Ich and Osmoregulating

[davelin315]

I know there have been numerous posts on ich and how to control it, but I don't want to get too far off subject and decided to start my own thread with this question. How is it that ich, such an all encompassing disease as far as what fish it can afflict (all except for the mandarin due to its slime coating I believe) cannot tolerate hyposalinity? I'm not the most scientific person in the world, but I am assuming (perhaps improperly) that the ich you get in freshwater is the same species as you get in saltwater is the same species you get in brackish water. If it is, then how is it that it can't survive hyposalinity? Is it certain stages of its life can't survive or are they different species?

 

[Stark]

Freshwater ich is caused by Ichthyophthirius multifilis, saltwater ich is caused by Cryptocaryon irritans

 

[Brian J]

Fresh water ich and salt water ich are two different protozoa.Fresh water is Ichthyophthirius multifiliis and salt water is cryptocaryon irritans.

 

[Brian J]

Stark beat me to it.