Need treatment advice for ich please!

[afishmom]

I've just finished cycling my 60 gallon planted tank (with fish) and all water parameters are fine. Unfortunately I noticed last night a few of my fish have developed ich As of this morning all were eating well and other than the spots, are acting fine. I have the following in my aquarium:
2 Denison Barbs
5 Flame Tetras
5 Cardinal Tetras
1 Guppy
1 Hatchet fish
5 Platys
1 Snail
Live plants

What is the best treatment to use?
Things have changed alot since I had aquariums in the past so I need your experienced advice. I sure hate to lose these fish as they've survived my impatience in adding them before my tank was completely cycled and other than the ich, have been doing well for the past month.

 

[King Fisher]

If you caught it early...... slowly raise the temperature of the tank to 86 degrees. Around 2 degrees per hour. Do a 20-25% water change. Add aquarium salt to the water you put back in, mix it up good until it's dissolved at 1 TEAspoon per 5 gallons of water. Do daily to every other day 20-25% water changes with a gravel/substrate vacuum included. Personally, I do daily 20% water changes and vacuum the gravel every time.....this is very important.

If you stick to this regimen you should be able to rid your tank of ich without medication.

 

[afishmom]

Thank you very much! Will the salt harm my snail or live plants?
I hope I caught it early...I can't see very well up close so I didn't notice the spots till I took a very close up pic of my hatchet fish and saw it in the pic. Had my husband take a close look and he saw it on several fish

 

[King Fisher]

What type of snail do you have?

The mixture of salt you'll be using shouldn't harm your plants.

Try to start asap as it can come on bad quickly.

 

[afishmom]

Ok thank you! I don't know what type it is, it apparently was in one of the plants I bought, but doesn't look like a pond snail. It's about the size of my thumbnail and still growing. I spoke to the gentleman at our local aquarium store (a privately owned shop, not a chain) who I've bought everything from. He suggested I raise the temperature and do the water changes as you suggested, without the salt. He said he's had good luck with that and felt since my water quality is good and fish are still eating well etc that would work. He did say to vacuum the bottom when doing the water changes to pick up any that have fallen off. Fingers crossed it'll do the trick. I raised the temp and changed 25% of the water last night. I'll keep that going and if things aren't looking better in a few days I'll add the salt to the regimen.

 

[King Fisher]

The salt slightly irritates their slime coat and ramps up thier immune system to add more of their slime coat, reduces osmotic pressure to help the fish immune system, and it's believed salt is harmful to the ich parasite. Since ich is a parasite thats attached to their skin and causing an irritation, it is believed, overall, salt helps in healing the damage created by the ich parasite. If you aren't comfortable with salt then you can try it without. Remember, this is short term not long term exposure to salt. Keep us updated on the progress.