ick help

Question
Hi Karen,
I've asked about ick for my ryukin and other experts suggest raise temp, others say don't...so I took the plunge and added the heater today, raising from 70 to 73 F but my fantail is clamping his fins after swimming erratically and now I think he's unhappy too!! What am I doing wrong.  I've been adding ick meds for 9 days already, still 2 spots remain on ryukin (bottom sitting mostly) I am so confused, please help...these guys are depending on me and I am so new at this!

Answer
Dear Lori,
Have you been doing water changes at all? This is very, very important during Ick treamtent or any disease treatment especially. Ick meds not only stress the fish (even though they are needed) but they destroy beneficial bacterial colonies resulting in poor water quality like ammonia or nitrite being present. Meds can also lower the oxygen level of the aquarium. All these problems can be combated with daily large water changes--please if you can, 50% everyday is best. Water changes relieve stress on the fish and improve water quality and they also remove excess free-swimming parasites in the water or gravel.

It's true that raising the water temperature speeds the lifecycle of the Ick and this is important because the ick's lifecycle goes through three stages with only one stage are they vunerable to medication. First they live on the fish in a protected capsule, then after while, they fall off the fish and into the gravel bed. Then they start multplying and then become free-swimming once more to find another fish to latch onto. It's in the free swimming stage that they can be destroyed by medication.
~Goldfish can easily stand temperatures of 80F for short periods. And this is when Ick is at their greatest speed. But lower temperatures slow their lifecycle so treatment must go on longer. Should you decide to raise the temperature to 80F, be sure to do is gradually over several hours.

I think water changes may be your best bet here. Be sure that the replacement water is always equal in temperature to that of your aquarium and insure it is properly dechlorinated everytime.

I really hope this helps! Feel free to write with anymore concerns...

Best wishes and best of luck!
Karen~