Maximum temperature discus can tolerate during hex treatment?

[HarryDk]

Hi all,
I increase the temp of my display tank to 32+ Celsius to treat hex/hole-in-the-head (moved him to hospital tank and dosed metro to the water but I suspect others may have been infested) with metro mixed BH.
It kills a few neons but I can live with that. Just one thing concern me that the discus are breathing heavier than usual, is that because of the higher temperature? I normally keep them around 27-28 C
Water parameter is fine and stable, 60-70%wc twice weekly.

PS: I mix 4x 200mg metro tablets with 100g of Beefheart, would it be enough or more metro?

[Mattgoanna]

I have taken them up to 36 degrees Celsius with no problem but you need to pump in extra air. Tetras, catfish and most other fish will not survive at these temps. The warmer the water the less oxygen it can hold.

[HarryDk]

Thanks Matt,
So is it normal if they breath heavier than usual?

[xmas_dude]

I have gone up to 92F and all discus were fine. Lost couple rummynose/cardinal tetras across the 10 day treatment though. The sterbai cories and phantom pleco were fine at this temp.

[Mattgoanna]

They will breath a bit harder to maintain their oxygen levels. They should also have a much stronger feeding response.

[sayid]

I have also have push the temp up to 35 c to treat hex ,it is advisable to go up gradually like 2 c per day also put a couple of air stone ,also have a lid on the top of your tank as at high temp discus can become a bit unpredictable and jump . good luck.

[Willie]

Here's an experience from about 8 years ago, back when I had far too many tanks and changed water once a week.

I had a mated pair in a bare 25 gal tank. Changed the water on a Sunday, like all the other tanks. Most mornings back then, I would just toss in a chunk of beef heart into every tank and run off to work. The following Sunday when it was time to change water tank, the water in that tank was hot to my touch. I took a close look at the digital read out and it said 99.9F!

I had the presence of mind to simply unplug the heater, which had obviously stuck. After 10 minutes, it read 99.8F, then 99.7F, and so on. By that evening, the temperature settled to 84F. I went with a water change and the fish were perfectly fine, except for a cooked pleco stuck behind the sponge filter. Was the tank at 99.9F, or was it higher? The digital readout only had XX.X readout!

So discus can handle very high temperatures. The tank was bare and had robust aeration from the sponge filter. All that week, the fish looked absolutely fine to me. There was never any food left in the bottom - they were hungry.

So 92F is fine, 93F is fine, you can probably go higher.

Willie

[Filip]

I've done 34 C for 2 weeks period with no Ill effects on discus . They were far more active , hungry and showing stress bars more oftenly during that time though.
Increase the aeration much more than usual during the treatment and change a lot more water than you currently do , especially during the metro treat and increased temps. Metro is sugar based med that fouls the water very quickly and high end temps excelerate the bacteria multiplication in the water column .So your biggest concern right now would be your water quality and not the temperature .Not to mention that HITH and Hex is a condition / disease acquired solely by a poor water quality and weakened immune system as a result from it .

[HarryDk]

Thanks guys,
THe temp is now 33c, I dare not go higher because i worry it will kill the other fish .
For my current situation, large tank , new born kid, limited time, 80%wc twice weekly (for the main tank - feeding medicated BH twice daily, non of them have hex symtom yet) is the most I can do and not piss off the Mrs, nitrate in there never go over 10, mostly 5. However, i change 60% daily for 10G hospital tank as I dose the water parameter with 300mg Metro, the ******* in there doesnt like BH, only Earthworm and Australia Dried Blackworms has his attention. He doesn't show white poop anymore after 4 days treatment (he was on prazi a day before that until i spot Hex under microsope), in fact barely any poop as I do not give him a lot of food.
When should I let him back to this friends, he has been begging me to do so lol.

[Filip]

Thanks guys,
THe temp is now 33c, I dare not go higher because i worry it will kill the other fish .
For my current situation, large tank , new born kid, limited time, 80%wc twice weekly (for the main tank - feeding medicated BH twice daily, non of them have hex symtom yet) is the most I can do and not piss off the Mrs, nitrate in there never go over 10, mostly 5. However, i change 60% daily for 10G hospital tank as I dose the water parameter with 300mg Metro, the ******* in there doesnt like BH, only Earthworm and Australia Dried Blackworms has his attention. He doesn't show white poop anymore after 4 days treatment (he was on prazi a day before that until i spot Hex under microsope), in fact barely any poop as I do not give him a lot of food.
When should I let him back to this friends, he has been begging me to do so lol.

You should get him through the whole +10 days Metro treatment even if he is allready starting to get well. Just hang in there and dont fall for the begging .