Treating ich while cycling tank?

So I noticed today that the platies in my currently cycling (8 days in with Tetra SafeStart) have tiny white dots on them and I'm fairly certain it's ich.

I've read about treating naturally by heating the tank and have ordered an adjustable heater that won't be here until Monday and I also ordered some of the API ich cure which will come Sunday.

Will treating for ich affect my cycle? Should I wait and try the heat method before trying the medication?

 

Treat the ich.

 

Treat the ich.

With the medication?

 

With the medication?

Sorry, you should try to raise the temp first, but if you cannot, the medication is the only other option

edit: medication will harm bacteria you are trying to raise with cycle

 

Sorry, you should try to raise the temp first, but if you cannot, the medication is the only other option

edit: medication will harm bacteria you are trying to raise with cycle

Thank you! The heater won't be here until Monday, is there anything I can do in the meantime? I know water changes and vacuuming help but because of the TSS+ I'm unsure what I should do.

 

Heat is the best way to go. Especially since you are cycling the tank. Maybe you could get a heater tomorrow and return the one coming Monday. Heat takes a bit longer to cure ich but it's the easiest, safest and most natural way. Raise the temp a couple degrees every few hours until you reach 86F. Leave it there for at least 2 weeks. Do water changes and gravel vacs every day or at least every other day. This is a very important step as the ich spores fall into the substrate so they need vacuumed out. When you do your water change, make sure the new water you are putting in is as close to 86 as possible too. If it's a strong strain of ich, you can go another week longer. Even if your fish seem to be clear of Ich, you still need to leave the heat at 86 for 2 full weeks. Never medicate and use heat at the same time though. Hope this helps!

 

Sadly, it looks like you may have wasted your money on TSS in this case. The heat method works for curing ich, but it also requires daily gravel vacuuming in order to get the ich spores out of the substrate. But that is a reason the heat method is the best method when cycling a tank, since an alternate cycling method is to perform daily water changes with Prime.

You could try using a med, but if it kills off the TSS bacteria, your ammonia (or maybe nitrite levels since you are 8 days in) will start to rise and you'll be unable to perform water changes, because you'll be removing the meds.

 

So the heater is coming tomorrow (Sunday) which is good since I am in a course all weekend from 8am to 9pm. I'll be able to start it tomorrow evening, I plan to test my water first so the I have a baseline and can watch the cycle, I'll be at 10 days into it by the time the heater starts and 11 before I do a water change and vacuum...I will keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best with the cycle

 

Good luck! You'll do great!!