What is 'white spot' and how can it be avoided?
'White spot' is caused by a parasite called Ichthyophthirius multifiliis. The parasite actively swims around looking for a host fish. The parasite dies quite quickly (within 48 hours at 24 to 260C) if not successful. Once on the host, it penetrates the skin and eats cellular material. The typical signs are white spots on the skin and gills of about 1mm diameter. The escape of the active parasites from the white spot damages the skin and if this is severe, it can cause haemorrhages or become secondarily infected. For example, an infection with Saprolegnia species (a fungus) can cause death if the white spot is on the gills.
It is important to quarantine new fish to make sure they haven't got the disease before introducing them into the aquarium. Ichthyophthirius cysts can also attach to water plants, rocks etc, so you should quarantine any new materials. The active parasites will die with 2 to 3 days if they cannot find a host, so the quarantine period should be a little longer than this.
Most diseases affecting fish have a very strong stress component, so avoiding or minimising stress is an integral part of prevention and recovery. It is often better not to stress fish still further by moving them to a treatment tank. If the treatment might be harmful to an established tank, think about carrying out any treatments in the quarantine tank.
The treatments for white spot involve looking at the water quality, and various chemical treatments that your vet can advise you about.
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