white specs on cardinal tetra?

[summit]

It looks like there is small bright white specs on my cardinal tetra, like there is something growing on it, I believe it is also on 1-2 of my neons although not as bad, is this ich? Should I add some aquarium salt and gradually increase the heat?

 

[the_elvish_misfit]

Just get a small bottle of nox ich, one drop fixes it quick.

 

[Zagz]

I would increase the heat slowly. I am never a fan of medications when natural methods work just as well.

 

[summit]

I would also like to try a natural path before chemicals, they still seem very active and normal, I have been increasing the heat by 2 degrees per day, it was at 77, its now at 79, and I will turn it to 81 by tonight, is this too quick? too slow? From my understanding you want to eventually get the heat up to about 83-84?

Also should I add some aquarium salt? I have heard conflicting reviews

 

[TheNamelessPoet]

I would also like to try a natural path before chemicals, they still seem very active and normal, I have been increasing the heat by 2 degrees per day, it was at 77, its now at 79, and I will turn it to 81 by tonight, is this too quick? too slow? From my understanding you want to eventually get the heat up to about 83-84?

Also should I add some aquarium salt? I have heard conflicting reviews

I set mine at 86 and it was gone in a day or so... 83-4 I THINK will just speed it up not kill it once it falls off

 

[gzeiger]

2 degrees a day is fine. If you think you're in danger of losing fish you can go a bit faster, but slow is best if you can afford the wait. You do want to aim for at least 86.

Salt does help combat ich, but not all fish will tolerate it, and plants don't like it at all. Generally catfish and loaches are less tolerant than others, but you should of course research all the species in your tank before adding anything they aren't used to. If you do decide to use salt, salinity like temperature should be varied gradually both on the way up and the way down to avoid excessive stress on your pets.

Maintain the treatment regiment for 2 weeks past the last visible symptoms, since ich has a complex life cycle that doesn't always show up on the fish.

Are you sure it's ich and not a fungus (look for a feathery growth as opposed to a cyst on the skin).