Heating options?

[MeganL3985]

I have a 1 gallon temp bowl for my Betta, it'll probably be about a week until I get his permanent home. Anyway, i've been monitoring his water and it hasn't gone below 75 or anything, but he's got ich (2nd day of treatment) and his fins are a little clamped. Do you think this is from the ich or the water being a little on the cooler side? I dont think they have heaters small enough for a 1 gallon.... what should I do?

[Drumachine09]

You definatly need to get the temperature up. It is very hard for the ich to survive in higher temperatures. I would put it in the warmest room of your house, and check the temperature then. Also, do water changes every day, using a peice of airline tubing to suck up the dead parasites off of the bottom.

[rollie]

get some ick meds.

salt will also cure ick.

but it depends on how bad he got it.

for this stuff to work.

[MeganL3985]

I already have ick meds in his water, this is the 2nd day of treatment. The bottle said there was no need to raise temperature. I'm just looking for a way of keeping his water a little warmer without it fluctuating. Like I said its just a temporary bowl until I get his bigger tank. Its being shipped, thats the reason for the wait.

[RobbieG]

You may be able to heat it with a regular desklamp - just keep an ey on it to make sure it doesn't get too warm!

[gm72]

Great idea, Robbie! :19:

The life cycle of the parasite involved with ich is sped up significantly when the temperature is raised. The organisms leave the host's body faster and can only survive a short while without food (another host) while they collect at the bottom of the tank.

Drum has a great idea, make sure your gravel stays extra clean during this time.