Can whitespot be cured simple by increasing the temp?

[Stan193]

Hi folks,

I have a 3'x18"x18" tank with a few fish in and found out yesterday that the nanocara anomala (dwarf cichlid) has got whitespot. I think I read somewhere on the net that it can be cured by increasing the temp to
88 deg F. Anyway i've currently got it at 90F and they seem to be coping alright so far.

[Arachnoking]

By upping the temperature you will speed up the life cycle of the parasite which means it will leave the fish sooner but it wont actualy kill the parasite so once its fallen off the fish you can then treat with a white spot treatment

[HalcyonInverts]

as above, the faster life cycle will usually shorten the duration of illness, buuut... The faster life cycle can dramatically increase the number of free swimming parasites at any one time, which can result in harsher infections in the fish. Definitly advised to use a temp increase alongside a treatment to kill off the free swimming stages

[Stan193]

Ok thanks. I gave them a dose of treatment anyway so hopefully it will soon go. i'll give them another dose once its gone.

[andy007]

Also, keep the lights off

[Stan193]

Its cured now

[fenwoman]

Originally Posted by HalcyonInverts

as above, the faster life cycle will usually shorten the duration of illness, buuut... The faster life cycle can dramatically increase the number of free swimming parasites at any one time, which can result in harsher infections in the fish. Definitly advised to use a temp increase alongside a treatment to kill off the free swimming stages

I used higher temp plus methalyne blue to get rid of white spot when I first set up my tank 5 years ago. There are more modern white spot treatments on the market probably but I'm old and this is what I used years ago and I know it works. I left the temp at the higher end of the spectrum too and had no ill effects. I rarely lose fish and still have some of the original fish I started the tank with. You need to remove any loach type fish from the tank if you want to use methalyne blue though as it can kill them.

[HalcyonInverts]

Originally Posted by fenwoman

I used higher temp plus methalyne blue to get rid of white spot when I first set up my tank 5 years ago. There are more modern white spot treatments on the market probably but I'm old and this is what I used years ago and I know it works. I left the temp at the higher end of the spectrum too and had no ill effects. I rarely lose fish and still have some of the original fish I started the tank with. You need to remove any loach type fish from the tank if you want to use methalyne blue though as it can kill them.

Yup, sounds good... If you want to increase the temperature, is advisable to add a medication also (including Mblue) to eliminate the free swimming stages, as without the medication, then increased rate of hatching in the warmer water can result it worse infection on the fish.

[Stan193]

I had them up about 90F, a bit on the hot side but the heater controls are rubbish. I treated them with eSHa Exit, it treats velvet desease too.
I can only see one of my african buterfly fish out of 3 but I think everything else came through.