Heat and Salt for treating Ich

[Flossie]

Okay... I have a 10g with a 8neons and 5 flames. I also have a common pleco who is going to be moved soon along with the neons. However after only a week of having the fish I noticed they had ich. The heat and salt method was recommend by most. I had the tank at 82 and several had said 86 would be fine. So last night I turned off the light to reduce stress and cranked the heater to 86 and woke up and ALL my neons were dead I dunno if i'm terrible at this or our petsmart has the worst fish in the history. I returned my prior fish bc I had them 24 hours before I noticed mouth fungus. Luckily my receipt is still good for the neons. My flames are just stressing in one spot not eating or swimming really. Pleco has just surfaced a couple times for air. I have a bubble wand and two filters in my tank so I Highly doubt there isn't enough air. I'm VERY frustrated bc I have had LESS problems with fish NOT trying so hard. My friends that have fish seem to be fine... not doing PWCs or checking parameters. I'm thinking about taking the flames back as well... and starting over completely with the ten gallon... but I don't know what to do with pleco in the meantime and I sure don't want to get ICH in my 55g??? Any Ideas!!? Im pretty embarrassed that i'm trying to convince my friends to care for their fish the "right" way and they are better fish keepers than me by not doing anything... GRRRRR

 

[jetajockey]

it's really hard to keep water parameters in check when the tank is heavily stocked.

As the tank gets better established it reduces the need for regular testing.

I suggest not adding any more fish to that tank until the water parameters and ich gets dealt with, the heat/salt method is used by many people and it's very safe and effective. The temperature increase and fish death are likely coincidental and not cause/effect.

 

[Flossie]

it's really hard to keep water parameters in check when the tank is heavily stocked.

As the tank gets better established it reduces the need for regular testing.

I suggest not adding any more fish to that tank until the water parameters and ich gets dealt with, the heat/salt method is used by many people and it's very safe and effective. The temperature increase and fish death are likely coincidental and not cause/effect.

Oh no i won't be adding anymore fish probably forever! LOL okay probably not forever but UGH! I'm so tired of having fish issues... like I'm never buying petsmart fish again for sure.
I figured it was the heat because only the neons died. I thought they may be more sensitive to the heat than the flame tetras... who look like they are struggling right now to breathe.. I turned the heater back down to 82 hoping if that were the case they'd be okay.. I've had my pleco for several months now.. he's been through so much with all these stupid sick fish. IDk what to do. I was thinking about returning the flames and maybe donating the pleco and just letting the tank sit fishless for a while... which it has been mostly since i've had it! GRRRRR