Ichthyophthiriasis or semolina in aquarium fish: symptoms, treatment in a community aquarium, medications

Semolina in fish or ichthyophthyriasis, which can be seen in the photo, is a contagious disease; when symptoms appear in several individuals, all residents of the common aquarium very quickly become infected. To prevent the rapid spread of the disease, it is necessary to begin the fight against it as early as possible. This will help keep the fish alive.

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Causes

The causative agent of semolina in fish is a ciliated ciliate. When it hits pets, it depletes it. As a result, he dies. If no treatment is carried out for ichthyophthyriosis in fish, all inhabitants of the aquarium die within a short period of time. The ciliated ciliate is the simplest parasitic organism, no more than 1 millimeter in size. It parasitizes the body of fish, causing small white dots to appear on the skin.

In appearance they resemble semolina. At these points, active development of ichthyophthirius cells occurs. They feed on tissues until they are fully formed. After which the parasite settles to the bottom of the aquarium. It actively reproduces there.

The formed bacteria quickly penetrate under the gills or under the scales of healthy inhabitants of the general aquarium, infecting them. When the first signs of decoy appear in fish, their behavior begins to change. They rub against the surface of stones and shells, as if trying to remove something from their skin. Most often, ichtik ends up in an aquarium with water or its new inhabitants. Large pet stores quarantine new fish. But in smaller stores such events are not held. Frozen food can be dangerous. But infection from food occurs infrequently.

Ichthyophthiriasis in fish often develops in water with average or elevated temperatures. The causative agent of the disease can adapt to any composition and severity. Ich first affects freshwater fish that have weakened immune systems. Reasons for weak immunity may include:

• stress;
• poor quality food;
• poor living conditions;
• aggressive neighbors in a common aquarium.

For a long time, the pathogen can remain on the body of healthy individuals and wait for favorable conditions. Therefore, if the fish in the aquarium have a normal appearance and body color, this is not a sign of its absolute health. Even if they do not get sick, they can be carriers of the pathogen and infect weaker neighbors in the common aquarium.

Symptoms

Semolina in aquarium fish is manifested by the appearance of white dots on the surface of the body, as in the photo. The behavior of pets also changes. After the parasite penetrates the epithelium, itching, pain, and general weakness appear. This is what influences behavior.

Pets become shy, refuse food, tuck their fins, swim little or try to scratch themselves on the ground, shells or stones. After detection of ichthyophores, it is necessary to begin treatment of the disease as early as possible.

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Drugs

There are many different ways to treat semolina in aquarium fish. You can use pharmaceutical drugs and folk remedies. Among the effective medications are:

1. Antipar. This is a specialized product for artificial reservoirs. The composition contains malachite green, blue and formaldehyde. It is best to use it in a hatchery, since it has a negative impact on the established biological system and causes severe disruptions. If you need to cure all pets, replace a quarter of their volume before use. Next, you need to add the drug to containers at the rate of 1 ml per 50 liters of water. It is recommended to treat with Anti-Param at night, turning off the light and filter. Do not feed the fish at this time. The duration of such treatment is about a week. During this time, the pathogen is usually completely destroyed.
2. Sera Omnisan. This medicine can be used to get rid of mild forms of ichthyophthyriosis in fish. For more advanced stages, it is recommended to combine Omnisan with Ectopur and Mikopur. These medications not only help treat the disease, but also promote the healing of wounds and ulcers on the body of the inhabitants of the aquarium. Capsules are scattered into water for two days, after which it is recommended to use the liquid form of the drugs.
3. Punctol Ultra. The composition contains malachite green, crystal violet and methylene blue. This medicine is used to cure a severe form of the disease and completely get rid of the cause.
4. Malachite green. This is a simple, affordable and effective remedy for treating semolina in fish. When used in the correct concentration, it will not harm the fauna of the aquarium. It must be diluted in proportions of 0.09 mg/l. At the same time, increase the temperature of the water in the container. To enhance the effect, you can add a drop of iodine. This medicine is applied daily, simultaneously removing a quarter of the fish, until the symptoms of the disease completely disappear. When using the drug, you need to wear gloves because it is toxic to people.
5. Methylene blue. Per liter of water you need 10 g of blue. After which it is added to the aquarium at a rate of 3 ml per 10 liters until complete recovery.
6. Delagil. Does not pose a danger to fauna and flora. This is an antimalarial drug. You can buy it at the pharmacy. Suitable for treating sensitive pets that do not respond well to malachite treatment. One tablet must be dissolved in 30 liters of water. When using, turn off the light, as the drug is destroyed in the light. This remedy will be effective in treating ichthyophora in the early stages of development. In more advanced cases, other medications are needed.
7. Kostapur, Kontraik. Replace a quarter of the volume and turn off the light. Next, strictly following the instructions for use, the drug is applied. It is recommended to carry out this procedure before bedtime. The duration of treatment is until the signs of the disease are completely eliminated. These drugs can be combined with other methods.
8. Formalin. More often used in parallel with malachite green and methylene blue. But sometimes, with unadvanced forms, Formalin in its pure form helps. It must be used with caution. For every liter of water, add 0.25 ml of Formalin at intervals of one day. Replace a third of the volume every day. Carry out such activities until all signs of the disease are eliminated. During this period, it is necessary to ensure powerful aeration of the water. You also need to take into account that this drug negatively affects the condition of plants, algae and the entire biosystem.
9. Nilpa Helamed. An effective drug. Contains chelated copper. This substance is not toxic to pets. But it quickly eliminates the activity of parasites, including the causative agent of ich.

