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Ichthyophthirius Multifiliis

Algae and Protists

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Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, often called Ich, is a parasitic ciliate and the only species in its genus. Its name translates roughly as the fish louse with many children. It infects most species of freshwater fish with little regard for host specificity, penetrating the gills, skin, and fins, where it shows up as small white spots on the surface even though it lives as a true parasite beneath the skin rather than on top of it.

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