"Ich" is one of the most common freshwater diseases in fish. "Ich" is caused by the ciliated protozoa, Ichthyophthirius and is a major concern to aquarists and commercial fish producers across the globe. One of the most concerning aspects of this disease is that it is highly contagious and spreads quickly from one fish to another; furthermore, this disease has a high mortality rate and, if left untreated, may result in 100% mortality rate.

"Ich" is particularly harmful to the skin and gills and can be identified by small white spots on the skin and/or gills. These white spots are the result of the parasite burrowing into the skin of the fish to feed. In addition to the blister-like white spots on the skin and/or gills, your fish may seem sluggish or you may find them scratching themselves on rocks and gravel. You may also witness your fish bobbing at the top of the aquarium for air as the "Ich" infects the gill area.

Preventing "Ich" from taking hold in your aquarium is crucial to fish health. Practicing proper quarantine methods before adding new fish to the environment is the first step to prevention. Maintaining water quality, adding a consistent diet and avoiding temperature swings in the aquarium are all crucial steps to maintaining the health of your aquarium.

Treatment of "Ich" can be troublesome due to the parasites’ uncommon life cycle. Water temperature plays a significant role on the parasites’ life cycle and can be leveraged in the treatment of the disease. While chemical or parasitic treatments of the disease may rid fish of the parasites affecting them, these treatments usually breakdown in the aquarium by the time the second or third generation emerges from cysts left from the first generation. For this reason, increasing water temperature speeds up the life cycle so fewer treatments may be used.

Unlike other fish diseases, any outbreak of "Ich" should be treated immediately and aggressively. Because it is easily introduced into an aquarium, proper quarantine methods, along with a good diet and water quality, should be followed to prevent this horrible disease from affecting your fish.

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