The Ich is probably the common fish disease, the ich refers to a ciliated protozoan of the

genus Ichthyophthirius.

Ich is present all the time in aquarium just waiting the "right" time to burst.

Terms like theronts and trophont are not properly known and this is a good opportunity to

broaden on them a little bit. 

When it’s the "right" time? 

1-when a fish suffers extreme stress such as sudden drop in temperature, fish attacks.

2-when a new fish enterer an establish tank.

3-high temperatures can cause ich to burst. 

Ich is a free swimming parasite just waiting the right moment to attaches itself to the outer

layer of the skin of the host fish.

The ich covers himself with tough outer shell, in this time he feeds on the fish body fluids.

This stage known as theront is a visible stage and we can see it clearly on the fish body.

Each theront appears as a very small white spot on the fish body, those white spots are what

After the theronts continuing growing they burst the skin and drop off the fish, they immediately

attach to everything they can,

Gravel, plants, rocks, filter tubing, other decorations, then begin their reproduction stage that

known as trophont.

The attached trophont begin producing The worst stage-the free swimming stage.

In this period of time more tomits (free swimming organisms) can appear in 24 hours Infect the fish again.

                                                                        ich lifecycle

The free swimming stage is the only stage that we can exterminate ich.

Unfortunately in the last two years the ich pass mutation that make him stronger then before,

Traditional treatments like raising temperature And salt adding are not useful.

So what can we do?

Water changing is very important fighting ich outbreaks when we change water it is extremely important to

"vacuum" gravel.

Another way to treat ich is by using commercial chemicals.

The last treatment is perhaps the best one, quarantine for several weeks (3-4 weeks)

can save the entire tank.

To my experience fish who suffers from ich never get it again, there is more evidence that fish

become resistant to ich after they survive the Infection.