SYMPTOMS

Some species occasionally seen to flick and twitch pelvic / dorsal fins and even close down the worst-infected gill chamber if disease progresses untreated. Symptoms include loss of appetite, scratching, clamped fins, rapid breathing and in advanced stage skin peels off. Visible as light spots to the eye. Skin, Gills and intestininal, seens as dull surface on an angle, yellow to yellowish brown or grey, heavy breathing though skin can be free of parasites.Within 6-8 hours of the fish becoming infected the respiratory rate rises very steeply from the normal 60-90 GB/min. to as high as 200-300 GB/min.

Easily distinguishable from "white-spot" disease since - a) the spots are much smaller, and b) "white-spot" disease doesn't cause an increase in respiratory rate until several untreated days have passed and the fish is dying.

DISEASE :

AKA:

Taxonomy.Oödinium, Amyloodinium or Crepidoodinium

Sessile parasite lacks flagella. Oodinium is a genus of microscopic parasitic dinoflagellates. They live off salt and fresh water fish, causing a type of fish velvet disease (also called gold dust disease).

DESCRIPTION

MORPHOLOGY

One species has also been recorded on various cnidarians. The parasite is single-celled and enters the slime coating of a host fish in its motile juvenile stage where it matures. The mature parasites break through the slime layer and drop to the bottom of the aquarium and attach themselves to solid surfaces. Here they form a cyst, which develops into numerous new juvenile individuals known as tomites.

The host typically develops small yellow or gold dust scattered on its head, fins and body. At this stage, the infestation is already severe. The attack usually starts at the gills at which stage it is difficult to notice. The host is irritated and often swims in fuzziness while rubbing itself against rocks. The yellowish spots are more vivid under sunlight or flashlight. It is very similar to Ichthyophthirius, though the oodinium spots are yellowish and smaller.

Velvet disease, also called gold dust disease is a fish disease caused by the dinoflagellate parasites of the genera Oödinium, Amyloodinium or Crepidoodinium which gives the fish a dusty, slimy look The disease often infects fishes in tropical aquaria.

LIFE CYCLE

The life cycle of oodinium starts as a dinospore that swims in the water to look for a suitable host. As it attaches itself onto the host skin, it forms a hard shell protecting itself against the outside environment while it is eating the fish skin cells. This is the cyst stage seen as dust covering the fish skin. After few days, the cyst sinks to the bottom, freeing new generation of dinospores. And the cycle repeats. The dinospore must find a host within 24-48 hours, otherwise the dinospore would die.

IMAGE

TREATMENT

Quinine

Acriflavine, also called trypaflavine. The cures against Ichthyophthirius are effective but should be used longer than for the treatment of ich. As there is a chloroplast in the organism some prescribe to covering the tank completely to shut out all light while treating, thereby denying the free swimming stage a source of energy while it seeks a host. Acriflavine may work effectively without removing light, however.

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