Hello everyone,
This is the problem that is being presented to me. I have a 2 inch baby Jack Dempsey that is currently in a five gallon tank with an air pump and heater but no filtration. I have been setting up a 40 breeder for the past month or so for it that I want to put it in. This would be filtered. The Jack has had ich and I have been treating it for about five days now with 25% water changes with a gravel vac, jungle ich guard daily, and I have freshwater salt at 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons. When I first realized it, the fish only had two spots, which fell off the next day. The day after, it had about five and last night I found one spot. I don't understand why they keep coming back as I have been doing everything that I can for it and the infection doesn't appear that severe. Although unfiltered, the tank water is not dirty at all. There are probably about two pieces of dempsey poo in the whole thing right now. Seems pretty managable except for the fact that I will be leaving town on December 26th or 27th for about a week. I am concerned that if things aren't sorted out by then, the ich will get out of hand because I will not be here to keep an eye on it.
I did some reading indicating that Ich can not survive at temperatures above 86 degrees and that Jack Dempseys may do okay up to 88 degrees and perhaps even higher (aggression is not an issue, the fish is alone. Anyway, my plan right now is to crank the temperature in the 40 breeder to 86 and add salt, the Jack and one treatment of the ich medication right before I leave. I am concerned that the fish won't survive at a temperature that high though. I will have waterfall filtration and an air stone for oxygen but 86 is far higher than I have ever taken any fish. Can anyone confirm that this is a good approach or offer any alternate advice?
Thanks
This is the problem that is being presented to me. I have a 2 inch baby Jack Dempsey that is currently in a five gallon tank with an air pump and heater but no filtration. I have been setting up a 40 breeder for the past month or so for it that I want to put it in. This would be filtered. The Jack has had ich and I have been treating it for about five days now with 25% water changes with a gravel vac, jungle ich guard daily, and I have freshwater salt at 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons. When I first realized it, the fish only had two spots, which fell off the next day. The day after, it had about five and last night I found one spot. I don't understand why they keep coming back as I have been doing everything that I can for it and the infection doesn't appear that severe. Although unfiltered, the tank water is not dirty at all. There are probably about two pieces of dempsey poo in the whole thing right now. Seems pretty managable except for the fact that I will be leaving town on December 26th or 27th for about a week. I am concerned that if things aren't sorted out by then, the ich will get out of hand because I will not be here to keep an eye on it.
I did some reading indicating that Ich can not survive at temperatures above 86 degrees and that Jack Dempseys may do okay up to 88 degrees and perhaps even higher (aggression is not an issue, the fish is alone. Anyway, my plan right now is to crank the temperature in the 40 breeder to 86 and add salt, the Jack and one treatment of the ich medication right before I leave. I am concerned that the fish won't survive at a temperature that high though. I will have waterfall filtration and an air stone for oxygen but 86 is far higher than I have ever taken any fish. Can anyone confirm that this is a good approach or offer any alternate advice?
Thanks