Before treating your pets for ichthyophora with medications, you need to read the instructions for use. Some fish species may exhibit hypersensitivity to the active substances of drugs. Therefore, it is better to use a low dosage the first time. Then, if the animals react normally, increase it.

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Classification

There are several types of classification of vaginal candidiasis. Depending on the characteristics of the course, acute and chronic (recurrent) forms of the disease are distinguished. In the first case, the pathology is characterized by vivid symptoms and occurs no more than four times a year. With chronicity, the symptoms are usually less pronounced, and the disease itself recurs 4 times a year or more often.

Depending on the presence of complications, uncomplicated and complicated vaginal candidiasis is distinguished. In the first case, the process is relatively easy and can be stopped quite quickly with the selection of adequate therapy. As a rule, it occurs in women who do not have additional risk factors (diabetes mellitus, immunodeficiency states of various origins).

The complicated form of vaginal candidiasis is characterized by pronounced symptoms that negatively affect the patient’s daily life. As a rule, inflammation spreads to the external genitalia, causing the appearance of ulcers and cracks. This form often recurs.

Localization of the pathological process allows us to distinguish three forms of the disease:

• vaginitis: inflammation affects only the vaginal mucosa;
• vulvovaginitis: the external genitalia and vagina are affected;
• cervicitis: the cervix is ​​involved in the process.

Hydrogen peroxide

Treatment with hydrogen peroxide helps cure the disease in the early stages of development. Hydrogen peroxide should be poured into the aquarium daily, adhering to the proportions of 1 ml per 10 liters. The duration of use of the product is individual. Treatment is carried out until the symptoms disappear completely. It is recommended to combine hydrogen peroxide therapy with other medications.

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Bibliography

1. Gynecology textbook. IV edition ed. Academician of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Professor G.M. Savelyeva; prof. V.G. Breusenko 2012
2. Urogenital candidiasis. Clinical recommendations. Moscow, 2016 – 22 p.
3. Vulvovaginal candidiasis: pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment tactics. Bayramova G.R., Amirkhanyan A.S., Chernova V.F. //Doctor.Ru 2018. No. 10 (154). pp. 32-36
4. Sherry L., Kean R., McKloud E., O'Donnell LE, Metcalfe R., Jones BL et al. Biofilms formed by isolates from recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis patients are heterogeneous and insensitive to fluconazole. Antimicrob. Agents. Chemother. 2017; 61(9): e01065-17
5. Prilepskaya V.N. Vulvovaginal candidiasis. Clinic, diagnosis, principles of therapy: manual / V.N. Prilepskaya, G.R. Bayramova - M 2008 - 50s
6. Atlas of pathogens of fungal infections/E.N. Moskvitina and others - Moscow GEOTAR-Media, 2021 208p
7. Zordan R., Cormack B. Adgesis on opportunistic fungal pathogens In: Calderone RA, Clancy CJ, ed Candada and candidiasis/ Washington: ASM press; 2012: 243-259)
8. Zhang Y., Li W., Chu M., Chen H., Yu H., Fang C. et al. The AAA AT Pase Vps4 plays important roles in Candida albicans hyphal formation and is inhibited by DBeQ. Mycopathology 2016; (5-6) 329-39
9. Murciano C., Moyes DL, Runglall M., Yobouti P., Islam A., Hoyer LL et al. Evaluation of the role of Candida albicans agglutinin-like sequence (Als) proteins in human oral epithelial cell interactions. Plos one 2012.
10. Center for Disease Control (CDC) Sexually Transmitted Disease Treatment Guidelines, 2015.
11. Donders GG, Bellen G., Mendling W. Management of recurrent vulvovaginal candidosis as a chronic illness. Gynecol. Obstet. Invest 2010 70(4):306-21
12. Ankirskaya A.S. Muravyova V.V. Microbiological characteristics of vaginal infections caused by fungi of the genus Candida // sexually transmitted diseases 2001. pp. 12-14
13. Eschenbach DA Chronic vulvovaginal candidosis N Engl. J Med 2004; 351(9)
14. Tikhomirov A.L. Oleinik Ch.G. Optimization of treatment of recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis // effective therapy in obstetrics and gynecology. 2007 No. 3 from 22-27
15. Bayramova G.R. Recurrent vaginal candidiasis. Clinic, diagnosis, treatment. dis. Doctor of Medical Sciences M. 2013 (46s)
16. Prilepskaya V.N. Bayramova G.R. Vulvovaginal candidiasis, modern ways to solve the problem. Difficult patient 2006 (from 33-36)

