Hypo or Copper?

[reefes pieces]

Cupramine unless the fish you QT is scaleless in which your current stock shows you should be ok but you may want to check with your clownfish as I've read that they can be sensitive to copper. With Cupramine you start off with a lower dose and ramp up to therapeutic levels so I would get started first and use the ramp up time to feed and let the fish settle. That Powder Blue is a nice fish but is an ich time bomb. If it was exposed to ich and looks like you said it was, then it's a matter of time when the ich will manifest on the PBT.

 

[melypr1985]

Ok are we missing anything?

Normal temp, 78-80?

Is a slightly lower salinity ok for Copper treatment? I've read that lower salinity 1.021 can be good for fish.

Normal temp. Salinity can be lowered, but I don't see much reason to do so in your case unless you want to save a little on salt usage. If you do lower salinity, it should be done very slowly.

Also, I've never had a problem with clownfish in copper (any kind), for what it's worth.

 

[melypr1985]

Salifert test will work, also.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/copper-test-kits.257924/

Right. I couldn't think of the name of that one for some reason. lol

 

[bif24701]

Cupramine unless the fish you QT is scaleless in which your current stock shows you should be ok but you may want to check with your clownfish as I've read that they can be sensitive to copper. With Cupramine you start off with a lower dose and ramp up to therapeutic levels so I would get started first and use the ramp up time to feed and let the fish settle. That Powder Blue is a nice fish but is an ich time bomb. If it was exposed to ich and looks like you said it was, then it's a matter of time when the ich will manifest on the PBT.

Well that's why I'm doing what I'm doing.

The display will remain fallow.

My Blue Tang was where I started to see crypto. They are very prone to it also.

 

[bif24701]

So the target copper level is .35-.5ppm. 30 consecutive day in target range.

My QT has been running for months and well cycled. I will test for ammonia but I think I'll be there.

 

[nervousmonkey]

Do not add any ammonia reducers while using copper. That's all I would add to what everyone else has stated.
Dr. G's Marine Aquaculture has frozen and dry food containing CP, so you can feed your fish in QT the food they like to eat with the CP in it. I used it for velvet outbreak for the fish that lived in my hospital tank and it worked great.

 

[bif24701]

Do not add any ammonia reducers while using copper. That's all I would add to what everyone else has stated.
Dr. G's Marine Aquaculture has frozen and dry food containing CP, so you can feed your fish in QT the food they like to eat with the CP in it. I used it for velvet outbreak for the fish that lived in my hospital tank and it worked great.

Can I feed them that while using copper?

 

[nervousmonkey]

Sure! I did and it worked well. Happy fish now recovering in the hospital ward.

 

[bif24701]

Sure! I did and it worked well. Happy fish now recovering in the hospital ward.

What where you treating them for with the CP?

 

[nervousmonkey]

Velvet. Horrible. Advice was all from @Humblefish . If you have QT, disease or fish related questions, he knows what he is talking about. He helped me save three fish when it broke out; velvet kills so quickly that within hours of looking healthy, I would have one hour of swimming strangely then dead. He helped me get through that nightmare and now everything is doing great!

 

[bif24701]

I assume that copper will not kill internal parasites like Prazipro. Will I have to wait until Copper treatment is done and removed?

 

[nervousmonkey]

yeah, you need to wait. Copper is already making the fish sick, and adding Prazi could push them towards the light... In extreme cases, where the parasites are killing your fish, you could mix them but I would be super careful doing it.

 

[melypr1985]

I assume that copper will not kill internal parasites like Prazipro. Will I have to wait until Copper treatment is done and removed?

Prazipro isn't very great at killing internal parasites either. It's great for flukes and some intestinal worms. Copper won't touch either however. It's recommended that you do these meds separately, but if you find that you have no other choice, then yes you can combine them. They can sometimes cause a bacterial bloom when done together that will suck the oxygen right out of the water. IF this happens, then increase the gas exchange in the tank and do a water change. It's always best to not mix meds if you don't have to.

 

[bif24701]

Prazipro isn't very great at killing internal parasites either. It's great for flukes and some intestinal worms. Copper won't touch either however. It's recommended that you do these meds separately, but if you find that you have no other choice, then yes you can combine them. They can sometimes cause a bacterial bloom when done together that will suck the oxygen right out of the water. IF this happens, then increase the gas exchange in the tank and do a water change. It's always best to not mix meds if you don't have to.

Is CP better for sure internal parasites?

 

[melypr1985]

Is CP better for sure internal parasites?

No. Internal parasites are best treated with Metroplex IME or products that contain it. General Cure contains both metroplex and prazipro in powder form so it treats both intestinal worms and external worms. Of course, when dealing with intestinal worms it's best to feed the med so they get directly to the problem (the gut).

 

[Brew12]

Is CP better for sure internal parasites?

I don't believe that CP works on internal parasites. At least that isn't it's targeted usage.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/chloroquine-phosphate.192309/

 

[Humblefish]

I'm late to the party (busy day), but I just wanted to say that you are getting outstanding advice in this thread.

 

[bif24701]

I'm late to the party (busy day), but I just wanted to say that you are getting outstanding advice in this thread.

Yes I agree and thank you to everyone.

I'm not uneducated on QT processes but wanted to hear some personal experience and knowledge. I've not done copper before, I've used hypo and if I had just treated my last fish with it anyway I'm sure I wouldn't be here treating my new fish with my old fish together.

Again, thanks to all. I'll keep you updated.

 

[4FordFamily]

Yes I agree and thank you to everyone.

I'm not uneducated on QT processes but wanted to hear some personal experience and knowledge. I've not done copper before, I've used hypo and if I had just treated my last fish with it anyway I'm sure I wouldn't be here treating my new fish with my old fish together.

Again, thanks to all. I'll keep you updated.

I've treated probably 35 fish in cupramine and 20 coppersafe in the past three years. It's a necessary evil, most fish tolerate it well. Angels do really well in both except in high doses, just increase the dosage 1/2 as fast as suggested unless you're in an emergency and risk losing a fish. Wrasse I would argue you should increase even slower. Almost all tangs handle it fantastic as well as blennies, butterflies, hawkfish, and gobies I have treated.

 

[bif24701]

I've treated probably 35 fish in cupramine and 20 coppersafe in the past three years. It's a necessary evil, most fish tolerate it well. Angels do really well in both except in high doses, just increase the dosage 1/2 as fast as suggested unless you're in an emergency and risk losing a fish. Wrasse I would argue you should increase even slower. Almost all tangs handle it fantastic as well as blennies, butterflies, hawkfish, and gobies I have treated.

Well that's good news.

Currently this is what I have in the QT:
Blue Tang
Yellow Tang
Powder Blue Tang
Naso Tang
Picasso Clown
Copper Band Butterfly fish