Can Shrimp Get Ich? How to Prevent and Treat Ich in Your Shrimp Tank

Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, more commonly known as ich is an extremely contagious parasite that afflicts freshwater and saltwater fish. This tiny protozoan attaches itself to a fish’s skin and gills, causing small white spots resembling grains of salt. An ich infestation can quickly kill fish if left untreated. But what about invertebrates like shrimp – can shrimp get ich too?

While shrimp don’t actually contract the ich parasite, they can carry ich into your tank if exposed. That’s why it’s crucial to understand how ich spreads, and how to prevent it from entering your shrimp tank in the first place. If you keep fish and shrimp together, you also need to know the safest methods for treating ich without harming your sensitive inverts.

What Exactly is Ich?

Ich is caused by a ciliated protozoan known scientifically as Ichthyophthirius multifiliis These single-celled parasites have a complex life cycle with several distinct stages

• Trophont – The feeding stage where ich is visible on fish as small white dots. Each trophont burrows into a fish’s skin/gills to eat skin cells.
• Tomont – After feeding, trophonts fall off the fish and encapsulate themselves in a cyst on the tank surface.
• Tomite – The cyst ruptures, releasing hundreds of new free-swimming parasites.
• Theront – Tomites seek out a host, burrow in, and begin feeding as new trophonts, restarting the life cycle.

Rapid replication allows ich numbers to escalate quickly. The parasites’ outer layer also protects them from most medications, making ich difficult to fully eradicate.

Can Shrimp Become Infected With Ich?

The good news is that shrimp and other freshwater invertebrates cannot become infected by or harbor the ich parasite itself. The scientific name Ichthyophthirius multifiliis even translates to “fish louse” – implying that ich only afflicts fish.

However, shrimp can carry ich in another form – as reproductive tomont cysts:

• Tomonts can affix themselves to any surface, including shrimp shells.
• Shrimp introduced into a tank may transport attached tomonts.
• Tomonts can detach and release hundreds of new parasites.
• In this way, shrimp can indirectly expose fish to ich.

So shrimp don’t get ich, but they can transmit it. Quarantining and examining new shrimp is crucial to prevent introducing ich into your aquarium.

Can Shrimp Coexist With Ich-Infected Fish?

If ich manifests in your main aquarium containing both fish and shrimp, don’t panic. Follow these steps:

• Isolate infected fish – Move sick fish to a quarantine tank for treatment. This prevents continuous reinfection and protects shrimp.

• Raise temperature – Ich reproduces slower above 80°F. Gradually increase temperature to 85°F.

• Add aquarium salt – Salt helps fish produce slime coat to block parasites. Use 1 teaspoon per gallon.

• Treat with ich medication – Use shrimp-safe options like Ich-X. Avoid copper-based meds toxic to inverts.

• Perform water changes – Vacuum gravel to remove tomonts before they hatch.

• Wait 2 weeks after last spots – Continually treat and monitor for at least 14 days post-recovery.

With prompt treatment in quarantine, you can eliminate ich from fish while allowing shrimp to safely remain in the main tank. Ich seldom kills fish outright – it’s the secondary infections that prove fatal. That’s why isolating sick fish is so important.

How to Check Shrimp for Ich Before Adding to Tank

Any time you purchase new shrimp, you’ll want to examine them closely for signs of ich before adding them to your tank. Here are some tips:

• Inspect shrimp thoroughly – Look for small white dots on legs, antennae, underside, and body. These could be tomont cysts.

• Ask seller about prior ich issues – A transparent seller will disclose past problems. Avoid sellers who dodge the question.

• Quarantine shrimp for 4-6 weeks – This allows time for any cysts to manifest into free-swimming tomites you can see.

• Disinfect shrimp before quarantine – Use a dilute bleach or potassium permanganate dip to kill parasites.

• Feed anti-parasitic foods – Use foods containing metronidazole during quarantine.

