[leebca]

Groupers and Sea basses (many varieties) are the fishes quite often used in Marine Ich studies. The studies use microscopic examination to track the parasite, since these fish don't readily display the disease.

In the wild it has been found that a low percentage of these fishes have Marine Ich. It is usually found in their gills. Their immune system and hardiness seem to place them out of reach of dying from this parasite, unlike our more 'fragile' marine ornamental fishes.

On the other hand, Dr. Burgess, in the early 1990's did some research and thought he had a group of bass totally Marine Ich free and that had never had it, but the antibody investigation showed that his 'control group' actually had Marine Ich at some time in their lives. The number that had been infected at some time previously -- 50%.