Dead wrasse in Hospital tank

[Dingo44]

How disheartened I am...

This was the last fish left alive in my DT after a horrible Ich infestation that claimed the lives of 4 previous fish not a week before.

I finally set up a 5 gal hospital tank with a rio 50 and water from the DT. I added 7mL of copper to the tank after I added the wrasse. I put a polyfilter in along with a clean coffee cup for the wrasse to hide in. I woke up this morning to see the poor guy laying on the bottom next to the cup. The same spot he was in when I turned the lights off the night before, only he was laying on his side, about as alive as the cup next to him.

The temp was the same as it was when I put him in. Water parameters were fine, I haven't tested it since I set the tank up though. He lasted all of 6 hrs in there.

He was covered with ich and ate well right before I moved him.

What did I do wrong?

 

[evsalty]

Sometimes it is just too late to treat and sounds like that by your description. Also was that 7ml the recommended dose of copper via the bottles label?

 

[lilalove]

Polyfilter will suck that copper right out. Read the label....removes heavy metals. You should see it is blue now.

 

[Dingo44]

Yeah, I realized that little fact about the poly filter about an hour after I put it in, but there was some particulates in the water and I didn't have another filter. I figured I would change it today.

According to my calculations, 7 mL would bring the concentration to 2.5 ppm. It works out to 7.393 mL for 5 gal. 1 Fl ounce=29.573 mL. 1 ounce for 20 gal... so 1/4 ounce for 5 gal, right?

 

[Dingo44]

I used the same water container I use for bi-weekly water changes without washing it out. Could that have led to the wrasse's demise?

 

[MotherFish]

First off, I'm sorry for your loss, Dingo.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15390047#post15390047 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dingo44
I used the same water container I use for bi-weekly water changes without washing it out. Could that have led to the wrasse's demise?

No, Dingo, not if you were just using it for water changes.

Like evsalt mentioned, sometimes it is just too late and the infection is beyond treatment.
Chances are that the gill tissue was heavily infested and damaged to the point that suffocation was inevitable.

The gills are the largest surface area on a fish and are extremely vulnerable to the Ich parasite.
Suffocation from gill damage is the leading cause of fish mortality from Ich and can occur rapidly during a heavy infestation.
The gills can also hide the Ich parasite from detection and can lead to a seemingly healthy fish being a carrier of the parasite into an otherwise Ich-free aquarium.
For this reason I am a strong advocate of prophylactic or preventative treatment during the initial quarantine period before a new fish is introduced to the display tank.

 

[Dingo44]

Thanks for the reply. The wrasse was very infested when I put him in. Needless to say I will be quarantining the next fish I get from now on.

 

[wooden_reefer]

Re: Dead wrasse in Hospital tank

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15386087#post15386087 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dingo44
How disheartened I am...



I finally set up a 5 gal hospital tank with a rio 50 and water from the DT. I added 7mL of copper to the tank after I added the wrasse. I put a polyfilter in along with a clean coffee cup for the wrasse to hide in.
What did I do wrong?

Well. Cu and polyfilter don't mix.

You have not really set up a QT, for the most part, until there is good nitrification capacity in it. During treatment, you must remove all or nearly all ammonia. You can try Amquel or the like. Some quick cycle bacteria packages might be of help, if the claim of the manufacturer is not bogus. I will never rely on this type of products myself. I always have a sack of active nitrification filter medium ready for use in a QT during period of stocking a tank. You should plan this in advance of getting any fish.

Nearly all (but not all) treatments in QT will not seriously affect nitrification bacteria. Cu is said to affect them a little initially. Some antibiotics will give trace of nitrite with little ammonia.

To successfully eradicate ich, the fish needs to be treated for six to eight weeks. Do you plan to change water every day or half-day in QT for this duration? No, so you need nitrification in a QT.

 

[evsalty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15390234#post15390234 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MotherFish
For this reason I am a strong advocate of prophylactic or preventative treatment during the initial quarantine period before a new fish is introduced to the display tank.

Here here...I believe in copper before not after unless needed ofcorse.

I have heard that amquel and copper become toxic when mixed but I am not 100% on that one so do some research or perhaps someone else will chime in that knows for sure.