Ich and temperature

[Beano]

I've noticed lately that people recommend to increase the tank temp
when Ich breaks out. This is because it speeds up the bacteria life
cycle so medications can work faster to kill it (I think).

If one were to not use medicaiton, should you then turn the tank temp
down, so as to halt proliferation of the bacteria? Or is this a sure
way to kill the fish?

When I had bettas, it was recommended that I turn the tank temp down -
it wasn't for Ich though, it was for a cotton-wool looking fungus - the
fish survived.

[NetMax]

"Beano" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> I've noticed lately that people recommend to increase the tank temp
> when Ich breaks out. This is because it speeds up the bacteria life
> cycle so medications can work faster to kill it (I think).
>
> If one were to not use medicaiton, should you then turn the tank temp
> down, so as to halt proliferation of the bacteria? Or is this a sure
> way to kill the fish?
>
> When I had bettas, it was recommended that I turn the tank temp down -
> it wasn't for Ich though, it was for a cotton-wool looking fungus - the
> fish survived.


Many bacteria and parasites have a living range in temperature which is
narrower than the fish. Goldfish in Asia are bred in high temperatures
(80s) because there is less diseases to contend with (and they grow
faster too).

Turning down the temperature on Ich would be ineffective as the parasite
can tolerate much colder temperatures. The parasites will be at various
stages, so the stage where they are feeding off of the fish will also get
longer (as will all the other stages). Ich can be killed at very high
temperatures, close to a fish's extreme tolerance. This method is risky
as the fish's weakened state might not handle elevated temperatures, but
if there is medicine in the water, a small elevation will get them off
the fish faster, and into their free-swimming stage earlier, to be
killed. hth
--
www.NetMax.tk

[Beano]

cool thanks for that. It was just a theory - wouldnt' really want to
test it!