Bruce Leyland-Jones
Fish Aficionado
I'll talk American and say 85-86℉.
If you're some way off that, when you get your adjustable heater, go up a degree an hour.
As for the salt, with all due respect to those who say 'no' to salt, they don't know what they're talking about.
Our fresh tap water is almost totally salt-free.
Lake, river and stream water isn't...although by'salt', I don't mean sodium chloride. Lots of minerals are present.
Aquarium salt is the closest thing we have to try and represent those minerals, on the cheap and, I think if you did a mega survey, most aquarists would say that salt is a wonderful thing for aquarium and fish care.
Like anything, it can be abused and overused, but generally, it is A Good Thing.
With regards ich, or any other external parasite, they really REALLY don't like salt and it will retard any ich reproduction. Think 2 teaspoons per 5 gallon.
You add the salt to the tank and remember to add the same equivalent dosage to any fresh water added when you water-change.
NOTE that some brands of aquarium salt seem harder to dissolve than others. I mix mine with very hot water from the kettle in a bucket, to ensure that it is fully dissolved, before adding it to the tank...once it has cooled down a little, of course!
Given the apparent fragility of your little fish, you could try just the heat treatment first, to see if there's any improvement.
If there isn't, then you could try the salt.
Keep an eye on them and good luck.
If you're some way off that, when you get your adjustable heater, go up a degree an hour.
As for the salt, with all due respect to those who say 'no' to salt, they don't know what they're talking about.
Our fresh tap water is almost totally salt-free.
Lake, river and stream water isn't...although by'salt', I don't mean sodium chloride. Lots of minerals are present.
Aquarium salt is the closest thing we have to try and represent those minerals, on the cheap and, I think if you did a mega survey, most aquarists would say that salt is a wonderful thing for aquarium and fish care.
Like anything, it can be abused and overused, but generally, it is A Good Thing.
With regards ich, or any other external parasite, they really REALLY don't like salt and it will retard any ich reproduction. Think 2 teaspoons per 5 gallon.
You add the salt to the tank and remember to add the same equivalent dosage to any fresh water added when you water-change.
NOTE that some brands of aquarium salt seem harder to dissolve than others. I mix mine with very hot water from the kettle in a bucket, to ensure that it is fully dissolved, before adding it to the tank...once it has cooled down a little, of course!
Given the apparent fragility of your little fish, you could try just the heat treatment first, to see if there's any improvement.
If there isn't, then you could try the salt.
Keep an eye on them and good luck.