Can you cure ick with just heat?

[nicktejada]

So I found ick on my fish and I have live plants in the tank so i don't wanna use the salt...so I slowly raised the temp to 85 F will this work after a couple of days?


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app

 

[Aquanero]

Raise the temp to >86 it will speed up the life cycle. Some strains can be cured with just some have become heat resistant. You can dose salt in a planted tank.

 

[LukeOscar]

Don't forget to increase your oxygen levels.

Sent from my SM-N900W8 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

 

[REDTAIL1928]

Heat only speeds up life cycle, get the fish out and treat them on their own, when u take away its food source, they will die off.

Sent from my SGH-M819N using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

 

[BIG-G]

Heat only speeds up life cycle, get the fish out and treat them on their own, when u take away its food source, they will die off.

Sent from my SGH-M819N using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

You can treat ick by removing the fish for at least 14 days this will insure the parasite as completed its life cycle. With no fish host present the ick will not be able to reproduce. Raising the temps will also help to speed up this process.
This is known as letting the tank go fallow.
If you have another tank you can treat the fish with salt there.
I have used this method many times and it works. Its just a pain to catch all the fish.

 

[REDTAIL1928]

Need more then 14 days, min 1 month. U dont want too keep going thru this bs again. Trust me!!

Sent from my SGH-M819N using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

 

[LukeOscar]

I have battled ick from start to finish in under a week. On more then 1 occasion.

Sent from my SM-N900W8 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

 

[Joecool44]

Yes 82 will stop reproduction of ich and 86-88 will kill it off then slowly lower back to your original temp


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app

 

[predatorkeeper87]

Ok....wow....

1. 86+ will inhibit Ich reproduction and speed up the current lifecycle, and at I BELIEVE 88+ the parasite cannot live which can result in the infestation being cured if the particular strain isn't heat resistant as mentioned.
2. Salt is fine in a planted tank as long as you don't overdose. I would recommend ParaGuard-safe for plants, inverts, and scale-less fish in my experience and I've used it with all 3. Cures ich easily in 7-10 days and no possibility of a repeat outbreak if you treat fully in combo with salt and heat, plus you'll be cleansing your main tank instead of worrying about QTing the fish AND sterilizing your display.
3. Ich will not lay dormant more than several days in its cyst stage, however I still recommend not taking any chances and "nuking" the tank if you will with the treatment I mentioned.

 

[Pomatomus]

This is so wrong in my experience...

83-84 degrees is the temperature required to kill FRESHWATER ich. Saltwater ich (cryptocaryon) has an accelerated life cycle under increased temperatures. However, heat doesn't kill all life stages of the parasite, so the temperature will have to be maintained. 30 days will do it for sure. It worked for me. My GF was home with the fish for 2 weeks when ich broke out. I had her put the heater in and when I got home they were symptom free!