Acclimate fish with copper already dosed?

[kenith]

yes differentiating between .25-.50ppm cupramine can be difficult no matter which test kit.

if you dosed following the directions for .25ppm(1ml/10gal), it should be fairly accurate at .25ppm. especially if you do not have rocks/sand absorbing the copper.

i run a 29g QT. if i ever have doubts of what my copper level is at, I just do a 5-10g WC with new SW that is dosed at .5ppm. Doing so, you wont run a risk of overdosing the fish.

Either that or I add another 1ml shot of cupramine which is equivalent to +.08ppm(for my QT tank). For a tang or angel, I feel comfortable with doing that, not for a butterfly, anthias, etc.

I've put two achilles(3" and 4", at separate times) thru 3 weeks of .5ppm cupramine without issue. a PBT and a Blue Hippo too.

Great to hear your achilles did well without trouble. The test kit is reading closer to .50, but not quite there. I have been counting the doses in both drops and ml. Question is, what is the minimum effective copper dose to eradicate ich?

 

[geaux xman]

Theres a bunch of old literature between different guys with varying answers. The highest I've seen is .30ppm required. Sometimes ich doesnt follow the rules, thats why some do 4 weeks. The directions on the bottle says 14 days, but if you call Seachem support, they will suggest 21 days.


http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-08/sp/index.php
Andrews et al, 1988: 0.15-0.30 mg/l
Bassleer, 1996: 0.25-0.30 mg/l
Gratzek et al, 1992: 0.115-0.18 mg/l
Noga, 2000: 0.15-0.20 mg/l
Untergasser, 1989: 0.15-0.20 mg/l*


Seachem:
Cupramineâ„¢ eradicates Oodinium and Ich at 0.1"“0.2
mg/L, Cryptocaryon at 0.25"“0.35 mg/L, Trematodes and other
parasites at 0.4"“0.5 mg/L. With a 10"“14 day exposure at 0.4 mg/L
most infestations will be eradicated and secondary bacterial and
fungal infections will be controlled.

 

[kenith]

Thanks geaux xman. I have dosed to .50 mg/l or at least what looks like .50 on the salifert. It's definitely well enough above .25

This is the fourth day the achilles has been in qt at at least .25. I noticed a few large spots on him today, where as the had none/very small spots before. Is this normal prior to seeing the copper take full effect on the tomite stage? He's eating well and swimming very normally.

 

[dunc101]

Thanks geaux xman. I have dosed to .50 mg/l or at least what looks like .50 on the salifert. It's definitely well enough above .25

This is the fourth day the achilles has been in qt at at least .25. I noticed a few large spots on him today, where as the had none/very small spots before. Is this normal prior to seeing the copper take full effect on the tomite stage? He's eating well and swimming very normally.

Yes. Since this is only day 4, you are probably seeing some of the affects of the ich that was already there. The cryptocaryon can live on its host from 3-7 days and the copper only kills ich in it's free floating stage.

 

[tmz]

I don't know what you mean by large spots. A picture would help.

 

[kenith]

Thanks dunc101-


Tmz-definitely ich spots. Large grain salt- they must have fallen off last night as they are gone and he's eating like a pig.

 

[geaux xman]

Its just whatever stage the ich's life cycle is at. All the ich on the fish isnt at the same stage of their life cycle, so thats why sometimes you see it comes and goes(visibly) on the fish.

So long the fish is eating well, you're fine. Its just sometimes the fish appetite suffers really badly from copper, then treating the fish can be a real hassle.

I would shoot for 4 weeks from the last time you saw spots to be safe. 3 weeks minimum.

 

[kenith]

Thanks all!

First copper treatment is working well, though he seems to be losing a little bit of weight. He is eating like a PIG! I am trying not to over feed to keep the prameters in check, though each of his 3 pellet feedings are consumed entirely. I also do a 3"x3" nori that's pecked at throughout the day.

 

[MrTuskfish]

Nutrition is vital for any sick fish. I always feed as much as will be eaten, siphon excess. When/if WCs are needed, be sure new water tests the same for Cu as the QT.

 

[geaux xman]

try feeding PE mysis. even my smaller Achilles(~3") will swallow down PE mysis.