''Cryptocaryon irritans'' is a species of

ciliate The ciliates are a group of alveolates characterized by the presence of hair-like organelles called cilia, which are identical in structure to flagellum, eukaryotic flagella, but are in general shorter and present in much larger numbers, with a ...

s that parasitizes marine fish, causing marine white spot disease or marine ich (pronounced ''ick''). It is one of the most common causes of disease in marine aquaria.

Taxonomy

''Cryptocaryon irritans'' was originally classified as ''Ichthyophthirius marinus'', but it is not closely related to the other species. It belongs to the class

Prostomatea Prostomatea is a class of ciliate The ciliates are a group of alveolates characterized by the presence of hair-like organelles called cilia, which are identical in structure to flagellum, eukaryotic flagella, but are in general shorter and pr ...

, but beyond that its placement is still uncertain.

Clinical

The symptoms and life-cycle are generally similar to those of '' Ichthyophthirius'' in freshwater fish, including white spots, on account of which ''Cryptocaryon'' is usually called marine ich. However, ''Cryptocaryon'' can spend a much longer time encysted. Fish that are infected with Cryptocaryon may have small white spots, nodules, or patches on their skin, fins, or gills. They may also have ragged fins, cloudy eyes, pale gills, increased mucus production, or changes in skin color, and they may appear thin. Behavioural changes may be observed, such as scratching, abnormal swimming, lethargy, hanging at the surface or bottom of the tank, or breathing rapidly as if in distress. Useful treatments (but not safe for reef tanks or invertebrates) of ''Cryptocaryon irritans'' are

copper Copper is a chemical element; it has symbol Cu (from Latin ) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkish-orang ...

solutions,

formalin Formaldehyde ( , ) (systematic name methanal) is an organic compound with the chemical formula and structure , more precisely . The compound is a pungent, colourless gas that polymerises spontaneously into paraformaldehyde. It is stored as ...

solutions and

quinine Quinine is a medication used to treat malaria and babesiosis. This includes the treatment of malaria due to ''Plasmodium falciparum'' that is resistant to chloroquine when artesunate is not available. While sometimes used for nocturnal leg ...

based drugs (such as

chloroquine Chloroquine is an antiparasitic medication that treats malaria. It works by increasing the levels of heme in the blood, a substance toxic to the malarial parasite. This kills the parasite and stops the infection from spreading. Certain types ...

phosphate and

diphosphate). Infections can be extremely difficult to treat because of the presence of other creatures in the tank, such as corals and other invertebrates, which will not survive standard treatments. Ideally fish with ''Cryptocaryon'' are

quarantine A quarantine is a restriction on the movement of people, animals, and goods which is intended to prevent the spread of disease or pests. It is often used in connection to disease and illness, preventing the movement of those who may have bee ...

d in a hospital tank, where they can be treated with a copper salt or using hyposalinity, 1.009 specific gravity. The display tank needs to be kept clear of fish for 6–9 weeks, the longer the better. This gives time for the encysted tomonts to release infectious theronts, which die within 24–48 hours when they cannot find a

host A host is a person responsible for guests at an event or for providing hospitality during it. Host may also refer to: Places * Host, Pennsylvania, a village in Berks County * Host Island, in the Wilhelm Archipelago, Antarctica People * ...

References

External links

''Cryptocaryon''
Intramacronucleata Ciliate genera Fish diseases Veterinary protozoology {{fishkeeping-stub

Taxonomy

Clinical

See also

References

Further reading

External links