Max Temperature?

[Glostik]

I was told that ick cant live above 86.

I went to my LFS which is a good LFS in my opinion.

The guy there told me i could raise the temp of my tank to 86 or 87 with no problems. He said that the fish would handle it since there natural habitat is the amazon and its hot there anyways.

What do you guys think?

 

[thecichlidaddict]

I think that this sounds like a generalization, and generalizations can lead to trouble.

Yes, many fish can handle temperatures even as high as the lo 90's, but on the other hand some fish can't. The best thing is to find out what the limits are of the specific fish you are keeping.

Also, when the water gets that warm it begins to lack oxygen. You need to offset that as much as possible by running extra airstones and getting as much water movement as you can. Also, the more highly stocked your tank is, the lower the temperature that you can get away with is.

 

[guppymonkey]

You can raise the temperature of the tank but its best to do it slowly. Fish can handle a wide variety of temperatures if its done over time. To raise it up over 80 degrees its best to slowly raise the temp over a few days. That way the fish have time to get used to the higher temperature. Otherwise it would feel like suddenly being thrown into an oven!

 

[thecichlidaddict]

o raise it up over 80 degrees its best to slowly raise the temp over a few days. That way the fish have time to get used to the higher temperature. Otherwise it would feel like suddenly being thrown into an oven!

Actually, this is not true. THe time that it takes the heaters to bring the temp up is plenty, there is no reason to prolong the process. The fish can handle temperature changes over a short period, just not instantly. When you bring home fish from the store you put the bag in the water and float it for twenty minutes to avoid stress to the fish, and that twenty minutes does the job.

 

[guppymonkey]

I actually usually float the bag for more than twenty minutes. I usually float it for 20 minutes than mix the water from my tank into the bag. But thats different than temperature changes.

My fish seem more stressed if the temperature changes quickly. I turned my room temperature up one night when I was cold and then I noticed that the temperature in my tank went up also. My fish were all hiding and motionless for hours until the temperature went back down.

 

[bogusmove]

I've had the temperature of my tank at 86 ish for over a week now. I rigged up a spray bar instead of my normal under surface filter return though, to help the oxygenation a bit.

I raised temperature by resetting my heaters... so the change was achieved overnight.

All my fish seem fine.

However, getting back to ich, although i've not seen any white spots for almosr a week, I still see flashing occasionally.. which is a bit fustrating, as I really want to get the temperature back down to normal levels.k

 

[Dragonslair]

I suggest you read the pinned article "What is ICK"
Whatever the temp. The parasite must go through its life cycle, and in the egg stage, only boiling water will eradicate them. Unfortunately for you it will also eradicate your fish. All heating up the water will do is increase the life cycle. So why stress your already stressed fish anymore, just let nature take its course and have the meds ready.
OR
if you are like me, I have not suffered a case of any bugs in the water since I purchased an ozoneator 3 years ago. The water is totally free of any harmful organisms-full stop.

 

[bogusmove]

Hmm, alot of people say that the free swimming stage of the life cycle is killed by temperatures of 86 dF... which many fish can withstand...

EDIT: Since this is the phase attacked by ich medications, this temperature treatment, if valid, should be as effective.