How to do the 86degree ich kill?

[William]

I just want to make sure before I do this for a tank.

I slowly, every couple of hours adjusting the tank temp just a few degrees, slowly work it up to around 86degrees.

Correct?

and how long do you leave it at that temp before working it back down?

The tank its being done to has 1 Balloon Molly, 1 Lyretail Molly, 3 Long Fin Tetras, 1 CAE and 2 small Feeders and the tank is fully cycled.

 

[RogerMcAllen]

You do realize that you have to add ich meds before you raise the temp, right? Raising the temp just speeds of the life cycle of ich, so increased temp without meds will make it spread faster.

 

[William]

I know, I have meds in the tank already

 

[Allivymar]

Coupla things William:

Temp should be above 86f (I use 88f). The high temps treatment for ich should be used without meds. High temps can also be stressful for fish; I don't know if I'd use both methods (high temps and meds) as they can both stress the fish out.

Also, if you are going to use high temps, add some extra surface agitation; high temps mean less oxygen.

Oh, and I raised temps to 88f over 2 days, and left it for 2 weeks to be sure I got every parasite.

 

[William]

Okay.

 

[Terry]

I think that both methods work, high temp without med and high temp with med. the higher temperature brings the white spot to it's free swimming stage quicker and with the medication in the water kills it. RogerMcAllen is right that the higher temperature speeds up the whitespot and it gets worse, but that is what you want. If the whitespot dont come out you cant kill it.
But because the water temp is above 86F the white spot will die anyway, so i would say both ways work.
Allivymar is right in the fact that you are stressing the fish with high temperatures, and there is less oxygen, and with the medication in the water that will stress them as well.