What are early signs of Ich?

[jjorama]

Maybe paranoid, but I just want to make sure, and if this is the case what can I do to help the fish heal on its own?
No behavioral abnormalities, feeding is fine but a white linear patch of 3mm, and slightly raised in the mid tail section. No other lesions or discoloration of this sort noted on the fins or body.

[beowulf]

It could be ick which is usally white blotch on the gills or tail and moves all over after a while.  You could add some salt and slowly raise the temp of the tank to make sure.

[mseguin]

That sounds more like an injury or bacterial infection to me

[beowulf]

I would still add the salt to help it heal.

[zapisto]

ich dont have any pre-sign.....
you have the parasite in you water a anytime anyway.

more agree with matt....

[jjorama]

Can I use any salt? or buy the salt at this store for salt water tank ( a hatchling type question )

[babblefish1960]

Never use iodized salt. Kosher or aquarium salt are fine, but it will hurt your plants and scaleless fish as well as corydoras. It sounds like something else though, I would agree with mseguin and zapisto on this one.

[beowulf]

Never use iodized salt. Kosher or aquarium salt are fine, but it will hurt your plants and scaleless fish as well as corydoras. It sounds like something else though, I would agree with mseguin and zapisto on this one.

Does it really hurt plants?  I have used in the past for ich in small quantities with an increase in water temp due to loaches and it cleared the ick up and the plants seemed fine after...

[jjorama]

12 hours have past... no signs that it is getting worse. It is a linear white line in the midsection of the tail, actually at the end of the tail. Feeding tonight was normal behaviour. Should I add the salt anyway? I raised the temp to 80F, should I raise it more?