PlanetCatfish.com

Hi there guys.

I have noticed my one Hoplo to start showing signs of Ich. They recommend here to use aquarium salt at 1 x table spoon per 30-40L of water, also to up the temp to 28-29 Degrees C.

My question.
Does this not effect my catfishes, the bacteria, the plants.

Yes, both salt and temperature changes will affect your tank in all sorts of ways, including plants and bacteria. Unfortunately, it's a question of "the lesser of the evils" here.

Raising the temperature, combined with, if possible, better aeration of the water will be a good and reasonably harmless start. Frequent water changes with vigorous gravel-vacing will help too.

I would be inclined to avoid the salt and use a treatment from your local fish-shop instead - it's more likely to be effective. Beware however that some of those medications are "harmful to catfish" (sometimes stated as "scaleless fish"), so read the label carefully.

--
Mats

I've beaten ich with just [very] high temps.

See my post here.

You don't say what other fish you have in the tank. Treatment would depend on this.

If it's a mild infection (just a few spots) then I would be inclined to treat it with higher temperatures (28 29C), but if it gets worse then you may need to take further action.

I know a lot of people recommend adding salt to the tank but I really don't think it is of much benefit unless used as a temporary bath at relatively strong doses. I use about two or three teaspoons in a 10l hospital tank for two to three days. However I have never tried this for white spot, only for fungal & bacterial infections.

Salt, as well as medicines containing malachite green, can have a bad effect on some plants such as Anubias and, as MatsP points out, catfish and scaleless fish too.