Need more Ich help!

[kreblak]

Those of you out there who have had fish develop Ich, is the following part of the normal cycle of the parasite:

I have a pseudochromis that showed 4 white spots on his tail three days ago. I immediately began treatment with medication and soaking the food in garlic (thanks Corax.) Today, I gave the fish a good look over, and there are now white spots all over his tail fin, dorsal fin, and both pectoral fins. I count at least 20.

Is this the disease progressing? As I understand it, these white spots are the encysted form of the protozoa, and will die a terrible death at the hands of the medication once they leave the fish. I know only the free swimming forms of the parasite are vulnerable to medication.

Basically, my concern is this: why are there more white spots after treating him for 3 days? Are these cysts the result of parasites attacking the pseudochromis before treatment began? As these spots drop off, then the fish should begin to recover, right? The more specific any of you could be about exactly how your fish progressed through an Ich outbreak, the better I will feel.

[OrionGirl]

You've got most of it. The spots represent the parasites leaving the fish. These spores then drop to the substrate, wait a bit, hatch, and this is the point in time where they can be killed. While still in their spores, they are safe. It's possible that one spore broke open and infected the fish multiple times, but it's more likely that he just has a severe infestation from the get go, and the increased number of white spots supports that. They don't all develop at exactly the same pace, since this would decrease their odds of survival. Keep treating until at least 10 days after the last visible symptom to make sure you kill all the late hatching spores.