you can use but 1.014 (18.6 ppt) isn't low enough nor is 7 days long enough. Lowered to 14-16 ppt, the reduced salinity impedes the tomont stage breaking the lifecycle. Anything above 16 ppt (1.012), is not going to be effective. It's also unwise to use SG as a reference, salinity measured with a refractometer is best.

Increasing the strength of the immune system is always a worthy goal, sick fish or otherwise but more commonly, the fish is not rid of the problem. It merely has developed a defense so to speak that allows the two to live in somewhat of a "harmony" if you will. Also refered to as aquired immunity. It is usually short lived and a full blown onslaught by the parasite is only a stress event away. This is where I personally find the myth "ick is always present" more commonly stems from.

As for the FW dips, definately stressful and rarely effective against C. irritans. The parasite can work it's way quite deeply into the epithelium where it would be protected from such dips. It has also been shown in studies that C. irritans can survive for severa/manyl hours in FW.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Krish]

Just out of curiosity...I overheard the owners of one of the LFS here in the Bahamas telling someone one day to cover their fish's eyes and wand a uv light over the fish's body to cure it of something and I don't know what it was they were talking about...Have you guys ever heard of anything like that before and if so, was it a method people used to cure ich?

 

[Ed Hahn]

Many thanks Steve,
thats what I like about this place the pros always help. I appreciate you clearing that.
Do you feel a healthy diet supports a healthy immune system?

 

[steve-s]

Do you feel a healthy diet supports a healthy immune system?

There are many things that we can do (or not do for that matter) that will aid in a healthy immune system. Nutrition though is one of the more important.

I overheard the owners of one of the LFS here in the Bahamas telling someone one day to cover their fish's eyes and wand a uv light over the fish's body to cure it of something and I don't know what it was they were talking about...Have you guys ever heard of anything like that before and if so, was it a method people used to cure ich?

Cure no, actually a means of detection. Moreso used in the retail finfish industry to detect parasites in dark fleshed fish. Depending on the UV wavelength used, the parasite will fluoresce.

Cheers
Steve

 

[NaH2O]

There are many things that we can do (or not do for that matter) that will aid in a healthy immune system. Nutrition though is one of the more important.

Yes, and I would add that making sure your livestock is not subjected to territorial issues with other livestock. Any amount of continued stress would have an effect on the immune system.

 

[Ed Hahn]

Yes, and I would add that making sure your livestock is not subjected to territorial issues with other livestock. Any amount of continued stress would have an effect on the immune system.

I agree. What I think you are saying is, that you make hiding spots or comfort zones for fish and Keep your tank on the same lighting cycle. You provide a safe haven and do not make sudden changes in your Aquascaping.

 

[steve-s]

I think Terry's article sums it up rather well....

Understanding and Controlling Stress in Fish

Cheers
Steve

 

[acrylic_300]

I'm new but wont the Skunk Cleaner Shrimp cure ich? and other parasites?

 

[steve-s]

Skunk shrimp as well as any other "cleaning" animal sold for this purpose cannot affect a cure. They pick haphazardly at the fish for dead skin, loose scales and parasites. Some are removed some aren't. The main issue in regards to many parasites is the intended animal only slightly addresses one stage of the parasite life cycle which in this case is on the fish. Problems like C. irritans have several "phases" through it's life cycle of which the shrimp cannot deal with. Only treatments that break the lifecycle should be considered and of those few are effective on a repeatitive basis. Copper, hyposalinity and the transfer method being the proven choices. All needing the use of a quarantine tank.

Cheers
Steve

 

[acrylic_300]

There is no way for me to catch the fish in my tank so I guess they will have to cure themselves if they ever get it.

 

[steve-s]

If the fish never have it when they enter the display tank, the only way of them "catching" it, is if something added after the fact carries it in. This can easily be prevented by the use of QTing all new arrivals. This includes corals, rock and inverts. Any hard surface or fish is a potential risk and not just for the parasite discussed here.

Personally I think everything should be QT'd before adding to a display tank. Unfortunately though most do not realise the benefit until first hand experience teach's them otherwise.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Boomer]

I agree with what Steve-S said. To ad there is not just 1 cyclic form of "ick" more like 3.