dead sailfin after starting cupramine

Z

Zer0.

New member
Hey just wondering if any one has any insight here. I recently got ich in my DT. I slowly transitioned all the fish over to a cycled 75 gallon HT. The list of fish included sailfin tang, blue hippo tang, yellow kole eye tang, occelaris clowns, midas blenny, blue flasher wrasse, mcCoskers flasher wrasse, and a melanurus wrasse.

I dropped 76 drops (1/3rd the total recommended dose) day one. The sailfin seemed a bit stressed but i didnt think to much of it, thought it was just stress from new environment. day 3 i did another 76 drops. The next morning the sailfin was looking very bad, breathing fast and seemed to be gasping for air at the surface of the water.

This made me think ammonia or lack of oxygen, however the ammonia badge is reading 0 (bright yellow) and I have 2 C4 HOB filters and 2 powerheads pointed along the top of the water so I have very turbulent surface agitation. Tested copper and it looked to be about where it should be between .3 and .4 but closer to .3

I moved him to back to the DT where he died later that evening :(. This really sucked as he was one of my first fish and a beautiful specimen.

Anyways I have now dosed on day 5 the last 76 drops. Everyone seems ok. most the fish are eating very vigorously. The blue hippo and the McCoskers both seem a little lethargic and not eating so well. My questions are;

1) Should I be worried or take any action w/ regards to the blue hippo and McCoskers? (Both look better than after the 3rd dose than the sailfin did after the second by far)

2) Does anyone know why my sailfin would perish in a low level of cupramine while the other fish all seemed completely unaffected, most even seeming perfectly unaffected even at a higher dose than the sailfin was ever in.

3) How long should I leave the cupramine in? Im thinking 3 weeks but I have heard even up to 4.
 
What are you using to test the cupramine? Seachem makes the only test kit that will read cupramine. I would keep a close eye on the rest of the fish in the cupramine and be ready to take them out of it if they look like they may perish. As to why your sailfin died it's hard to know for sure, some fish just don't take to meds well and will die. You could get another sailfin that will make it thru the cupramine without problems. (Similar to humans, not all of us can take the same meds since some are allergic ect...) 30 days in the cupramine to kill the ich minimum, a little longer is always better
 
Dmorty217 said:
What are you using to test the cupramine? Seachem makes the only test kit that will read cupramine. I would keep a close eye on the rest of the fish in the cupramine and be ready to take them out of it if they look like they may perish. As to why your sailfin died it's hard to know for sure, some fish just don't take to meds well and will die. You could get another sailfin that will make it thru the cupramine without problems. (Similar to humans, not all of us can take the same meds since some are allergic ect...) 30 days in the cupramine to kill the ich minimum, a little longer is always better
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply. I'm using Seachem's copper test and reading it in daylight, I'm not great at telling what exact shade of blue it is but it seems to line up with where it should be per the dose directions on bottle.

30 days huh? that is definitely longer than the 2 weeks recommended on the bottle, how much longer would you recommend? Is this the kind of thing where the longer the treatment the harder it is on the fish? I am targeting .5 is this the dose strength you use for 30 days?

Also, is this decrease in appetite I'm seeing in the 2 fish something that typically gets better after a few days?

Additional info. maybe i should have mentioned, the HT is totally bare besides plenty of PVC tubes. Maintaining temp at 79 F and salinity at 34 ppt (about 1.024 SG)

Sorry for so many questions, just really want to make sure I'm doing everything as correctly as possible. I really hate losing fish, thanks to all the great help and support here at RC I have been lucky enough that this is only my second loss (besides a clown when i very first started) so big thanks for that.
 
@ NHreefer. Where did you get the copper power from if you don't mind me asking? Have you seen it work on ich or you using as a preventive measure?
 
30 days since not all of the different life cycles of ich will release or fall off ect at the same time. The loss of appetite is something that occurs with cupramine unfortunately that's why I like TTM or chloroquine phosphate better than cupramine personally.. The way you have the HT setup is typical and how it should be
 
Dmorty217 said:
What are you using to test the cupramine? Seachem makes the only test kit that will read cupramine. I would keep a close eye on the rest of the fish in the cupramine and be ready to take them out of it if they look like they may perish. As to why your sailfin died it's hard to know for sure, some fish just don't take to meds well and will die. You could get another sailfin that will make it thru the cupramine without problems. (Similar to humans, not all of us can take the same meds since some are allergic ect...) 30 days in the cupramine to kill the ich minimum, a little longer is always better
Click to expand...

I would like to pointe out that lamotte has a copper test kit that works beautifully with cupramine, and can be had from amazon for under the $20 mark.
 
Dmorty217 said:
30 days since not all of the different life cycles of ich will release or fall off ect at the same time. The loss of appetite is something that occurs with cupramine unfortunately that's why I like TTM or chloroquine phosphate better than cupramine personally.. The way you have the HT setup is typical and how it should be
Click to expand...

Thanks. I am thinking I will definetly TTM new fish in the future preventivetly. I just didnt think I could do it successfully with this many fish. I guess I could have done 1 or 2 at a time.

Haven't ever heard of chloroquine phosphate.

Edit: hmm this CP sounds interesting but I see alot of mixed info.
 
Last edited:
I got it off amazon. 16oz. Also I used the API copper test kit for like $3.99 off amazon also. Seemed to work. I have a 40b that I use as a hospital or QT tank depending on need. You don't have to keep adding copper power either, it stays in suspension. If you have live rock in the tank you will have to add more copper as the rocks will absorb it. Didn't harm any fish and the ones that needed it got better. When you see fish start to scrape again rocks, don't wait IMHO, pull them out before the breakout.
 
Zer0. said:
Thanks. I am thinking I will definetly TTM new fish in the future preventivetly. I just didnt think I could do it successfully with this many fish. I guess I could have done 1 or 2 at a time.

Haven't ever heard of chloroquine phosphate.

Edit: hmm this CP sounds interesting but I see alot of mixed info.
Click to expand...

CP was first used by zoos and research institutions so the stuff works well providing you have pure CP and not something with fillers in it
 
andy01748 said:
For what it's worth New Life Spectrum ICK SHIELD powder is CP. Not sure why the regulars don't want to recommend this as a source of CP.
Click to expand...

+1 The stuff is as pure as you can get it. I often forget about this for whatever reason. If you get a script from the vet make sure it is for the powder form and not pill form since pills have fillers in them. Also if you go to a vet make sure to have your facts, dosing amount and possibly a picture of a diseased fish. When I went to my vet I had to walk him through exactly what I needed, how much and for what
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

BigEZ77
Urgent Help Requested - Wrasses Won't Come Out - CB Blue Tang Arriving Today (NO QT)
Replies
8
Views
564
rrrrob
rrrrob
N
75 gallon set up and stocking advice
Replies
8
Views
2K
Newham94
N
D
Coral beauty Sick - how do i treat
Replies
3
Views
1K
leebca
L
G
New here! Here’s my 150G tall glass cages mixed reef aquarium
Replies
10
Views
106
Uncle99
Uncle99
A
Stocking Recommendations for established 92 gal
Replies
8
Views
1K
Aquado
A
Back
Top