White Spot Disease (Ich)

White spot disease also known as Ich (short for Ichthyophthiriasis) is widespread in fresh water fish but is most common in small aquariums. It is a disease that if left untreated can lead to death. When the white spots first start appearing on the skin it is important to quarantine that specific fish before it spreads to any other fish you might have. Excess stress in a fishes life such as a new environment or change in temperature can weaken the immune system so severly that the fish can no longer fight of bacteria and infections that are usually present in a tank.

 

Causes:

• Excess stress

• Infected plant

• Infected fish

• Infected water

• Poor diet

 

Symptoms:

When a goldfish has Ich they usually present with the following behavioural and physical symptoms.

 

Behavioural:

• General discomfort

• Avioding solid foods

• Scratching up against the tank to try to remove the white spots

 

Physical:

• Small white spots

• Discolouration of his/her gills

 

Prevention

• Keep your fish tank very clean and calm as to reduce stress in your Goldfish's life.

• When purchacing a new goldfish make sure to keep him/her in a quarantine tank for at least 48 hours before introducing it to the other fish.

• When purchacing new plants for the take, make sure to wash them thoroughly before putting them in the tank.

• Feed your fish a healthy balanced diet.

• Aviod tapping on the glass, in turn scaring your fish.

• Make sure the temperature of the tank stays the same at all times, even when cleaning out.

• Never buy a fish from a tank where there are dead or diseased fish.