theop
Active member
I am that "friend" that Jack speaks of. (Sorry).
I think the ich was introducted from a neon goby that was purchased from a Reeftopia group buy. I never lost any fish, but my firefish, blenny, and clown all developed some of the white spots (along with the neon goby).
Based on the above experience, I am of the belief that the fish which get ich and survive probably harbor a low level of infection (or the ich life cycle is perpetuated in the tank) at subclinical levels (i.e. no white spots).
Then when those fish are introduced into a new tank or a new suseptable fish is introduced in the original tank - a new outbreak can occur.
When Jack put my fish with his, only the fish already in his tank broke out with ich - my fish which had already survived the outbreak in my tank didn't show any white spots or look sick.
This leads me to believe that fish develop some level of immunity once exposed. This might also explain why when stressed (and their immune system is lowered), an ich outbreak can occur in a tank which appeared disease-free. That would be my explaination why Mikeyjer had an outbreak after his tank became too hot.
I think the ich was introducted from a neon goby that was purchased from a Reeftopia group buy. I never lost any fish, but my firefish, blenny, and clown all developed some of the white spots (along with the neon goby).
Based on the above experience, I am of the belief that the fish which get ich and survive probably harbor a low level of infection (or the ich life cycle is perpetuated in the tank) at subclinical levels (i.e. no white spots).
Then when those fish are introduced into a new tank or a new suseptable fish is introduced in the original tank - a new outbreak can occur.
When Jack put my fish with his, only the fish already in his tank broke out with ich - my fish which had already survived the outbreak in my tank didn't show any white spots or look sick.
This leads me to believe that fish develop some level of immunity once exposed. This might also explain why when stressed (and their immune system is lowered), an ich outbreak can occur in a tank which appeared disease-free. That would be my explaination why Mikeyjer had an outbreak after his tank became too hot.
Fish also have been proven to develope some resistance to it after surviving a outbreak as theop stated and why his fish didn't have the same outbreak as crumbletops non-previously infected fish had. Crumbletops fish had no aquired immunity to it so it had a bad outbreak I would guess. There are lots of articles and info on its life cycle out there from reputable reaserchers if people take the time to read up on it. Ick for sure is a pain but one of the easier to treat diseases we can introduce into our tanks from lack of QTing. Hypo, or copper and a fallow tankfor minimum 4-6 weeks and you should have it licked.
