Live Bearers and sickness

Question
QUESTION: I have a 10 gallon tank that has been active for about two  months. I had 2 algae eaters (can't remember what kind -- long, slender fish with stripe on the side), 1 ghost shrimp, and two male mickey mouse platies (had 2 guppies, too, but lost them). I lost the ghost shrimp, and added 2 more female platies, because one male was really bullying another one. 1 of the new ended up being male. 2 weeks ago, added another female. We've had trouble getting our tank regulated, and had ammonia spikes (not beyond the caution area, but would go up and down), but seemed to finally get it controlled about a week ago. 4 days ago, I noticed the bullied fish was listless, and looked like salt on him, and learned it was ich. I've treated with Quick something for 3 days now, but have lost all but the algae eaters and one female. Both females were pregnant, and the one that died gave birth and I've seen at least four fry. The last female has a couple of ich spots on her, but she's eating fine so far. Is there anything else I can do to save the fish I have? I don't notice ich on the algae eaters, and the fry seem to be okay. The temp is at a steady 78 degrees, and before treatment all the levels were normal (KH, GH, Nitrates, ph), although when testing the water, and comparing the KH and ph on the Carbon Dioxide sheet, it seems we are out of range slightly with that, as if the water is not hard enough, perhaps? Also, female has pale stringy feces -- internal parasite?
I imagine the ich was a result of the new female and the ammonia spikes. Can you help? I am by no means experienced, obviously, as this is the first time we've set up an aquarium, and I imagine I've done numerous things wrong through ignorance. Thank you.

ANSWER: Stacey,

When adding fish to a new tank, it is best to add 1 at a time. If you add too many, the filter cannot keep up and that is when the ammonia spikes. It is not good to continue adding fish to a tank that fish are dying. Until you know what is going on, do not add any more. When you do add the fish, do you quarantine them for 2 weeks before adding them to your tank? That is a very important step in having fish. If that new fish is sick, and you add it to your tank, it will pass on its illness to the rest of your fish. Also, never add the water your fish came home in to the tank he is going to live in for the same reason. You need to do some water changes to try and bring the ammonia down. 25% everyday until the ammonia is at zero. Make sure to condition the water before you add it to the tank. I would give the sick fish a salt dip twice a day for a couple of days and that should help out the Ich. If you don't know what a salt dip is let me know and I can help you there too.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: We did get the ammonia down to zero before adding the last couple of fish, and just have the ammonia creeping up a little sometimes - probably from the deaths and maybe a little overfeeding. We started fish at the same time as purchasing the tank, because we didn't know to wait, and I think now it has cycled. We are using AquaSafe and Amquel to condition the tank, which seems to be working.

We don't have room or the equipment to quarantine new fish, so I don't know what to do about that.

I don't know how to do a salt dip, but I did add some aquarium salt to the water last night, because I read that the fish need salt for their gills(never added before). The one algae eater that always seemed to be huffing and puffing didn't seem to be as bad this morning.

The algae eaters are fat, and seem to be happy and not affected by the ich, and the last female only has a few spots on her. I think she had her babies, because she looks smaller. The four fry we saw 4 days ago seem to be doing well. They have grown slightly.

We did a 25% water change last night, and will begin the next round of ich meds tonight. We won't add any fish to the tank until I'm sure that everything is back to normal.

Thank you so much for your help!  

Answer
Stacey,

My quarantine tansk are rubber maid containers. They can even be a 1 gallon bowl for smaller fish. I have them all running and they have a lid so nothing gets in it. Yes salt is good, but adding too much, or all the time, reduces the benefits of salt as a medication.

Salt water dip/bath.

If it is a smaller fish you can place it in a 1 gallon bowl with warm water. Put 1 teaspoon of aquarium salt that has been dissolved completely. If not, it will burn your fish and then it will die. Put him in that water for 15 minutes twice a day. Stay with him the whole time he is in the salt water. That way if he starts having a problem you can remove him right away. When that is done, put him back in the hospital tank. Do this for 5 days. This along with the medication should help him. If you up the heater to anything higher that 84 degrees while he is being treated, add an air stone. When the heat goes up the oxygen goes down and the air stone puts it back in.