How to fish get parasites?

Question

parasites, Ick etc? Mostly I read its from new fish, but what about when there is no new fish? Is it from the food? Plants? Just curious.

:D

Answer 1

catxcax... is absolutely right - it's usually stress that causes an outbreak of parasites in an aquarium.

Answer 2

Well first a little biology, Parasites need a host on which to feed on.

Some parasites can live longer without having a host like fish on which to live on but eventually die. they can latch on aquarium plants if the plants were in water contaminated with parasites.

Some parasites live inside fish organs i.e camallanus, tapeworm roundworms and others. They feed of the nutrients in the fishes stomach, that is why these fishes tend to be on the slim side no matter how much you feed them. So far all parasites can be treated in fish.

Wild birds that defecate on lakes, rivers and ponds can introduce parasites via f***s that is why you should quarantine your fish ,especially wild caught fish.

Answer 3

Many parasites will always be present on the bodies of fish or in the tank, but in such small numbers it doesn't make the fish sick, however, as soon as something happens such as an ammonia spike to cause the fish to become stressed, stress lowers the immune system and allows parasites to multiply.