Salt

This is one of the oldest and most effective methods of fighting the disease. Salt is combined with increased temperature conditions. With warm water, the life cycle of ciliated ciliates accelerates. And in salt water they become unviable.

To help your pets, it is recommended to place them in a separate container. Turn off the filter and compressor, pour salt into the bottom. When the protozoa sink to the bottom of the jar to reproduce, they will die in unfavorable conditions for themselves. The water is changed in the morning and evening.

Treatment with salt will not bring the desired result if the pathogen is a tropical species of ich. In this case, more serious medications must be used for treatment. Because this bacterium is able to adapt to different conditions of temperature, water hardness and its environment.

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Treatment of semolina in a community aquarium

As soon as white specks are noticed on the pet’s body, it is necessary to immediately begin treatment. The first step is to raise the temperature. This must be done gradually so as not to plunge the fish into shock. After staying in such conditions for several days, the immune system should become slightly stronger.

It is also necessary to collect as much water as possible from the bottom, removing ciliates ready for reproduction. Add fresh water and remove the fish from the aquarium. Healthy ones should be planted separately from infected ones.

If it is not possible to place animals in separate containers, gentle agents should be used - furatsilin. Within a few days after starting treatment with tablets, symptoms should go away. It is then recommended to use "blue" to disinfect the environment and kill any remaining parasites.

This list of actions is suitable for the treatment of ichthyophthyriosis in neons and other fish species.

Furacilin and furazolidone

Treatment with Furacilin is safe for aquarium residents. You need to dilute one tablet per 35 liters of water. Repeat this procedure at intervals of two days. Replace a third of the volume every day. Repeat the procedure with Furacilin until the symptoms disappear completely and the pets recover.

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To get rid of ciliates, it is recommended to use Furazolidone in parallel with malachite green. This combination will help get rid of pathogens gently and without harm to flora and fauna. You need to take five Furazolidone tablets and dissolve them in 100 liters of water. Add 0.06 malachite green. This mixture can be used for one week. Make daily changes every day.

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Iodine and potassium permanganate

To treat cold-loving fish, you can use iodine. Add it at the rate of 5 drops per 100 liters of water. Instead of regular iodine, you can use the medicine Iodinol or Potassium iodide. These are good antiseptics. They successfully help in the treatment of ichthic. With the help of Iodinol, iodine deficiency in water is compensated, the immune system of its inhabitants is stimulated, and ichthyophthyriosis is treated. This drug also contains potassium. With its help, the condition of plants improves. Iodinol is added at the rate of 1 ml per 10 liters of water.

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Potassium permanganate. There are two ways to use this remedy. At the first stage, potassium permanganate is added to the container in a proportion of 2 mg/l. If after a few hours the water becomes very saturated, it is added again. After three to four hours you need to change the water. Repeat this procedure until the pets are completely restored. In the second method, 10 mg/l of water is used. Make baths with the solution. The fish are dipped in them for 30 minutes. If they start to rush around the container, you need to immediately transplant them into clean water.

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For treatment, you can also use a modern tool - a UV sterilizer. It is also disease prevention. Using this device, the environment is processed around the clock until the pathogen is completely neutralized. There are different types of this device. Therefore, before purchasing, it is recommended to consult with specialists. This remedy can also be used as a prophylaxis against protozoan infection.

UV sterilizer

A modern method of treatment and protection not only from many diseases caused by protozoa. A device that emits UV radiation, which leads to the death of microorganisms.

Power and dosage are selected individually. During illness, most likely, you will simply need to turn it on to constant radiation

.Method 1 (advanced-gentle)

For fish intolerant or intolerant of malachite. We are being treated with delagil. The treatment regimen is as follows: 1 tablet (250 mg) per 30-50 liters of water. After daily water changes of 25-30%, repeated applications are required in an amount equivalent to the changes to restore the concentration of the drug. Can be used with half the dose of malachite green (0.05 mg/l), then the cure occurs faster. If you need to use it without malachite, then it should be noted that the treatment is not quick and at a late stage of infection you may simply not have time to remove the ichthic from the fish. Keeping the temperature elevated and providing aeration is business as usual. Delagil does not damage biofiltration in the indicated doses. There have been cases of damage by delagil to stretching - from simple to fastidious, but this does not occur reproducibly, therefore, apparently, it depends on other factors (for example, pH, gH, etc.). Delagil is not always easy to find in pharmacies.

