Tripod1404
10/27/2016, 12:30 PM
Hey Guys, for sometime I am thinking about this issue, I heard many people say ich is not as problematic in a mature system compared to a young one. Can this be an outcome of a balanced ecosystem?
I would imagine anything that filter feeds can potentially catch and eat ich theronts. Plus, other predatory protozoans (such as Amoeba) can also kill ich when it is free swimming or even when on substrate. Same can also be said for specific viruses.
I know that even such predators would not eradicate ich since predator numbers depend strictly on prey number. So, as the number of ich drop, so will the number of predators, until a ecological balance is reached. In other words these predators will act analogous to a UV sterilizer. They will reduce and keep the numbers in check but will not eradicate the population. Unless you continuously introduce predators externally and replenish the ones die out of starvation. Still it would be an interesting research :)
I would imagine anything that filter feeds can potentially catch and eat ich theronts. Plus, other predatory protozoans (such as Amoeba) can also kill ich when it is free swimming or even when on substrate. Same can also be said for specific viruses.
I know that even such predators would not eradicate ich since predator numbers depend strictly on prey number. So, as the number of ich drop, so will the number of predators, until a ecological balance is reached. In other words these predators will act analogous to a UV sterilizer. They will reduce and keep the numbers in check but will not eradicate the population. Unless you continuously introduce predators externally and replenish the ones die out of starvation. Still it would be an interesting research :)