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OP
melypr1985
totally addicted
ok. I can do that.
6 fish down, 3 to go
6 fish down, 3 to go
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melypr1985
totally addicted
Well, i give up for tonight. Im going to try a bottle trap for the rest. They are small enough for it. My tank looks like poo. The good news is both tangs are in the qt with the kanaplex. So theres that.
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melypr1985
totally addicted
Can I put some macro algae from my DT in the QT? I'm afraid for my mandarin goby. I'd like to get some pods in there for him to eat. I wouldn't put it back in the DT or anything and the tangs might eat it too. Whatcha think?
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melypr1985
totally addicted
OR... could I use my mandarin feeder in the QT? It could be rinsed after and put back in the DT. I can start a new culture of baby brine shrimp for him. They all eat that and if it's possible to do, it would give them all a little more nutrition which never hurts right?
^^I like this option better. However, you will need to sterilize the feeder before returning it to the DT; which I assume won't be until after the fallow period is over. The issue with the macro algae coming from the DT is you will likely bring more ich (from the DT) in with it. At least the feeder you can give it a quick soak/wipe down with vinegar, correct?
Once all fish have been moved over to the QT, you want to be very careful not to cross contaminate between your QT and the DT.
OP
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melypr1985
totally addicted
Awesome! I can definitely sanitize it.... it's just plastic and the mesh is easily replaceable. I'll do this one then. Do you think the baby brine shrimp will survive long in the QT? With the meds and later the copper?
By the way... the Purple tang's eyes are perfectly clear today. Thinking of going one more dose on the kanaplex just to be safe, then starting the copper on Sunday.
Once copper is in the water, the baby brine won't last long. But I just thought of a serious problem... mandarins are a known copper sensitive species. Even if he could somehow survive 30 days in copper - or we figured out an alternative treatment for him, I don't see how a mandarin can go 72 days without pods. The brine shrimp alone wouldn't be enough to sustain him as those are not very nutritious. You'd have to buy bottles of pods every so many days or get them from someone you know has a disease free tank.
Honestly, your best bet is to return him to a LFS for store credit that you can use to buy another mandy in the future. Sorry.
OP
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melypr1985
totally addicted
Once copper is in the water, the baby brine won't last long. But I just thought of a serious problem... mandarins are a known copper sensitive species. Even if he could somehow survive 30 days in copper - or we figured out an alternative treatment for him, I don't see how a mandarin can go 72 days without pods. The brine shrimp alone wouldn't be enough to sustain him as those are not very nutritious. You'd have to buy bottles of pods every so many days or get them from someone you know has a disease free tank.
Honestly, your best bet is to return him to a LFS for store credit that you can use to buy another mandy in the future. Sorry.
Well poo. I'm glad you thought of that before the copper went in!! Thanks! You totally saved her life! I'm going to the LFS tomorrow and since I already have her out of the display I can go ahead and take her in. Man! I almost killed her!
Can you list all your other fish so I can be sure there are no other known copper sensitive species? Even if you have angels, we can make that work by slowly ramping up the Cu level. I just want to be sure you don't have a puffer or a sea horse or something like that.
@3FordFamily has extensive experience treating fish with copper as well, so I've tagged him for this thread.
4FordFamily
Tang, Angel, and Wrasse Nerd!
Yes sir I do. Please list your fish. To add to what humble said I would slowly increase copper unless fish are near death... But even still you're better off dipping them in that case anyway since copper takes a few days to produce any marginal results.
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melypr1985
totally addicted
Thanks Yall! Lets see..
Purple tang, Kole tang, Yellow coris wrasse (not caught yet), two clowns, bangaii Cardinal, Helfrichi firefish (not caught yet), Cherub Angel (not caught yet). Then of course the aforementioned mandarin. I already called the lfs and they are going to take her back (though my friend wants me to put her back in the display and I put the cabosh on that)
Purple tang, Kole tang, Yellow coris wrasse (not caught yet), two clowns, bangaii Cardinal, Helfrichi firefish (not caught yet), Cherub Angel (not caught yet). Then of course the aforementioned mandarin. I already called the lfs and they are going to take her back (though my friend wants me to put her back in the display and I put the cabosh on that)
The angel is the only potential problem I see. Just go slow with the copper, as @3FordFamily suggested, and you should be fine. Take 4-5 days to get it up to therapeutic levels instead of the 48 hrs recommended on the label. If a fish suddenly stops eating, don't add anymore copper until he resumes.
