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Name: Ich/Ick
Scientific Name: Ichthyophthirius Multifiliis
Cause: Poor water quality, stress, or introducing a contagious tank mate
Visual Symptoms: Small white dots on the body, fins, or gills resembling sugar granules
Behavioral Symptoms: Rubbing against objects in the aquarium
Betta Fish Ich Treatment: Medicine and clean water
Outlook Treatable but can be fatal if left untreated
Ich or Ick is an uncomfortable disease and one of the most common among freshwater aquarium fish. Betta fish are also susceptible to ich, and ignoring treatment for too long can lead to death. Make sure you fully understand the diagnosis for Ich. Medicating a healthy fish can also have adverse consequences.
Ich Causes
Because Ich is highly contagious and may be living in the water unnoticed, it is extremely important that you quarantine all new tank mates and betta fish being acclimated to community tanks. When purchasing a new betta, depending how well they were cared for, they may already have ich when you bring them home.
When a betta fish is stressed, or living in poorly heated or poor water conditions, they are more likely to contract ich. These are the most common reasons that the Ich parasite may prey on your betta. Ich is also common among aging betta fish.
Ich Symptoms
The easiest way identify whether your betta fish has Ich or not is visually. Ich parasites look like small granules of salt or sugar speckled across their body, gills and finnage. The level of severity will depend on how many white spots the betta fish has. These white spots are different than ‘pimples’ which occasionally affect betta fish.
A betta fish that has Ich may act lethargic and refuse to eat in advanced or more severe cases. You may also notice them rubbing against aquarium decor to try and remove the Ich parasites from their body and fins. This can also lead to tears in fins or scale damage. Other common symptoms are clamped fins and laboured breathing.
Ich Treatment
Treating Ich is important because this disease can be fatal to betta fish. If you have or plan to have betta fish (or other tropical fish) for a long time, chances are you will have to treat this disease at one point or another.
The Ich protozoan reproduces rapidly without proper treatment and care. They have a 7 day life span and go through three distinct stages of life in tropical freshwater aquariums. It’s important to understand their life stages to effectively treat it.
Ich Stages
Trophont Stage or Feeding Stage: The period of time when the parasite is attached to the betta, feeding and visible. The parasites are not susceptible to treatment during this stage.
Tomont Stage: The adult parasite releases from the betta, falls into the tank and attaches to gravel or other objects. In this stage they begin dividing through binary fission (up to 10 times) rapidly. This is the parasite’s reproductive stage.
Theront Stage: Ich parasites (invisible to the naked eye) are free swimming during this stage and are most susceptible to treatment. They have 48 hours to attach to a host or they will die. Treating and medicating your tank and betta during this phase is crucial to recovery.
Treatment Steps
1. Move the betta to a hospital tank if there are other tank mates.
2. Increase the temperature slowly in your tank to 81-86 degrees fahrenheit for up to 10 days. Ich parasites prefer colder water, with colder temperatures leading to prolonged life cycles and increased reproduction rates.
3. Warmer water holds less oxygen, so consider adding an airstone. Increased oxygen can boost a betta fish’s immune system.
4. Follow the directions and administer the recommended medicine for treating Ich: (Rid Ich Plus) which contains malachite green and formalin. It is strong and highly effective.
5. Perform daily water cycling of 25-50% to reduce high medication levels and remove Ich trophonts and tomites.
6. Continue medication according to the directions and do not stop early. Ich protozoan are only vulnerable to medication two days out of their seven day life span, so continue even if they appear to be gone.
Ich Medicine
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Prevention and Care
Ich and other diseases have become stronger over time because of hobbyist’s reliance on medications and their adaptability. This is why most cases of Ich cannot be cured without medication today.
Preventing betta fish diseases like Ich is easier than treating it. Make sure you are properly caring for your betta fish and reducing environmental stressors. Ich can also come attached to living aquarium plants. Remember to quarantine all new living plants and tank mates.
The good news is bettas develop a small tolerance or immunity to Ich after having successfully overcome it. This means that it is unlikely a betta fish will become infected with Ich again in the future.
I have my Betta in a 1 gal hospital tank. He definitely has ich. . I bought ich guard that comes in tablets. Dose is for 10 gal so I dissolved it in water and added some to his 1 gal tank. Does the dissolved tablet lose potency over time? How do I determine if I’m dosing the right amount? Thanks!
