A Reliable Thermometer
- Thread starter biondoa
- Start date
As fishorama stated, cardinals do well in discus temps, which means they appreciate higher, constant, temps (in mid 80s).
Temps in the 70s produce a stressful environment for them, which can lead to diseases such as ich, even after quarantine.
Temps in the 70s produce a stressful environment for them, which can lead to diseases such as ich, even after quarantine.
I bought a 6 pack of Coralife knock-off digital thermometers from eBay for cheap. The suction cups don't work and the wire is super stiff on them. They all work, but all read like 2-3 deg off. I've gone back to the floating glass ones with the suction cup. Simple and reliable.
+1 on the recommendations on cranking that water temperature up further to get rid of the ick. I'd go for 86F if the fish will tolerate it. Up the aeration and water changes along with that.
+1 on the recommendations on cranking that water temperature up further to get rid of the ick. I'd go for 86F if the fish will tolerate it. Up the aeration and water changes along with that.
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If looking for a truly accurate thermometer, these lab thermometers can be purchased thru places like Fisher-Scientific, or serious science stores.
They do need calibration every year or so, and initially do cost a little more, but when you compare the accuracy, and cost of replacing batteries on digital models, are quite reasonable.
I also do have some digital ones, but the batteries seem to die fast, and if dropped in water, become useless.
The one above is for a Uruguayan cool water tank, and the one in the first pic, a haitiensus tank that needs much higher temps
They do need calibration every year or so, and initially do cost a little more, but when you compare the accuracy, and cost of replacing batteries on digital models, are quite reasonable.
I also do have some digital ones, but the batteries seem to die fast, and if dropped in water, become useless.
The one above is for a Uruguayan cool water tank, and the one in the first pic, a haitiensus tank that needs much higher temps
Will the angelfish and rainbows tolerate 86 degrees? I also have a lot invested in the plantings in that tank. I would hate to lose them. The medication I am using claims to get rid of Ich without raising the temp, but so far it hasn't.
Ich can take a few weeks to eradicate, because you are trying to kill new hatches of the parasite. When ich is on the fish, it is nearly immune to treatment (protected by the fishes slime coat) only the young trophonts are susceptible to treatment. Raising the temp makes them hatch faster, so the chemical does its job.
As to temp, there are different varieties of rainbows, those that come from northern Australia would be more heat tolerant, those from southern Australia prefer a cooler environment.
Angelfish also prefer slightly lower temps than discus.
The idea that all tropical (?) fish live in the same temp is a fallacy.
And optimum, and tolerate, are very different things, some fish live in a wide variety of temps, so optimum is not needed.
Some fish are much more sensitive, and have a smaller window and require optimum temps to thrive.
I have different tanks with different temps for different species.
I killed about 20 haitiensus at normal tropocal temps (mid 70s) until I realized they needed mid to high 80s to thrive.
And had very sickly Gymnogeophagus until I learned to forgo heaters in the their tanks.
As to temp, there are different varieties of rainbows, those that come from northern Australia would be more heat tolerant, those from southern Australia prefer a cooler environment.
Angelfish also prefer slightly lower temps than discus.
The idea that all tropical (?) fish live in the same temp is a fallacy.
And optimum, and tolerate, are very different things, some fish live in a wide variety of temps, so optimum is not needed.
Some fish are much more sensitive, and have a smaller window and require optimum temps to thrive.
I have different tanks with different temps for different species.
I killed about 20 haitiensus at normal tropocal temps (mid 70s) until I realized they needed mid to high 80s to thrive.
And had very sickly Gymnogeophagus until I learned to forgo heaters in the their tanks.
Thank you Duane. I did a lot of reading today about the life cycle of this pest, and understand it better now. The good news is that I am seeing fewer white spots today for the first time. I now understand that the parasite cannot be eradicated while on the fish, but only once it falls into the water column. I guess since there are so many of these cardinals in the tank, they may have been infected at different times; therefore it will take a slightly different amount of time for each fish to lose the white spots. I will up the water changes to once a day, and I have read that I should continue the medication for at least 6 days after all the white spots are gone. I sure will be happy to say goodbye to Ich.
If you vacuum well during those water changes, it also helps to remove unhatched ich cysts in the substrate and taking them out of the disease cycle.
I had an ich outbreak during a power outage this winter, here's the progression.
I used Nox-Ich at recommended dose and salt bringing the salinity to just over 3ppt (parts per thouseand)
because the tank is in a line of about 300 gallons, it was not possible to raise the temp significantly.
1/26/15
1/28/15
1/29/15
1/30/15
1/31/15
I had an ich outbreak during a power outage this winter, here's the progression.
I used Nox-Ich at recommended dose and salt bringing the salinity to just over 3ppt (parts per thouseand)
because the tank is in a line of about 300 gallons, it was not possible to raise the temp significantly.
1/26/15
1/28/15
1/29/15
1/30/15
1/31/15
Have to agree with the salt. If the fish will tolerate a little raised salinity in the tank that will help with the ich falling off the fish. In combination with raised temperature (salt and heat) that can be all that is necessary to get rid of ich. Not using medication is risky though - and should only be done when you catch ich in the early stage with really tiny almost invisible white spots.
