Care library / Health

Health guide, not a diagnosis · Serious if left

Ich (white spot)

Also called ick, white spot disease, ichthyophthirius

Signs

Small white grains like salt on body and fins
Rubbing against decor ("flashing")
Clamped fins, gasping

Cause

A parasite (Ichthyophthirius multifiliis), often after stress or a sudden temperature drop. Often arrives with new fish.

What to do

Raise temperature slowly to about 28–30 °C if all fish tolerate it and treat the whole tank with an ich medicine for the full course. Remove carbon from the filter.

If a fish is badly ill, talk to an aquatic vet.

Prevention

Quarantine new fish for 2–4 weeks; keep temperature stable.

Medicines used for it

Always read the label first

Ich & velvet treatmentsParasite treatments

Aquarium saltSalt & water care

Species often affected

521 species

Neon tetraParacheirodon innesi

Easy2.5 cm21–25 °C

Cardinal tetraParacheirodon axelrodi

Moderate3 cm23–29 °C

Black neon tetraHyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi

Easy3.2 cm20–28 °C

Black skirt tetraGymnocorymbus ternetzi

Easy7.5 cm20–26 °C

Serpae tetraMegalamphodus eques

Easy4 cm22–27 °C

X-ray tetraPristella maxillaris

Easy4.5 cm24–28 °C

Lemon tetraHyphessobrycon pulchripinnis

Easy3.8 cm22–28 °C

Congo tetraPhenacogrammus interruptus

Moderate8 cm23–28 °C

Glowlight tetraHemigrammus erythrozonus

Easy4 cm24–28 °C

Rummy-nose tetraPetitella rhodostoma

Moderate5 cm24–27 °C

Ember tetraHyphessobrycon amandae

Easy2 cm24–28 °C

Bloodfin tetraAphyocharax anisitsi

Easy5.5 cm18–28 °C

Emperor tetraNematobrycon palmeri

Easy4.2 cm23–27 °C

Penguin tetraThayeria boehlkei

Easy6 cm22–28 °C

Head and tail light tetraHolopristis ocellifera

Easy4.5 cm24–28 °C

Bleeding heart tetraMegalamphodus erythrostigma

Moderate6.1 cm22–28 °C

Tiger barbPuntigrus tetrazona

Easy7 cm20–26 °C

Cherry barbRohanella titteya

Easy5 cm23–27 °C

Rosy barbPethia conchonius

Easy10 cm16–24 °C

Odessa barbPethia padamya

Easy4.6 cm16–25 °C

Gold barbBarbodes semifasciolatus

Easy7 cm18–24 °C

Denison barbDawkinsia denisonii

Moderate15 cm18–25 °C

Black ruby barbPethia nigrofasciata

Easy6 cm20–27 °C

Tinfoil barbBarbonymus schwanefeldii

Hard35 cm20–28 °C

Zebra danioDanio rerio

Easy5 cm18–25 °C

Celestial pearl danioDanio margaritatus

Moderate2.1 cm20–25 °C

Giant danioDevario aequipinnatus

Moderate10 cm16–26 °C

Harlequin rasboraTrigonostigma heteromorpha

Easy4.5 cm22–27 °C

Lambchop rasboraTrigonostigma espei

Easy3 cm23–28 °C

Chili rasboraBoraras brigittae

Moderate2 cm24–28 °C

Scissortail rasboraRasbora trilineata

Moderate13 cm22–25 °C

White cloud mountain minnowTanichthys albonubes

Easy4 cm14–22 °C

GuppyPoecilia reticulata

Easy6 cm22–28 °C

Endler's livebearerPoecilia wingei

Easy2 cm24–28 °C

PlatyXiphophorus maculatus

Easy6 cm20–26 °C

Variatus platyXiphophorus variatus

Easy7 cm20–26 °C

SwordtailXiphophorus hellerii

Moderate14 cm22–28 °C

MollyPoecilia sphenops

Easy8 cm24–28 °C

AngelfishPterophyllum scalare

Easy15 cm24–30 °C

DiscusSymphysodon aequifasciatus

Moderate13.7 cm26–30 °C

OscarAstronotus ocellatus

Moderate45.7 cm22–27 °C

German blue ramMikrogeophagus ramirezi

Moderate4.2 cm27–30 °C

Bolivian ramMikrogeophagus altispinosus

Moderate8 cm24–28 °C

Cockatoo dwarf cichlidApistogramma cacatuoides

Moderate7.5 cm24–28 °C

KribensisPelvicachromis pulcher

Easy10 cm24–27 °C

Convict cichlidAmatitlania nigrofasciata

Moderate10 cm24–28 °C

Jack DempseyRocio octofasciata

Moderate25 cm22–28 °C

Firemouth cichlidThorichthys meeki

Moderate17 cm24–28 °C

SeverumHeros efasciatus

Moderate20 cm22–29 °C

Green terrorAndinoacara rivulatus

Moderate20 cm20–24 °C

Electric blue acaraAndinoacara pulcher

Easy15 cm22–28 °C

Electric yellow cichlidLabidochromis caeruleus

Easy10 cm24–28 °C

Peacock cichlidAulonocara stuartgranti

Moderate13 cm24–28 °C

FrontosaCyphotilapia frontosa

Hard33 cm24–27 °C

Bronze corydorasOsteogaster aenea

Easy7.5 cm22–26 °C

Panda corydorasHoplisoma panda

Easy5 cm22–25 °C

Sterbai corydorasHoplisoma sterbai

Easy6.5 cm24–28 °C

Julii corydorasHoplisoma trilineatum

Easy6 cm22–26 °C

Pygmy corydorasGastrodermus pygmaeus

Moderate2.5 cm22–26 °C

Bristlenose plecoAncistrus cf. cirrhosus

Easy13 cm21–26 °C