Has Anyone Ever Seen A Whitespot Parasite?

[xweeqtx]

Well, have you? I HAVE!!!!

One of the tanks I've been treating for whitespot, was over inspecting the fish and saw a tiny little white dot "jumping" over the front of the glass. Tiny little white dot with miniscule little legs it appears. The body looks exactly the way it looks on the fish. So, I guess my treatment yesterday and tomorrow will be successful - if they're moving about the tank and not on the fish now?

 

[Bignose]

I guarantee you did not see a whitespot parasite (Ichthyophthirius multifiliis). They are only around 100 microns in diameter -- about the size of the width of human hair. But, not a whole hair, just a speck or dot the same diameter as a human hair. Basically, impossible for the human eye to see. Here's an electron microscope image on one: <a href="http/www.scielo.cl/fbpe/img/pd/v24n1-2/img12.JPG" target="_blank">http/www.scielo.cl/fbpe/img/pd/v24n1-2/img12.JPG</a>

It was probably some other parasite, but it wasn't ich. I am thinking if it was white and you saw legs, it may have been a hydra, which can get large enough to see with the naked eye. Though I actually don't have much experience with parasites, so maybe someone else could come by and confirm.

 

[xweeqtx]

How is it impossible for the human eye to see if you see it when attatched to a fish?

It was exactly like the "grain of salt" seen on a fish, and there was little lines visible at the sides which I assumed that were legs. So if it wasn't ich, I'd love to know what it is.. and if it's harmful!

 

[xweeqtx]

Argh.. could it have been fish lice? Although its always involved with Koi in every website I've seen..

http/images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=h...zFs6LjAf3gd3IDQ

 

[saltynay]

Its possible to see on fish due to the contrast of colouration and the ich generally attach in a similar places as the they attack the weakest parts of the skin with the closest blood vessels to get maximum food for minimum effort.

 

[Dazzlearoobob]

You can see it on the fish as this is multiple bacteia grouped together. You would never be able to one solo.

 

[Bignose]

When an ich organism attaches to a fish, it swells 50 to 100 times its size as is grows while consuming nutrients from the fish. But, after it is done swelling, it just falls off, and eventually bursts to release more swimmers and the cycle repeats. The problem is that you could not have seen an ich swimmer because they are very, very tiny (as I showed above).

You can see it on the fish as this is multiple bacteia grouped together. You would never be able to one solo.

No. Ich is NOT a bacteria. Ich is a protozoa. They are very, very different. The main one with the issue at hand is that if you use anti-bacterial medication, it will do nothing to cure a tank infected with ich.

 

[TylerFerretLord]

Small, white and jumping usually equals copepods or ostracods when it comes to aquariums.

Mind giving an example on how big it was?