Help me confirm diagnosis of Ich. Pics

Some of you may have seen my thread in which I chronicled the treatment of my Brochis splendens for an internal bacterial infection that had progressed to septicemia.

He fully recovered in my hospital tank, on a regimen of Maracyn and Maracyn II. Treated with those meds for five days and all signs and symptoms cleared up. Kept him in hospital for another three days after he was well. Healthy, eating well, swimming normally.

After being in the main tank for about four days I noticed something on his side, between the front two plates just behind his gills on both sides.
A few white specks, seperate and individually discernable right where the two plates are seperated, but also a line of white substance in that area, maybe ich cysts side by side with no seperation.

I started immediately treating for Ich. I turned up the heat, bringing it slowly, over several hours, up to 82 degrees, and added 5ml of Ich Attack. I've dosed twice a day since discovering this on Sunday.

The specks are still on him, but no other fish. I have two Ottos. Other occupants are two ADFs and two Ghost shrimp, and one Brig.

I got some anacharis at my lfs about a month ago so I may have brought the protozoan in on that. I noticed that they had a single small Oscar in the plant tank and worried a little at the time. I have never had Ich in my tank prior to this.

If the protozoan has been in my tank for a while, I guess his weakoned condition after recovering from the infection left him most susceptable
to an outbreak. It's been two days since I cranked up the heat and there are no more specks appearing on him, or the other fish.

I am uploading pics for confirmation of my diagnosis. If it is something else, then I need recommendations for proper treatment. I appreciate your help.

Thanks, guys. I will continue with the elevated temp and the Ich Attack. So far, there are still no other signs of Ich on the Ottos. I hope I caught this really early.

The specks are new. I believe it was Sunday night that I noticed them, and cranked up the heat and added the Ich Attack.

I am very nearsighted and when I take off my glasses or contact lenses it is almost like someone with normal vision putting on a jewler's loupe.

I do that every day, looking into my tank with my nose almost pressed into the glass, lol. I think this is how I can catch subtle changes so quickly.

The way the specks lined up in a row peeking out between his plates did seem to be strange and not Ich-like, but he does have some individual specks on the surface of his body and not just between the plates, (if that's what you call them since they're not scales exactly)


Here is before. I tried to enlarge the pic by zooming in using "Paint", so you can see how smooth and clean his body was at this time.


Here you can see the specks fairly clearly.

At first, when I saw what appeared to be a line of "stuff" sticking out from between the plates I wondered about some kind of fungus, but then it seemed to me that if the cysts were side by side they would look like that. Then, when I zoomed in by taking off my contacts, I could see individual specks on him, too.

There are still no specks on the Ottos, although one of them is staying out of sight all the time, which is unusual. Usually they hang out on the fake tree stump together or on the glass. I worry about him, that maybe he isn't feeling well.

Thanks for the advice guys. So far, the Ottos have not shown any signs of flashing and they are the only other fish in the tank. I have two ADFs, two ghost shrimp, and a Brigs. Oh, and a bunch of tiny Ramshorns (I think) that were hitchhikers on some plants I got from Snoopy65, which are beautiful I might add.

I'll watch to see if the specks drop off by Thursday night, giving them four days with the heat and Ich Attack. If the specks are still there Friday morning I'll want to explore other possibilites and treatment options.

I will keep everyone posted.

Oh, I'm getting a 20 long given to me, with stand, by a coworker. I don't know what all else comes with it but I'm hoping filters and heaters. Actually she has two I can have, but just one has a stand. Her huband had a big tank installed in the wall in their house so he had those two he doesn't want anymore. Yay!!!

Once I get this guy healthy I'll start plans on at least one of the 20s; I'm thinking shellies, maybe.

I really want a 40 gallon breeder. I just like the footprint on those, and think the scaping and stocking could be really fun and have lots of potential.