Plecos and high temperatures

wheelsdeal

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Apr 3, 2010
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Athens,Greece
Hello everyone.Some days ago i added 4 small stendker discus (2 months old) in my aquarium and even though they were on quarantine for a week they dont seem to eat and i didnt want to risk a potential hexamita desease i gradually raised the temperature to 33,5-34'c just for precaution.The thing is that i have an L-18 and L-168 in the aquarium and i was just wondering if they can handle this temperatures for 5-6 days or will i have to remove them somehow from the aquarium.Thank you.
 

Lornek8

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Apr 21, 2009
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Well since you've already added the Discus to the plec tank, the plecs are potential carriers of the disease if it this. Removing them only to reintroduce them following the treatment of the discus could potentially reinfect the discus. The biggest issue with high temps and plecs is the oxygen levels in the tank. Plecs typically have higher oxygen demands due to the habitat in which they have evolved. L18 come from warmer areas and 86F isn't too high for maintenance levels. It should be able to handle temporarily higher temps provided the tank is adequately aerated. The L168 might have harder time with it.
 

wheelsdeal

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Apr 3, 2010
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Athens,Greece
Ok i will try to add a second airpump.Btw its seems to be working some of the little ones start to eat only one is refusing yet.Also today i cut glasses for a quarantine/hospital cube i will glew it tomorrow so the day after i would be able to move the fish that might be potential carrier.Tbh i dont believe its hexamita issue but i want to be extra carefull.Thanks for your responce.
 

Lornek8

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Apr 21, 2009
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Ok i will try to add a second airpump.Btw its seems to be working some of the little ones start to eat only one is refusing yet.Also today i cut glasses for a quarantine/hospital cube i will glew it tomorrow so the day after i would be able to move the fish that might be potential carrier.Tbh i dont believe its hexamita issue but i want to be extra carefull.Thanks for your responce.
Well, all the fish in the tank are now potential carries so no real reason to seperate any. Once you introduce any new, unquarantined fish into a tank full of fish you must treat all fish as potential carriers.

Do you routinely silicone tanks and use them the next day? Seems a bit risky.
 

wheelsdeal

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Apr 3, 2010
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Athens,Greece
To be honest no this is my first diy i read somewhere that it is ok after 24-48 hours what do you suggest will be a safe time till i put fish in it?
 

Lornek8

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Apr 21, 2009
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To be honest no this is my first diy i read somewhere that it is ok after 24-48 hours what do you suggest will be a safe time till i put fish in it?
Usually silicone cures in 24-48 hours but can take longer and may still release toxic substances. An indication is by the smell, if it still has a strong smell I would wait a bit longer, though even "safe" glue may still have a smell. Typically i've filled tanks & allowed them to sit for a week or more just to be pefectly safe. This also gives me the opportunity to observe the tank in case there are any leaks. I usually change the water out at least once and have even gone as far as adding extra water conditioners in hope that it might help detox. Might be a bit overboard but then why risk it. Like I said before, all fish that have been exposed should be treated the same as all should be considered infected. No sense removing fish at this point as, if any were sick, you risk reinfecting all the others if reintroduced into the same tank. Therefore, no reason not to wait longer than the 24-48 hours for the silicon to cure.
 

SmithRC

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Apr 21, 2009
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Newport Pagnell
as a guide - My new tank had a 2 week cure time... If i filled it before that date, I voided my warrenty.

it was only after a week and a half that the acetic acid smell started to subside...
 

wheelsdeal

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Apr 3, 2010
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Athens,Greece
Ok i will leave it minimum 2 weeks.After all as you said there is no need to put fish atm so it will be ready for the next time (i hope not for treatment).Thanks.
 

Breamlegend

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Apr 22, 2009
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Central Coast NSW Australia
3 days for silicone to cure and if you can smell the acetic smell wait longer. I hope you use acetic cure 100 % silicon as the other type takes 2 weeks? You should wash the tank first as well. Silicon can take weeks to get to full strength so if it is a large tank wait longer. I use a rapid cure silicon that has a low acetic smell and would be safe after 24 hours but I always wait 3 days to be safe.
 

Irene0100

UK Support Team
May 14, 2009
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Norfolk, UK
getting back to the problem, I would only put temp that high for a few days. and yes lots more air and if lots of plants remove some of them at night.
 

wheelsdeal

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Apr 3, 2010
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Athens,Greece
I just added a second airpump for better aeration.About the quarantine tank there is no need atm to put fish in it so i will take my time finishing it like painting light blue the bottom and back and maybe make a diy lid.Its good to hear that the silicone is getting stronger after days cause its been 24 hours and i am not very impressed