Beth - Question For You

[sov82]

Hi Beth,
Im trying to learn as much as I can...so here's a question for you...
Where exactly does ich come from? Is it acquired in the wild?
Thanks,
Matt

 

[beth]

Yes, ich is a fish parasite. Just like dogs have flees, fish have ich. In the wild a healthy fish might pick up a few parasites, but because the fish are always on the go, once they loose the parasites they caught, they likely will take a breather from them before running across them again. In the captive environment [fish tank] fish have no choice but to be food for for ich. They can't swim away from it. Thus, in a fish tank, ich can quickly reach plague proportions. There is a post in the FAQ Thread that details the lifecycle of this parasite that will help you understand. Understanding is half the battle in turning this dreaded hobby problem into a minor nuisance.

 

[keeka333]

Hi...at my girlfriends house now working on her tank....that makes sense and its what I figured...I understand the lifecycle and thats why, despite my fish looking better, they are going into hypo tomorrow when my refractometer and filter arrive for the QT tank.
Thanks,
Matt

 

[beth]

Exactly. Ich is a sly pest. It seemly disappears, when it fact it is right there in the tank like a ticking bomb waiting to go off on your fish again.
Sounds like you know what to do!