Can bristleworms carry ich?

[azpt]

OK, I've read A TON of stuff on ich. I understand the quarantine process, the risks and benefits of copper treatment during quarantine, all that good stuff.

My main display tank has goon through a bad case of ich. It has since been fish free for 4+ months now. It's my understanding that if the tank if fish free, the ich will die off. (No host fish to grow onto).

However, I did notice I have quite a bit of bristleworms in my main display tank. Could ich survive inside the bristleworms for these last 4 months? Has my fish free time frame been in vein? hhmmm????

Very curious, thanks...

--Greg

 

[Angela Short]

Fish only parasite, You should be fine

 

[JHemdal]

Greg,

Some Japanese scientists did a study on Cryptocaryon and found that the cysts could remain viable for at least 45 days without a host (sorry, it was 20+ years ago and I've long since lost the reference).
Andecdotally, there is a train of thought that says fish that have gone through a Cryptocaryon epizootic gain some measure of resistance to it, and that chronic levels of this protozoan can be found in many of these tanks - making any newly added fish at risk.

Jay Hemdal