Ich Disease (White Spot Diseases)

Common Names: Ich disease, ich disease, white spot disease

Signs:  Signs that your tank has been infected with the ick disease are: tiny white spots on fish fins and body; fish scratching or rubbing against rocks or other aquarium ornaments.


Threat Level: Ick has a very high threat level because it is very contagious. One fish being affected can quickly lead to every fish in your tank affected, which can than lead to every fish in your tank or most dying.

Causes: Ick is often caused by introducing a new fish to your tank that has the parasite, which eventually spreads. It can also be caused by high levels of stress  in a tank.
Cures: Curing ich disease takes patience and diligence! You have 2 options for curing ich, natural treatment of medicated; I always prefer natural treatment because its less stress for the fish and the over all aquarium.
       For natural treatment of ich, the first thing to do is raise the temperature of your tank to 82F -86F degrees. This speeds the live stage of ich and cause the parasite to detach from your fish and now are free swimming. The next thing to do is to add aquarium salt to your tank, 3teaspoons per gallon, which kills the parasite. 24 hours later, preform a 50 percent water change. Repeat the salt treatment again, followed by another water change! Continue treating your tank after a week of not seeing disease!
       For medicated treatment, its best to raise the temperature as well. Follow the directions given by the medication carefully. Be sure to do frequent water changes. Don't end treatment until a week after disease leaves!
Prevention: To prevent ich disease, it is very important to observe every fish before adding it into your tank. Pay attention and make sure you don't see any signs of ich on a fish before getting it. Also before adding new fish into main tank is best to keep them separated in a smaller tank so that you can watch for signs of disease. Also try to keep stress level to a minimum.