A mandarin's skin is very ich resistant due to their incredibly thick mucous coat. But their gills are just as susceptible as any other fish. They won't usually show signs of ich or even succumb to it, but they can serve as carriers to infect other fish.
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melypr1985
totally addicted
Alrighty! I wish these fool fish would get stuck in this bottle trap already so I could get this thing started. I'll make sure to ramp it up slowly, though to tell you the truth, if I can catch this angel I'll probably take her back too. I can't start the copper until they are all in there right? Or, it doesn't make sense to start it without them all right?
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My Tank Thread
Dang! It sucks that your going through this, but this thread is an awesome resource for anyone else who gets in this predicament. So sorry this is happening, but I'm glad others will benefit from the knowledge that's being shared and being able to watch it unfold is often more helpful than an article can be.
It would be best for all the fish to be in QT before you begin copper treatment. This way they can all adapt to the copper level slowly, instead of the fool fish getting immediately exposed to sub therapeutic levels.
4FordFamily
Tang, Angel, and Wrasse Nerd!
So I wouldn't worry about the angel I've gotten two flameback angels (close cousins) and a dozen or so flame and a few potters through copper without issue. Dose slowly. Keep ammonia down with water changes.
I would be more worried about the yellow coris wrasse. Established halichoeres wrasse (yellow coris is in this family) seem to seamlessly handle copper as if it's not there. Established meaning you've owned them 3-6 months or they've been in captivity that long. Fresh or newer purchases from the ocean seem to REALLY struggle. I've lost 5/5. I attempted within 1-7 days.
That said of the fish I had owned awhile or had been in captivity for awhile, 5/5 pulled through. Not a huge sample size but there may be something to it.
Very strange statistics. I've even gotten several leopard wrasses through copper seamlessly.
Halichoeres are strange. Mostly a hardy genus but apparently copper sensitive unless well adjusted
I would be more worried about the yellow coris wrasse. Established halichoeres wrasse (yellow coris is in this family) seem to seamlessly handle copper as if it's not there. Established meaning you've owned them 3-6 months or they've been in captivity that long. Fresh or newer purchases from the ocean seem to REALLY struggle. I've lost 5/5. I attempted within 1-7 days.
That said of the fish I had owned awhile or had been in captivity for awhile, 5/5 pulled through. Not a huge sample size but there may be something to it.
Very strange statistics. I've even gotten several leopard wrasses through copper seamlessly.
Halichoeres are strange. Mostly a hardy genus but apparently copper sensitive unless well adjusted
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melypr1985
totally addicted
That's good to know. I've had mine for a year at least, so hopefully he will do fine. He's going to be the hardest to catch i think. I'm going to make a larger bottle trap tonight and see if that works better.
4FordFamily
Tang, Angel, and Wrasse Nerd!
They're clever. I've always removed rock and coral and taken advantage of a re aquascaping opportunity to catch all of my fish. Time isn't your friend generally.
He should be perfectly fine then. If you know where he sleeps (where he burys in the sand each night) you can get a large net and place it over the area. Hold it down over top of him tightly and poke and scrape sand towards the center of the net. Extra emphasis on pressing the net hard against the bottom of the tank or he will push his way out of the rim they're very smart and strong for their size. Sometimes a second set of hands is better used scraping inward towards the net in a radius around where you you think he is sleeping.
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melypr1985
totally addicted
Hey it's not problem. It definately sucks, but it's my own fault. I knew better because I have read threads just like these. I really hope the people reading this learn from it. It's a huge pain in the tush, pretty expensive all at once and last minute, and well.... my rocks will never look the same again. So learn from this PEOPLE!! lol
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