Discus and Ick

[Fish from Philly]

It doesn't matter where they came from. The higher you keep the temp, the higher their metabolism will be. They will eat more, be more active, and potentially grow faster (as long as you feed them enough). But IMO, once they are adults, there's no reason to keep them higher than 82 unless you are treating them for something which requires higher heat.

Good to know Ryan and thank you. Hans likely said 85 degrees because I purchased two 4" fish that would need the higher temp for growth. I will bring down the temp later when they grow out and make sure it is slowly as to not shock the fish.

[Ryan]

Hans may suggest the higher temp because it keeps their metabolism up for a while after you receive them, which will encourage them to eat and hopefully ward off things like ich which don't usually thrive in high temps. Some people will keep their temperature elevated for a few weeks after receiving the fish, then slowly bump it down as they acclimate. It's really personal preference -- discus will tolerate a range of temps from the low to high 80s, so it's whatever you feel your fish seem most comfortable with. Personally I do keep the tanks cooler because I often have tankmates (plecos, sometimes other cichlids).

There's also the line of thought among cichlid keepers that you can "burn out" fish if you keep them at elevated temperatures for too long. They follow the reasoning that the higher metabolism will cause them to be shorter lived. I'm not sure if there's ever been a study on that, or how long it would actually shave off the life expectancy of the fish (months? years?), but it's something to be aware of.

[DonMD]

Not sure what your original temp was before 'raising' to 82 but I suspect that might have contributed. Anyways my remedy is 90/92 for 7/10 days with daily W/C's. Didn't have ich w/ Discus but my other trops came thru just fine. No meds No salt Just clean water & lots of it!!! "T"

+1. Also, make sure you add an extra air stone during high temps, as hot water will hold less oxygen.

[tonytheboss1]

+1. Also, make sure you add an extra air stone during high temps, as hot water will hold less oxygen.

Good call Don! Depending on your setup that extra airstone will do wonders. I usually don't because I lower my water level a bit. Between the waterfall effect from the A/C's & the spraybar running along the surface, oxygenation is increased plenty. They have a ball!! "T"