Ich outbreak in tetra tank. Please help!

Question
Please help! I'm dealing with my first ich outbreak in a 10-gallon tank.

Here's some background on the recent changes and tank details:

10-gallon treated with AmQuel, StressZyme and a teaspoon of aquarium salt.

Until about a month ago, it was home to 3 cardinal tetras and a gold algae eater. I did a 25% water change and then added some new fish from a local aquarium shop: 5 rummy-nosed tetras; an albino algae eater and 4 neon tetras.

One rummy nose died during the trip home. I floated the bag and then put the new fish in along with the water from the bag.

A week or so later, I got some live plants and snails from a friend's tank...a tank that looked very healthy.

Yesterday, I noticed white spots all over the cardinals and rummy noses. Two of the cardinals have died and I can't find one of the rummy noses, so I suspect it died, too.

I went to the fish store and the owner gave me something called Foran 2. I researched that further on the web and didn't see it listed as an ich remedy and so I'm worried about using something that won't be effective.

Is Foran a good choice or would I be better off trying another medication or trying salt/higher water temperature? Did I do something wrong with my tank changes that I should avoid in the future? Can fish survive ich if it's treated correctly? I feel horrible losing my cardinals and would hate to lose more.

Oh, and I took a test strip of the water and it shows no nitrites and the nitrates are just barely in the safe zone. My water has very high alkalinity and hardness, very high Ph (off the charts).

Thank you!  

Answer
Hi,
I wouldn't trust the fish shop very much, if they're giving you something which doesn't treat ich, and selling you fish that die on the trip home. That shouldn't happen. I would find somewhere else to get fish.
I would treat the tank with Melafix, which works very well treating ich, fungus, and many other things.
I aren't a big fan of using salt in the water, as it irritates the fish. Raise the tank temperature to 29 degrees Celsius.
It should disappear within a week.

Tetras like soft, acid water, so the very hard, alkaline water will be weakening them. I recommend rehoming your current fish when they are clear of white-spot, and buy some fish suitable for hard, alkaline water. I suggest Guppies, which you can get in some gorgeous colours, Endlers, which are also very beautiful, or other Livebearers such as Mollies, Swordtails, and Platies.
Be careful not to buy over 10 inches of fish (when fully grown) altogether.

If you have any more questions, please ask. I have an exam next week, so I'm taking a little time off here, so either ask in the next 24 hours, or wait until I am back. You could email me at kathrynhaldane@yahoo.co.uk if you need an answer.

Best of luck,
Kathryn