Oodinium

Oodinium is a disorder that resembles White spot. The reason is that white spots are forming on the skin of a fish. In contradistinction to the whit spot parasite (ichthyophthirius parasite) pepper spot is caused by Oodinium pillularis parasite, which is far smaller than a White spot parasite. Owing to tiny spots on a fish, which look like if an attacked fish has been dusted with pepper, it is also referred to as pepper spot. If the resistance of a fish decreases these white spot parasites can develop of fish skin. Parasites will lodge in the mucus layer of fish, thus producing white spots.

Treating and preventing Oodinium

Pepper spot can be treated with quickly acting means against common white spot parasites. Preventing is always better than cure. The infection usually occurs in pond water of bad quality, the pond filter not having been equipped with activated filter carbon. A filter with activated carbon is our recommendation. Feeding fish on quality feed will increase their resistance, as a result of which fish will be less sensitive to infection by this parasite.

Oodinium pillularis may be introduced through living feed, however, birds can be the malefactor too. You can also find the disorder in question in imported fish. Spores of Oodinium pillularis, present in the environment may also start developing (for example a large cleaning operation of a pond, without using disinfectants and a bad condition of fish)