Treating ich in tank with my Oil Cat

[marty]

I have a newly set up 45 gal that I set up 6/9 that is still cycling (fish in with tetra safe start). Over the first week I added 3 black skirt tetras, a centromochlus Perugia, and 3 featherfin cats (that I thought were corys...Wallmart...don't get me started! Although they were a great deal at 2.49...saw them at pet smart for $17.98!) Water testing shows amo and nitrite holding at .25 (occasionally .5 nitrite and 25% water change when it gets this high (3 water changes since the amo and nitrite showed up on 6/16). No nitrate yet:( Last week I added two very small silver dollars and yesterday I noticed white spots on their dorsal and tail fins. How do I treat for ich with my catfish? It looks like all of the products out there will kill him and I see salt isn't tolerated either. Does the heat method work and is it safe? How high does the temp have to be? Some say 80, some say 86. My temp was 80 to begin with!. I also have many live plants and 6 ghost shrimp that I hear don't tolerate traditional treatments. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! I don't want to lose anyone, especially my cat as he is the cutest little guy ever (No symptoms on him yet, but I've read that he is most susceptible, being a bottom dweller and scaleless).

[marty]

I just got off the phone with mars fish care (api) and they recommended super ich cure at 1/2 dose...Has anyone used this with scaleless fish? Is it safe? I don't think I will be able to find all of my ghost shrimp to get them out of the tank before treating and I know it will kill them. Please...has anyone had success with just raising the temp of the aquarium?

[lilu]

I have used the liquid version of API Super Ich Cure at half strength with corydoras and synodontis as well as various plecos (and two types of loaches) in the tank when my tetras showed ich and they were all fine. I keep this tank at 80F and did not raise the temperature during the treatment. The ghost shrimp and the various Neocardinia sp., and snails were also fine.

[marty]

Thanks so much! That's reassuring! I think it is my only option at this point. Do you know if it kills live plants?

[lilu]

The plants I had were fine.

[marty]

I called the LFS where I bought him and they recommended paraguard by seachem. They said it won't hurt my cats or plants at 1/2 dose strength but would kill my shrimp. Reviews on amazon say it's the only thing they can use with shrimp in the tank and they swear by it...Has anyone used this on catfish or shrimp? I am going to pick some up tomorrow before work and have to make a decision between paraguard or super ich cure tomorrow night. I am really scared to use either. Also worried about my 17 day old biological filter!