Neons With 'ich' Advice

[TheChinski]

Hey all!
 
While adding my first Dwarf Puffer to my 30L tank today I noticed on one or two of my neons some white spots/specs. After a quick search on Google it seems this is whats called 'Ich'. Apparently, a slight temperature increase and a teaspoon of salt or two will do the trick, but I wanted to check here before doing anything.
 
As mentioned, I have a little D.P, some neons, a few cherry shrimp and some snails. I was hoping to have a supply of snails ready for the D.P by the time he's big enough to eat them, but will adding salt simply kill them all off? The tank is only a few months old, and i'd really appreciate any/all advice you can give me for my Ich problem. 

 None of them seem to be suffering from it, and its only 4 or 5 spots on a few fish, but I've read even that means my whole tank is infected. 

 I'll feel much better the sooner I treat them, so hopefully i'll be able to do something about it tomorrow.
 
Oh, and please don't tell me how my sweet little D.P is going to turn into a terror and kill everyone - I'm aware of what they can do and I am watching closely for any fin nipping
 
Thanks all!

 

[lock77]

I've used the salt and temperature method in a tank with ghost shrimp and malaysian trumpet snails. Worked well and no bad effects. Your DP will have the tails off your neons in no time.

 

[TallTree01]

Salt and raised temperature should help but the main cause of ich is dirt water. Do 2-5 water chanes a week

 

[TheChinski]

Well, I've added abit of salt and boosted the temp and we'll see how it goes. I added he shrimp about a week ago, so could it be from them?

As for the puffer and the neons, I'm hoping its gonna be a unique relationship, but worse comes to the worse, I'm hoping to get another big tank in the next few weeks, so ill move the neons over to there

Thanks!

 

[TheChinski]

Just a quick update: Throughout the day I've added 3 teaspoons of salt dissolved in treated water to the tank, and already a large percentage of the spots are gone. I think I'll leave it as it is for another 5 or so days, and hopefully then ill be able to get the salt out with a few big water changes and send the temp back down abit.

 

[TheChinski]

Hello again! Unfortunately, all four shrimps seem to have passed away over the past few days. I'm not sure whether this is because of the puffer, or I'm wondering if they were simply beyond saving from the ich, as I'm sure it's them that brought it in. Could it even be the salt treatment? I wouldn't have thought it'd be the puffer, as he has shown no interest in the neons, and has had a constant supply of snails and plants to keep him busy.

Anyway, I was wondering if I can do a big water change and get a that salt out now? All visable signs of the ich were gone on Wednesday (Day 1 of treatment) and its now Day 5 of treatment. Is there anyway of telling whether the ich is really gone or not?

Thanks!