How does Ich find our fish?
- Thread starter Daniel62
- Start date
If you read the detailed life cycle discussion we find that "Yoshinaga and Dickerson (1994) observed, in laboratory studies, that theronts were released only between the hours of 2:00 am and 9:00 am, even in total darkness; some suggest this strategy increases the chance for theronts to find a host, as many fish may be resting or closer to substrate during this time period. "
Sand or rock.
Note, the theronts are free swimming, so contact with the substrate is not necessary. It's just a matter of proximity making it easier...i.e. less swimming distance
Keep in mind in our tanks, that distance is pretty much irrelevant due to the closed box.
Note, the theronts are free swimming, so contact with the substrate is not necessary. It's just a matter of proximity making it easier...i.e. less swimming distance
Keep in mind in our tanks, that distance is pretty much irrelevant due to the closed box.
jedimasterben
LED world domination!
It's really not just sand or rock, it is any surface that they can attach to, so equipment, glass, silicone, and even on the shells and carapace of invertebrates.
Aquarist007
New member
Then there is the other perspective
Ich always exists at some level in the gills of fish. If the fish immunity system breaks down due to stress of some sort then the ich can take over. Keep your fish feed properly and your tank parameters consistent and your fish are not infected or infected enough to combat the parasite
I have an 8 year old blue tang. Every 6 to 12 months I'll see a bit of necrotic skin evident of a parasite however it's usually gone in a few days
Ich always exists at some level in the gills of fish. If the fish immunity system breaks down due to stress of some sort then the ich can take over. Keep your fish feed properly and your tank parameters consistent and your fish are not infected or infected enough to combat the parasite
I have an 8 year old blue tang. Every 6 to 12 months I'll see a bit of necrotic skin evident of a parasite however it's usually gone in a few days
Paul B
Premium Member
That is why it is important that there be no clocks anywhere where the ich can see them. If they don't know what time it is, your fish are safe.
Don't mention that here as there are "some" people here that don't go along with my set of thinking and I am not allowed to link that article I wrote about that here. So SSSShhhh
Aquarist007
New member
Too much :lmao::lmao::thumbsup:
Here's some info from chucksaddiction.com:
The life cycle of ich and time line of each stage:
1 : TOMONT STAGE: This is where the parasite forms a membrane while attached to the substrate and goes into its reproductive mode, this can take from 3 to 28 days depending on the temperature of the water.
2 : THERONT STAGE: This is where the newly hatched parasite is free swimming in the water and is looking for a fish to attach to. It only has between 24 to 48 hours to do so or else it will die.
3 : TROPHONT STAGE: This is the adult parasite which is attached to a fish and actively feeding and the one that we can visibly see on a fish. This stage lives from 3 to 7 days.
4 : TROPHONT FREE SWIMMING: This is where the parasite has dropped off of the fish and is free swimming within the water looking for a suitable place to attach to so that it can form itself into the Tomont or reproductive stage, which can take up to 18 hours.
The life cycle of ich and time line of each stage:
1 : TOMONT STAGE: This is where the parasite forms a membrane while attached to the substrate and goes into its reproductive mode, this can take from 3 to 28 days depending on the temperature of the water.
2 : THERONT STAGE: This is where the newly hatched parasite is free swimming in the water and is looking for a fish to attach to. It only has between 24 to 48 hours to do so or else it will die.
3 : TROPHONT STAGE: This is the adult parasite which is attached to a fish and actively feeding and the one that we can visibly see on a fish. This stage lives from 3 to 7 days.
4 : TROPHONT FREE SWIMMING: This is where the parasite has dropped off of the fish and is free swimming within the water looking for a suitable place to attach to so that it can form itself into the Tomont or reproductive stage, which can take up to 18 hours.
Which is well proven to not be true....if one is willing to actually do things like religiously QT their critters.
Ich doesn't have eyes, so they can't see the clocks anyway. It's just us silly humans that need the clock
Raul-7
Member
You're welcome! I believe the longest known "hatch time" is 72 days, so a fallow time of 9 weeks will give you a 99.9% chance of eliminating ich. Most go for 10 or 11 weeks to get a little past that 72 day mark and call it good.
You might find some clarifying info in Snorvich's thread:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2041951
You might find some clarifying info in Snorvich's thread:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2041951
