Donald,

What you say is true for mammals, but not fish. The
fish immune system is adversely affected at higher
temperature ranges and just plain fluctuating temps.
Certain viruses are most severe at temperatures greater
than 25 degrees Celsius. Many of the bacteria we deal
with in aquariums and ponds are in heaven at higher
temperatures. As you said Ich is frequently encouraged
to leave its cysts on the fish at higher temperatures
to breed in the water, and this is why higher water
temperature in combo with a med is used to get rid of
Ich, but this is a parasite and you certainly do not
have to raise the water temperature in to the 80's to
encourage them to leave their cysts. In fact, in Ich's
life cycle the parasite leaves the cysts between 23-25
degrees Celcius. But here again if the free swimming
little buggers don't find a host in 48 hours they die.

In any event, to draw on your own coorelation if you
put you fish in 38 to 40 degree Celsius temperature
water I imagine you would kill the pathogen that is
bothering your fish, but you would probably kill your
fish also. Especially Ornamental Goldfish do not do
well in temperatures over 32 degrees Celsius for any
length of time. The high temp of 38-40 degree Celsius
is what the body uses in mammals to fight off the
pathogen, but chemistry and physiology of the fish is
substantially different than mammals. High temps and
severe water temp fluctuations greatly affect the "T"
cell formation in the fish preventing it from fighting
any kind of disease.

So you see just raising the temperature is not
necessarily a good practice. Keeping temperatures in
the 22 degree range is best and keeping it steady, and
then adding the appropriate med for the fish to respond
to over a 7 to 14 day period of time, especially if an
antibiotic is administered.

HTH

Tom L.L.
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Donald K wrote:
Is that *all* bacteria?

Or is it just SOME bacteria?

And more specifically is it the exact strain of bacteria that is
currently infecting the fish?

Really hard to tell without having specific medical/biological skill &
equipment...

_In general_ higher forms of life have larger possible ranges of
temperature than bacteria. That's why (specifically not equating fish
physiology with human physiology) a fever response is a favored
survival trait in animals.

So it may very well be that a temperature change IS indicated for some
pathogens but not for others. But is exceedingly difficult for the
layperson to tell the difference.

For instance, ich (not a bacteria) has a well documented weakness at
(specific levels) of higher temperatures. For (infrequent) cases of
ich, I will elevate the temps.

For flexibacter, a specific bacteria with distinct signs, it grows
faster at mid-80's temps, so changing the temperature to 84 deg F is
not a bright thing to do.

-D

Tom L. La Bron wrote:


Geezer,

And the metabolism of the bacteria exponentially.

Tom L.L.
--------------------------------------

Geezer From The Freezer wrote:

It will increase your fishies metabolism though!

BErney1014 wrote:


Ive raised the temp to 84 deg as per instructions - why? Does this
kill the bacteria?

It does not kill bacteria of the type that infect fish. The leading
researcher in the field has been asked that question and he knows not
why the myth is spread.