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Re: diseases
Griffiths, Richard wrote:
snip...
> Prevention is to have healthy, stress free fish, non-major temperature
> swings which causes stress. The higher temperatures, to @84 will kill
> the ich-cycle--if kept at that temp for 3-4 days and a slow resumption
> of the 'normal' temperature.
I must disagree with this point. My experience, and several good
reference books run counter to this advice. Ich will fatally reinfect
fish that are weak, stressed, and suffering from ammonia burn. The
elevated temperature just acellerates the hatching part of the cycle, so
any anti-ich treatment can get them all.
It's a three-part cycle, fish skin lesions (white spots), cyst encased
in gelatin (bottom of tank) and free-swimming infectious zoospores. This
last stage is where malachite green, often combined with other materials
can effect a true cure. The zoospores must find a new host within about
70 hours, or they die.
Healthy fish become semi-immune, but still act as carriers, while
showing no spots.
>
> Anything that opaque the water--like methlyene blue is helpful in
> reducing the ich reproducing process; but silicone is blued, too. Some
> of the ich-medicines are useless; others work, but also have the
> potential of killing some fish, killing the patients, and one's
> patience.
This used to be very true, but several good products (Jungle's comes to
mind) are out there to break the cycle and really cure ich, without much
stress on the fish.
>
> I typical rung tanks without heaters, no filtration--only room temp
> (55--75), water changes of 50%. Have not had a case of ich in 17 years
> in any of my up to 100 tanks (20 now, in an apartment).
At least no "visible" cases. ;-) I, too, never see a case, unless on a
fish I acquire from a store (rare around here). Unstressed fish deal
with it and you will never actually see an outbreak. Shipping stress is
often why store fish show visible spots, IMO.
Wright
- --
Wright Huntley, Fremont CA, USA, 510 494-8679 huntley@ix.netcom.com
"Quantum electrodynamics (QED): the dreams stuff is made of."