Heat only Treatment for Ich?

[dntx5b9]

I unfortunately have an ich outbreak in my tank. I have used Quick Cure with success in the past, but last couple of times, I had few death while treating with it. So this time around, I just want to try heat only treatment. I have used heat and salt method successfully in my african tank, but with so many small tetras (cardinals and rummynoses), cories, and loaches, I am afraid to use the salt. Anyone just use heat? I have the tank temp up at 88F at the moment.

[ILLUSN]

salt will be fine with all the fish you've listed, its much gentler then any other med you can use.

if your using heat alone, you'll have to shoot for 31-32C and at those temps your loach wont be happy.

[dntx5b9]

The temp is currently set at 88F which is 31.1C. So far, all the fish seem fine. I will continue to monitor the fish closely for the next few days and see what happens.

[rwel4809]

I have had terrible trouble with Ich medication decimating my tetra population and it kills catfish too!!

IMO/E I think heat only treatment is the best way to go with tetras especially if the breakout is not too severe- I recently bought some rummynose tetras from an lfs and didn't notice that a couple had ich, I let the temp rise to 32 and they were cured within days (mind you I do have a UV filter as well and this is supposed to kill the little nasties in their free swimming stage)

[fishgeek]

excessively high temperatures are just as potentially detrimental to fish health as medications
dependant on the species of fish and there normal temperature range heat as a sole treatment may be inappropriate

andrew
soft water fish are not exceedingly bother by salt addition, this is an increase in EC though not hardness so salt can be used

[dntx5b9]

I suppose I can use the Salt as well. However, I thought raising the temp to 88F is not really that bad as we do this often with juvy discus.

[fishgeek]

not actually the real situation just an exaggerated example, discus and goldfish temperature ranges... you cant keep them both happy in the same water

so it depends on the fish


medications used correctly are not going to kill a fish
ill fish misdiagnosed and in poor water quality will succumb to lower deletrious effects whether it be chemical/temperature or osmotic