Oodinium

Oodinium is a condition similar to white spot. In fact, white spots also appear on the skin of the fish. Unlike the white spot parasite (ichthyophthirius parasite), Oodinium is caused by the Oodinium pillularis parasite, which is much smaller than the white spot parasite. Due to the fine dots on the fish, which looks like the fish has been sprinkled with pepper, it is also called pepper dot. As the resistance of the fish decreases, these single-celled parasites can develop on the skin of the fish. The parasites settle on the mucous membrane of the fish, causing white dots.

Treating and preventing oodinium

Pepper dot is treatable with fast acting remedies against common white spot parasites. Prevention is always better than cure. Infection usually occurs in poor quality pond water, where the pond filter is not equipped with activated filter carbon. A filter with activated carbon is the way to go. Feeding the fish with good quality food increases their resistance, making the fish less susceptible to infection with this parasite.

Pepper tip can be brought along with live food, but birds can also be the culprit. You also encounter this condition in imported fish. Traces of pepper spot can also develop in the environment (e.g. a major pond cleaning which was not disinfected before the cleaning or poor condition of the fish).