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Re: Ich Treatment
I can testify to this with a recent outbreak. If fish are kept at a constant temperature and are already acclimated and settled, they'll likely not get the ick that come in with new fish. At least this is my experience, and several times I've left small outbreaks with no treatment, and 100% cure. This time around, I turned the temp up, believing that the choc. gouramis would be more comfortable anyway, in warmer water. I had a HUGE outbreak. Since the initial bout was very small (a rew spots visible in the tank), I believe it could have been better contained by keeping the temperature constant. Ick can clear up itself, if the fish are left in a stressless and constant environment.
Sylvia
<<High heat WILL NOT kill Ich. In fact, you are asking for a large outbreak
if you raise the temperature and don't medicate. The reason behind the high
temperature is to speed up the metabolism of the ich parasite, causing it to
leave its' host (our fish) quickly and drop to the bottom to propagate.
Only when the parasite has left the protection of the fish's slime coat can
it be killed by the medication that you have placed in the water. The
parasite cannot be killed while it is living on the host. If you raise the
temperature and do not medicate, the ich will propagate faster and infect
more fish in a shorter period of time. Medicating at a higher temperature
however, means you do not need to medicate for a long period of time. The
lower the temperature, the slower the ich's metabolism, the longer you have
to wait for it to leave the host to propagate, and the longer you have to
medicate your fish and plants! High temperature + medication = a faster
cure! (In the past, I have safely treated for ich at a temperature of 90
degrees F.)>>