help please. Ick in planted aquarium with inverts

[dj_orka]

I have a 30 gallon tank that is heavily planted. I have about 30 tetras in it, a long fin pleco and 5 ghost shrimp. For about 3 days I have noticed 2 of my fish have ick (which I can see 3-4 cysts on its side and one that keeps rubbing itself on stuff.)

I have always treated Ick with CUPRAMINE or PARAGUARD and it has worked perfectly but it was in a cichlid tank with no plants.
With this tank I have no idea what to do now. I will not put Salt in my heavily planted aquarium so please do not advise if your answer will be salt.

I can jack up the temp to speed the ick cycle but I will not surpass 28C (82F) since I am affraid it might be too hot for plants.

I am thinking of going half dose of paraguard but would like for someone who had this issue and knows what he or she is talking about to help me.

Should I treat the whole tank ? only the affected fish?

Arghhhhhhhh it<s driving me nuts!!

I have various meds at home, I have Ick guard by jungle (which I do not trust the company very much), Methyl Blue, Paraguard by Seachem.

Thank you very much y'all!!!!

 

[MdngtRain]

I think I used Melafix with my planted invert tank a few years ago. That and salt with a bump in temp. My plants were ok, as were the inverts... my biggest concern at the time was the inverts and keeping them alive through any treatment (I had a sizable cherry shrimp colony that I really wanted to keep alive). Not too much salt though, maybe half of the recommended dose... Good luck!

(What detriment would the salt have on the plants at larger doses? I havn't heard that being an issue, but then again, I hadn't looked much past finding a plant & invert-safe method of getting rid of the ick).

 

[FishDad]

Do you have a QT tank?

 

[Newman]

sounds like you better have a QT tank. you should remove the fish and treat them all in a separate tank. leave them there as long as maybe two ich life cycles. when that much time has elapsed,all ich in the planted tank should be dead and it's safe to put fish back in. ich should not stay alive on the inverts. it's fish-specific i believe.

you should use ich meds, a little salt (plecos do not like too much salt), and higher temps (standard ich treating temps).

Your situation is made complicated by having plants and inverts in your display.
sounds like someone didn't QT their new fish
Let us know what you are able to do.

 

[FreshyFresh]

Well, you're telling us not to tell you salt and heat, so your options are quarantine or read the labels on some off the shelf meds to see if they're safe for your tank contents.

I've used API's Super Ick Cure with positive results with tetras (neons and blood-fins).