Ich dangerous to Axies?

I just recently bought a batch of feeder guppies. My axie usually eats quite a few of them. This batch of guppies is acting rather strangely. They keep rubbing up on the ornaments like they are itchy. I did some research and it seems that this is a sign that they have developed Ich but the parasites are not big enough to see yet. Has anyone had a case of Ich in their tank while housing an axie? I know most of the Ich treatments for fish are dangerous to amphibians. What would be the best way to treat the tank without harming my axie? Are axies tolerant to aquarium salt? My axie seems to be acting normally and is eating very well. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

This is why quarantine is recommended for feeder fish.

I don't know about treatments, but I would remove the fish ASAP to a separate tank and keep a close eye on your axie, I don't know if this disease is transferrable to axies. I hope someone with more knowledge will answer soon.

Good luck, hope your axolotl is OK.

Yes, Ich can be transmitted to caudates. So can many other parasites, diseases and fungi.

The good news is Ich does not do well in axolotl friendly water temperatures. In axolotls, loss of gill fimbrae, white patches on the gills and gill shrinkage is a sign of infection in my experience.

The bad news is anti-Ich medications designed for fish are fatal to caudates. Do NOT use any anti ich remedies you can buy off the shelf. Keep the water temperature below 70F and the ich should die out.

Thanks for the info. So far I haven't seen any Ich spots so I think I may just be paranoid. My water temp is around 65 degrees which should be ok right? Is there any way to make it colder without doing it too fast? Also should I still give my axie or fish a salt bath just as a precautionary?

I never heard of Ich infecting Amphibians but the fungus that comes after the ich is another story. Flush the guppies. Another reason it is not recommended to feed fish to your axies.

BillYannone said:

I never heard of Ich infecting Amphibians but the fungus that comes after the ich is another story. Flush the guppies. Another reason it is not recommended to feed fish to your axies.

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Somewhere in here is a thread that discusses this topic in detail. For the life of me I cannot find it.

Fish flick off rocks and substrate due to high nitrate levels as well so it might not be ich,
In fact I've never seen a true case of ich in anyone's tanks I've looked at, it's always been bad water parameters, stick the guppies in a seperate tank with clean treated water and I bet they don't flick any more. Do a water test on your axie tank just to make sure.

Ich is caused by a ciliated protozoan called Cryptocaryon irritans (saltwater) or freshwater Ichthyophthirius multifiliis (freshwater). They are both obligate ectoparasites. That means that they both require fish as a definitive host to complete their life cycle. There has been no evidence that Ich cause by either protozoan has the ability to establish their life cycle in axies. Because ich is so host and tissue specific (they burrow in fish skin), they are unlikely to cause pathology in axies. Even in the very rare chance occasion there is a transient infection, they are quickly eradicated by the axie's immune system without external signs.

This article is quite useful. http://dels.nas.edu/ilar_n/ilarjournal/48_3/pdfs/4803Densmore.pdf

As axies live in cold water. The protozoa cannot really thrive as they need tropical water temperatures to survive.

Off counter medications for ich normally includes formalin, malachite green, chelated copper, copper sulphate, potassium permanganate or quinine sulphate. These are all highly toxic to axies and should not be used on them in any event.

Check water parameters. If you use a filter, you may like to incorporate zeolite and activated carbon granules. The carbon granules are quite effective at removing other than organic debris, toxins and chemicals that may have entered the tank and causing discomfort to the inhabitants.

First thing for sure...get rid of those feeder fish after you have gotten a good look.

My roommate recently had a severe ich problem in her freshwater aquarium. The most noticeable and true sign of ich is the appearance of little white flakes or spots protruding from the host's skin/scales/fins (fish in your case, possibly). These are the parasite's "eggs". If these are not present, I would highly doubt an outbreak and the parasites attacking your axie. From these eggs hatch a free form of the parasite which can only live without a host for a matter of days. If these do find a host, the cycle starts all over again with the burrowing into the host's skin and laying eggs..and you get the picture.

Colder water temperatures can have one of two effects. They slow the cycle for the parasite, therefore possibly helping you-- you catch the problem before it happens. OR the colder temps can just drastically slow the life cycle of the parasite, making some treatments next to useless. It seems to me that in your case, if that feeder fish had ich, that the colder water has probably helped you, since you seem to have caught a could-be problem quickly!

Thanks for your help and advice everyone. I took out the feeders and did a couple of water changes and everything seems to be fine. I will continue to do water changes daily until I am convinced that the tank is safe. Thanks again