ich and inverts

[neelio]

Now, i have been told in the past inverts cannot carry ich. I am battling a outbreak right now and this statement doesnt seem to make sense to me. Snails and conches are fleshy and i would assume they could contract ich- and if thats the case how do you treat them? Enlighten me

 

[CarlC]

You have been lied too. Anything you add to your tank can be a carrier of ich. Only fish host (food source) the parasite.

Carl

 

[Rondelet]

I agree with Carl. To put in another way, SW Ich (Cyrptocaryon irritans) is an obligate fish parasite. In other words, it needs a fish host to survive and reproduce. There is some literature to suggest that the off-host developmental stages (the trophonts) may go into a vegitative state for some time in the absence of fish hosts. However, even then the infectivity of the emerging tomites reduces over time. So basically, in the absence of a fish host after two months existing parasites fade out of the system.

Regarding you post, however, how is it that you're battling ich? Perhaps you can provide some more information about your situation. Why do you suspect your snails and conch have ich and when was the last time you had a fish in your system?

 

[neelio]

i am setting up a QT to traet all my fish. i know i cant treat the inverts the same. i just couldnt see how something as fleshy as a snail or conch not be susceptible to ich infection. I now realize it can carry it, the parasite just cannot complete its lifecycle with it.

 

[Newflavor]

They will eventually die off wait for like 6 or more monts. I had this problem before. I had snails in my tank and redfire and cleaner shrimp in the tank for 6 weeks and the ich just went away

 

[Rondelet]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9129471#post9129471 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Newflavor
They will eventually die off wait for like 6 or more monts. ..

In the absence of fish, you shouldn't have to wait this long for the parasite population to die out.

 

[CarlC]

Your inverts can be QT'd just the same as fish. Snails and the like are commonly the introducer of such things as hydriod's. If kept in QT for a couple of weeks you might have the chance of finding things like Hydriod's before they make it to your tank. The only thing that would differ is treatment methods.

The same goes for live rock. If you cure it in a seperate tank or tub you can spot those nasty Aptaisia and eliminate them before they make it to the tank.

Carl