Method 2 (killer)

It is often recommended to use mixtures of malachite with antibacterial nitrofuran drugs to treat ichthic. Such mixtures often help in the fight against “unkillable” forms of ich due to the fact that nitrofurans not only suppress secondary bacterial infections, but also have a pronounced antiprotozoal (antiparasitic) effect.

This is exactly what SuperIckCure is in capsules - a mixture of malachite green and furacilin (nitrofurazone). Or 'just' a mixture of malachite with furatsilin - for example, the drug 'Malachite green' in the dosage according to the instructions + furatsilin at the rate of 1.5 tablets of 20 mg (this is the usual form of tablets sold in human pharmacies) for every 20 liters of water (which will correspond to the amount of furatsilin in branded drug SuperIckCure - capsules). When treating large fish (in particular red parrots) from tropical ichthic, you can add one and a half dosages of this drug, with the usual dose applied immediately, and the additional 'half' dose gradually.

When using malachite in combination with furazolidone, the latter should be added in the amount of 6-8 tablets of 50 mg per 100 liters of water.

It should be noted that nitrofurans have a detrimental effect on biofiltration, so these mixtures are strongly recommended for use in a leach tank. Or, if this is not possible, then be prepared for a disruption in the biological balance and, accordingly, regular intensive replacements to remove nitrogenous compounds until the normal functioning of biofiltration is established.

Moreover, during the course of these drugs, it is recommended to feed the fish to a minimum (preferably no more than once every 2 days) in order to avoid the accelerated accumulation of nitrogen compounds and poisoning of the fish with them. It is better to carry out replacements daily by 20-25% (or more) of the total volume.

Antipar (Agrovetzaschita) and FMC preparations, which are a mixture of malachite green, methylene blue and formaldehyde, are also not recommended for use in a general aquarium due to expected (due to the presence of methylene blue) biofiltration failures, or when using them, follow the recommendations given in the previous paragraph .

Any treatment and prevention will be more effective in a well-kept aquarium, where the fish are free from stressful situations. The causative agents of the disease ichthyophthyriasis can appear in almost every aquarium. But if its inhabitants are healthy, do not lack nutrients and oxygen, and live in favorable conditions, the disease has little chance of manifesting itself in the aquarium.

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Prevention

The main requirement for prevention is compliance with the quarantine of newcomers. It is prohibited to keep only imported animals in a common aquarium. But the danger of ichthyophthyriasis is that even with prolonged quarantine it can persist. In latent form, parasites can exist for more than a month. And when conditions favorable for it appear, it begins to actively reproduce and infect fish. Therefore, even if quarantine is observed, there is a danger of infection of the inhabitants of the aquarium.

You can keep in quarantine together with new individuals several old-timers who live in a common artificial reservoir. At the same time, monitor the fish and make sure that they do not show signs of ichthyophthoriosis. This disease is especially easy to detect on five-lined barbs and fry. Therefore, several representatives of the species can be placed in quarantine along with new residents. This is a somewhat cruel method of prevention, but very effective.

Experts say that no preventive measures can give an absolute guarantee that a disease dangerous to its inhabitants will not appear in an aquarium.
If conditions are favorable for the pathogen, there is a danger of it multiplying and infecting the fish. Such conditions include stress, sudden changes in water temperature, feeding with low-quality food, and lack of necessary sanitary conditions. Did you like the recipe?

Diagnostics

Diagnosis of vaginal candidiasis begins with collecting complaints. The gynecologist clarifies what worries the patient, when and under what circumstances specific problems appeared, as well as what measures were taken to eliminate them and with what effect. Attention is paid to the medical history: previous diseases (inflammation of the urogenital tract, STDs are especially important), the number of pregnancies and births, the number of sexual partners, etc.

The next diagnostic stage is an examination in a gynecological chair, during which the doctor identifies characteristic changes: swelling, redness, discharge and plaque. When Lugol's solution is applied to tissues, white dots resembling semolina are visualized on them, which is a characteristic sign of the disease. To confirm the diagnosis, the doctor prescribes:

• microscopy of vaginal smears (during the process, spores and fungal cells are identified);
• culture of vaginal discharge;
• PCR and ELISA of the excreted to detect pathogen antigens;
• blood test: general (signs of an inflammatory process are detected), tests to detect antibodies to Candida - remove!

If necessary (for example, during a recurrent course of the disease), tests are carried out to identify risk factors: elevated blood glucose levels, immunodeficiency, etc.