treating channel cat for ich

[tetrin]

my albino channel cat is flashing against gravel...since it's quite hard to spot ich on the white body, i am assuming it to be a sign of ich...
i don't want to use ridich for the cat...i was thinking high temperature or salt treatment...since i have done neither before, i had a few questions...
1. should i raise the qt tank temperature to 90F and keep it at that level for 4-5 days? isn't it too stressful for the fish?
2. how much salt should i put in a 5g tank and for how long...would 2-3tsp be enough each day for 4-5 days...again a 50% water change per day is going to deplete the salt levels...so i was thinking of adding 2-3 tsp per day...
thanks in advance...

 

[Menagerie]

Read the FW ich article in the articles section. Treat the main tank, since ich maybe establishing its nasty self in your other fish. Slowly raise the temp to 86 and treat for two weeks AFTER you see the last ich spot.

 

[tetrin]

thanks menagerie...i read the article on ich...but i was pretty much confused with the levels of salt...don't have a hydrometer ...but i'll go with the heat treatment...

 

[Menagerie]

You will need the salt--use 1 TBSP per gallon during treatment. Just remember that salt dos not evaporate out and after treatment, you will be removing salt with each water change. My fish (pleco, pygmy cats, cichilds, rams and Badis, and a betta) have been fine with this treatment.

 

[tetrin]

will do that...thanks again...also salt helps with osmoregulation at higher temperatures 8) ...
oh...q: what if there r live plants ...does salt harm them?