The white spot insect is an absolute parasite. It must rely on its host to complete its life history, and fish is its only host. It will not infect organisms other than fish. White White spot worms are usually found in the main tank or are brought in by new fish.

The life history of white spot worms:

Petoplankton stage:

The larvae in the planktonic stage are often It will die after not finding a host for 48 hours. At this time, the medicine can kill the insect.

Parsitism and nutrition period:

After finding the host, it will crawl to a suitable position and burrow into the body surface , the stimulated epidermal cells of the fish will proliferate and envelop the insect body. At this time, white spots visible to the naked eye will be formed, and there may be one or several white spot insects inside. This period lasts for about 3-5 days. The higher the temperature, the higher the temperature. The shorter the time, the immune system of the fish will also work when the white spot worm burrows in. Sometimes if the fish has strong resistance, the white spot worm may die under the epidermis before completing the parasitic and nutritional period. At this time, the drug Unable to affect.

Adult stage:

The adult will fall off after completing the parasitic and vegetative stage. At this time, the pesticide can kill the insect.

The cyst stage :

The adult worm then forms a cyst outside the body and divides. One adult worm can divide into hundreds of larvae. This period takes about 1-3 days, and may also take longer (currently known data has found that it takes 72 days) larvae that have emerged from the cyst). At this time, pharmaceuticals cannot affect it. Many people do not administer the medication as soon as the new fish enter the tank, but only apply the medication after discovering the white spots. As long as there is one in the water that has developed into the adult cyst stage, it will often It is possible to avoid the treatment of white spots, but the white spots cannot be cured even after treatment... Therefore, to absolutely prevent and control white spots, the medicine must be administered as soon as the new fish enter the tank.

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The following are explanations of some related issues

1. Some people get better without turning off the lights for 7 days. The reason for the cure is really Is it because the lights are not turned off? (In fact, many people still turn on the lights for several days and the fish still hangs) why?

In fact, as long as the fish itself is healthy and has strong resistance, it can be placed in a good condition. Water quality white fungus can still be cured without medication, and in addition to white fungus ciliates, many parasitic parasites are phototropic, and we can usually find that there are more white fungi when the lights are first turned on, and then turn on the light for a period of time. The reason why there are fewer larvae is because the fish are more active and are less likely to be attached to the planktonic larvae. It is not that the white larvae will not burst out of the cyst when the light is turned on. In fact, light can stimulate the larvae to burst out of the cyst. Even if the lights are turned on, there will be blind spots that cannot be illuminated by light, right? What about the backlight surface and the sand layer?

2. Some people’s white spots are cured after heating. Is the reason for the cure due to heating? ?(In fact, many people still heat their fish for several days and still die) why?

Raising the temperature can indeed accelerate the immune response of the fish, but on the other hand, it can accelerate the reproduction of white worms At this time, it depends on whether the fish's immune response can suppress the pathogen in time. If it cannot overcome the invasion of a larger amount of white spot parasites, the fish may still die faster...

Heating method is The method to prevent and control white-spotted white-spotted worms in freshwater is not that of seawater. The biggest difference between white-spotted white-spotted worms in freshwater and white-spotted worms in seawater is the suitable temperature for its survival. The larvae of white-spotted worms in freshwater are usually completely lost when the temperature reaches 34 degrees. The attack power against fish is strong at 19 to 25 degrees, while the seawater white spot insect still has strong attack power even at 34 degrees...

3. Some people use Ozone or germicidal lamp is cured. What is the reason for the cure? (In fact, many people still use these devices for several days and the fish still hangs.) Why?

Experiences provided by some aquarists show that the use of Such equipment can indeed partially reduce the survival rate of larvae, but it is not comprehensive (there will still be many larvae that can survive and continue to invade fish species with weak resistance). Facts have proved that using this equipment cannot completely kill white spot insects...

4. Some people have white spots and put them in software tanks or live rocks. What is the reason for the cure? (In fact, many fish kept in software tanks still die) why?

The reason is that the fish recovers naturally by relying on its own resistance

Hey, there is no absolute difference between live rock and live rock. In fact, the incidence rate and fatality rate of software tanks are much higher than that of FO tanks. The reason is that it is difficult to quarantine and administer drugs.. (It’s not that live rocks cannot be quarantined. In fact, they can still be quarantined. , my previous parasitic pathogen-free FOWLR tank was also created by me)

As for the live sand and live rock system, due to the inherent defects of the nitrification system, if the same water volume is followed by a bottom If you put the same number of fish into high-density sand-filtered FO, I think not only white spots will occur, but it is also possible that all the fish will be destroyed... I know an aquarist who takes over a large amount of fish from another aquarist. He put the live rocks into his own stable FO tank. As a result, most of the fish were infected with white spots in a short period of time, and some fish still died without treatment. I think these live rocks brought in a large amount of pathogens rather than eating them...

5. Some people have white spots and can be cured by changing the water to white spots. What is the reason for the cure? (In fact, many people still have fish problems after changing the water. They even don’t change the water and there are no white spots. Change the water to white spots. (just ran out) why?

If the fish is healthy, it is due to poor water quality caused by a poor system. It is possible to recover naturally after changing the water. However, if the system is good and the water quality is good, changing the water will cause white spots. Fluctuations in water quality may cause white spots. One thing we must understand is that new water may not be better than the water in the system. From the ORP, we can find that the numbers of new water are quite low...

6. Some people use doctor fish or doctor shrimp to treat their white spots. Is it really the doctor fish or doctor shrimp that cures them? (In fact, many people still have problems with doctor fish or doctor shrimp) why?

The white-spotted ciliate is much smaller than the seawater rotifer. It takes about 200 times the microscope to see it. The white spots visible to the naked eye are not the body of the worm, but the worm burrows into the body surface to stimulate the formation of fish. They are just epidermal cells. White-spotted ciliates cannot be eaten by doctor fish or shrimps. The most deadly thing about white-spotted ciliates is that they lodge in the gills of fish, affecting their ability to adjust osmotic pressure and respiration. Insects are difficult to get rid of by doctor fish and shrimps, and there are still many fish species that do not allow these creatures to get close...

7 white spots often occur on new fish, but they seem to be less common on old fish. , why?

Because the old fish have strong resistance and have adapted to the tank environment, while the new fish came ashore after being poisoned by hydrogenide, and suffered ammonia poisoning and carbon dioxide poisoning during the transport process. There is also the urgency of adapting to the new environment, and the resistance is greatly reduced...

8. Some fish are particularly prone to white spots, but some fish do not, why?

Because some fish are born with white spots. The resistance is strong and some are weak. (The fish came ashore after being poisoned by hydrogenide, and suffered ammonia poisoning and carbon dioxide poisoning during the transport process.) Some injuries are more serious, and some are more severely injured...

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Conclusion:

At present, except for drugs, there is no other method that can be 100% effective. It all depends on how to do it. It is the subjective judgment of the owner. Those who do not like to administer medicine will start from other aspects (such as improving water quality, reducing stress, using sterilization equipment.)