Hi Julie – sorry to hear your betta fish has ich. I would consult the company that makes the medicine you’re using if the answers to your questions are not on the product’s packaging.
My Betta has two white spots on it that could be ich, should I react immediately or give it a day or two? Thanks
I would only treat for Ich if you definitely know it is Ich. For now, make sure the water is clean (do a daily 20% partial change for 3-5 days) and the tanks temperature is in the proper range. If things don’t improve or get worse, then you could consider additional treatment.
I have a Betta fish who came from the store with ich, possibly velvet and minor fin rot. Unfortunately I didn’t know what any of these looked like at the time. He is in a 55 G with 2 Pictus Catfish who have both already passed away, and a mystery snail. I raised the temp to 86 and started ich treatment at half strength due to the catfish. I took the filter out of the pump so it doesn’t filter out the meds and am doing 10% daily changes. Now that it’s only my Betta and snail I wanted to up the medication to full strength but not sure if the snail will be okay. Also worried about doing water changes without a filter to remove chlorine. The medication started yesterday. Thanks for any advice!
Do you have a separate smaller tank you can use for a hospital and treatment tank? I would purchase a 2-3 gallon tank for this purpose. It will reduce the amount of medication you need to use and will be much easier to keep a close eye on him or her. This will also prevent issues with your filtration and any other tank mates or live plants.
Hi Bryan, my betta has 2 tiny white spots and one bigger spot (that looks like a grain of salt) on one of his pectoral fins. I’ve had his tank temp increased to 86 for over a week, and I do regular water changes. The spots are still there, no change at all. No other spots have appeared anywhere on his body. I thought that the adult parasite would have fallen off by now. Does this mean it’s not ich? Thanks
Could it be white colors developing in small areas that you have not seen before? Hard for me to say it is or isn’t without seeing the betta.
My betta fish is young, and she has a white dot on her. I searched up some pictures of the same fish types/ betta fishes and they all have a white dot on them. I thought it’s supposed to be normal for her to have that dot, but when I checked on her, the side of her dot was right next to the filter that was vibrating. I knew this was a symptom of the side rubbing in stuff in the tank, but I don’t know what to exactly purchase for her. I did heat up the water for the night since I don’t have a heater even though I know it’s important. Just too broke right now. =| The local store for me is Petco, and what should I buy from there? Please reply. I’m in desperate need for this poor fish. =<
If it’s an injury, keep the water very clean so it does not get infected – do 20% daily partial water changes and yes you need to get a heater. They can also be found on Amazon for around $10 for a tank that’s 5-gallons or under.
My beta doesn’t have any of the same symptoms. She has a clamped tail, loss of color, jerky movements, lays on her side when not eating and even then it takes so much work for her so she tires easily. Her fins look smaller than normal but not sure. What is this I don’t want to give her the wrong thing?
Sounds like stress which is most commonly caused by water that is too cold (ensure it’s 76-82 degrees Fahrenheit), or water that is dirty. Use test strips to check your pH and ammonia levels, and if necessary perform a partial water change.
Hi, I just bought a Betta from Wal-Mart about 3 days ago. At first he was very lethargic staying on the bottom most of the time and not swimming much. I bought a heater, some aquarium salt, and some stress coat+ and treated his tank the very next day. He is now swimming up to the top of the tank more to get air but doesn’t stay very long and I just caught him huddled close to the heater. He is improving but I noticed a few light colored spots on him that at first I thought was ick but looking closer it doesn’t look like it’s on the outside of his body but more like a discoloration? Any suggestions and tips are greatly appreciated. I want him to have the best life possible.
It’s common for a betta to be lethargic and they may not eat for the first few days as they get settled in. Moving from the store in a cup, and in varying temperatures on the way home, and finally into their new tank can produce a lot of stress. Huddling up close to the heater is also common because they like the warmth. All bettas have varying personalities and activities and I don’t think your betta has Ick based on what you’ve told me here. Changes in color are also common after they get better care and heated habitats.
All these questions and answers were very helpful! My betta started showing odd signs a couple of weeks back and have been treating him with BETTAFIX which I could see helped him dramatically, however, after 5 days of treatment and a water change I am noticing white spots next to his gills. He has refused to eat and at times his gills flare up :'( I will be retreating him with RID-ICH and adding a heater soon as I can..I hope he gets to feeling better soon!! He’s the best fish I’ve ever had!