The Puffer Forum

I suspect one of my fish my have ich. Given that it's former tankmate died of some kind of parasite perhaps alongside of ich.

Is it ok to administer heat treatment (raising water temperature slowly, 2 degrees F per day till about 84-86 degrees), and chemical treatment with this product I have called AP Pro Quick Cure that says it effectively treats Ick, Gasping for Air, flicking against rocks, and Protozoan Parasites.

Is it ok to do this even though I'm not POSITIVE that this fish has ich?

To treat Ich on puffers read this.
http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9

Heat and salt are the best way and maybe some Melafix to help healing of the skin.

Yeah, I read that 3-4 times already. My question was is it OK to do it as a precautionary measure, just in case the puffer that lived with a puffer that died from parasites & ich left some lingering around in him.

Will it harm the fish to do an ich treatment if they do not have it?

There's a risk of him having a bad reaction to the chemical treatment whether there is Ich present or not. Using the salt treatment if Ich isn't present, you shouldn't really see much change in him.

IMO, chemicals should only be used if all other treatments fail, as they tend to cause more problems than they solve. Heat and salt are almost always sufficient to treat ich, and won't hurt the fish if its not ich, and chemicals aren’t needed.