FUNGAL ICH AKA Ichthyophonus Hoferi formerly Ichthyosporidium hoferi

SYMPTOMS

Symptoms include grayish white skin, followed by tufts of cottony wool. Rapid loss of body weight - often despite good appetite, leading to vertigo (loss of balance) and abnormal swimming pattern, (CAUTION these symptoms can be confused with same symptoms produced by physical or pressure damage to swim- bladder if present). Early symptoms later deteriorate to ulceration and fin damage probably as a result of secondary bacterial infections on damage sites caused by loss of balance. Finally if untreated, the spleen, liver kidneys and brain become infected, "Pop-eye" develops and in the last few hours, breathing rate increases to 100+ GB/min. In early stages of infection wrasse species may lose ability to close mouth.

May be regarded as a time- bomb ticking away in ALL fishes which lays dormant whilst the fish is not under stress. Should conditions in the system deteriorate the fungus suddenly explodes into action and the fish may die.

Symptoms are often confused with TB bacteria. Dr H. Herkner demonstrated in 1961 that feeding diseased marine fish to tropical fish illicited the disease in 20% of the latter...Affected fish rock or sway as they swim. Transmission occurs when dead infected fish are consumed by the living.

DISEASE :

AKA:

DESCRIPTION/

FUNGAL - caused by several members of class Phycomycetes the best known of which is Ichthyophonus (=Ichthyosporidium) hoferi.

MORPHOLOGY

LIFE CYCLE

IMAGE/S

KNOWN TREATMENT/S

Waterlife PROTOZIN until respiratory rate falls to a normal 60-90 GB/min. Stop all feeding until symptoms disappear.

Salt baths

Salt in the aquarium at 1 to 2 tablespoons/gallon for general prevention. It can be used at up to 1 tblsp/gal for treatment.

Methylene Blue

Antifungals

Malachite green

Formaldehyde

Nystatin

Nitrofuracin

Penicillin

Maroxy

Kanacyn

Myacin

Furan 2

Maracyn 2

For help with dose rates and disease diagnosis in Discus, see our Forum...

PREVENTION

Poor water quality, poor hygiene, or injuries are possible causes of fungal infections.

These diseases are extremely difficult to treat - no doubt due to the facts that:
a) they are essentially diseases of the internal organs i.e. spleen, brain, liver, etc., which are difficult to reach with medications, and,
b) apart from disease 6 (Saprolegnia), there are no easily-seen external symptoms until the disease is already well advanced.
The key to successful avoidance however is undoubtedly stated in the "type of disease" column above, i.e. keep the system scrupulously clean at all times. Never overfeed, use the Nitrate, Nitrite, Ammonia, pH and Hardness test kits to ensure that water management, and water chemistry are always maintained within optimal limits. In short - keep stress to a minimum so that the time bomb ticks quietly away until your fishes cheat it by dying of old age.

References