Taking these preventative measures will help keep new shrimp ich-free and safe to add to your tank. Quarantining is always advised when introducing new livestock.

Can I Treat Ich in a Tank With Shrimp?

Some ich medications contain copper sulfate, which is toxic to invertebrates. However, other shrimp-safe, non-copper treatments can effectively eliminate ich while allowing shrimp to remain in the tank untouched. Here are the best ich treatment options for tanks with shrimp:

• Kordon Rid-Ich Plus – Strong herbal formula to kill ich and parasites. Shrimp and snail safe.

• API Super Ick Cure – Works fast to end ich life cycle. Contains no copper. Safe for inverts and plants.

• Ich-X by Hikari – Multi-stage treatment for all life stages. Won’t harm biological filtration.

• Aquarium salt – Use conservative doses of 1 teaspoon per gallon. Improves gill function.

• Heat – Raise temperature to 85°F to speed up ich’s life cycle. Accelerates treatment.

• UV sterilizer – Exposure to UV light kills ich parasites as they swim by.

With the right shrimp-compatible products and methods, you can successfully treat ich infections without endangering your sensitive crustaceans. As always, quarantine sick fish whenever possible.

Can Cleaner Shrimp Eat Ich Parasites?

Some aquarists wonder if adding cleaner shrimp like peppermint or skunk shrimp will simply take care of any ich issues naturally.

While cleaner shrimp will consume some ich parasites if they come across them, relying on them to control an active ich outbreak is unrealistic and ineffective. Some key points:

• Cleaner shrimp are not aggressive ich hunters – they wait for food to come to them.

• Their appetite for ich is limited and they can’t consume parasites faster than they reproduce.

• Ich replicates too quickly for shrimp to make a dent in the overall population.

• Cleaner shrimp will not seek out and pick ich off infected fish.

• At most, cleaner shrimp may provide a minor assist to main treatments.

Do not depend on cleaner shrimp as a sole remedy against ich. They are incapable of removing heavy parasite loads. Proven medications and control methods must be used.

Can I Introduce New Fish to a Tank With Shrimp?

Bringing new fish home from the pet store always poses a potential disease risk, ich included. To protect shrimp, use the following acclimation protocol:

• When selecting fish, inspect for signs of illness and choose active, healthy specimens. Avoid fish sharing tank water with sick fish.

• Ask staff about any recent disease issues like ich in fish shipments.

• Before going into the main tank, quarantine new fish for at least 2-4 weeks.

• Closely monitor for developing signs of ich or other illnesses during quarantine.

• Only move fish to the main tank once you’re positive they’re healthy.

• Consider prophylactic ich medicine or aquarium salt during quarantine.

With proper quarantine and observation periods, fish can safely cohabitate with shrimp. Taking preventative measures is far easier than dealing with an ich outbreak.

Can Shrimp Carry Other Fish Diseases?

In addition to ich, shrimp can also harbor other fish pathogens:

• Flukes – Parasitic flatworms that attach to fish and shrimp. Cause flashing and respiratory issues.

• Velvet – Also called gold dust disease. Caused by the dinoflagellate Piscinoodinium pillulare. Produces yellowish rust-colored dusting on skin.

• Fungal infections – Fungi like saprolegnia thrive on fish eggs and decaying matter. Opportunistic pathogens that infect open wounds and stressed fish.

Quarantine, disinfection dips, examinations, and other biosecurity steps will help prevent shrimp from transmitting these diseases into your tank. Never skip quarantine!

Be Vigilant Against Ich and Other Threats

While shrimp don’t actually contract ich, they can serve as vectors to introduce it into your tank if carrying tomont cysts. That’s why careful inspections, quarantines, and questioning sellers about past issues is so important before acquiring new shrimp.

If you keep shrimp with fish, be prepared to treat ich outbreaks with invert-safe methods. Or isolate sick fish until recovered. Stopping ich in its tracks