Ever had this happen to you?

[tcmfish]

Just dose your cupramine as recommended and keep the water quality in line. The fish should pull through especially since it has been eating. A pH that low is probably stressing the hell out of that fish.

I remember when I first got a calcium reactor and wasn't topping off with kalk and hooked it up the first night I was so excited I was going to have a reef! The next morning I woke up with a pH of 7.8 and I could see signs of discomfort in the fish mainly the emperor angel I had at the time.

I would really try and get that up but slowly don't shock them too much. Also I wouldn't switch to hypo after copper, SOMEONE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, but isn't copper more toxic at lower salinity or is it ammonia or both?

 

[Big E]

Yeah. But it would take a day or two to get to treatment levels and honestly this guy is pretty covered. Maybe I'll use the copper just to get the worst of it off, then switch to hypo for the duration of the treatment.

I would have done hypo because of it being a butterfly. I'm not sure where you are getting that you have to lower the salinity over days. I've done it in 8 hours or so many times with no ill effects. When you raise the salinity back up is when you have to take your time. Hypo will eradicate the visual covering in 24-48 hours........I don't think copper is really any faster.

If you're doing the copper just stick with that..........don't switch to hypo. Do one or the other.

Would he benefit from a FW dip?

It would kill off any other pathogen besides ich that might be on the fish but as far as helping with the ich don't bother. The copper or hypo will be more than fast enough relief.

 

[doublejesus]

garlic + selcon soaked foods and a couple cleaners have always worked for me. I had a hippo tang covered in ich a few days after I got it and it fought through as it never stopped eating. It was .5" when I got it and it's probably 2"+ now and doing great.

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

He is far from out of the woods but is looking a lot better today. Still eating well. I put the first dose of copper in mid-day yesterday, and last night I put half the second dose in. I've buffered the pH with baked baking soda. I did a 25% water change this morning (making sure to replace the copper) because there is some LR in the tank and I would expect some dieoff... and because I'm feeding him a ton. I will probably do another 25% change this evening and put the final dose of copper in. Up to this point I've been just dosing according to the directions but I'll see if I can pick up a copper kit (probably not though).

 

[ccampbell57]

Definitely get a copper test kit...

 

[cas]

garlic + selcon soaked foods and a couple cleaners have always worked for me. I had a hippo tang covered in ich a few days after I got it and it fought through as it never stopped eating. It was .5" when I got it and it's probably 2"+ now and doing great.

This will not work the trophants (sp?) are under the skin where cleaner shrimp and cleaner fish are not able to get to them.

 

[tcmfish]

Replace the rock with PVC no need for copper absorbing things in a QT. You can also add fake plants too if you need more hiding places.

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

I dont mind sacrificing the rock, and I've got a kit now to account for any copper that is "absorbed". The idea was that the QT tank wouldn't necessarily be the hospital tank, but whatever. I think he'll feel more comfortable with rock rather than PVC and fake plants.

 

[tcmfish]

Whats the difference that would make him more comfortable? I don't think you necessarily need to change it out now when its clearly already stressed, but you can make caves and hiding spots much more easily out of PVC. Get a big size pipe and cut it in half.

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

My QT plan was to have the 20g with LR, etc and the 10g with PVC and plastics. I was going to put fish in the 20 to get them comfortable and fat, then move them to the 10 for prophylactic treatments.

I guess I messed up because I bought two fish at once, and put the smaller in the 10. I could have switched them but didnt want to put the majestic in the 20 after the butterflys outbreak... and the 10 seemed a little small for a ~4" butterfly. Thought I was doing the right thing by having two separate tanks but I guess if theyre too small and already have fish in them it doesnt matter.

 

[iamwhatiam52]

I believe Copper will kill any algae or inverts in the live rock. If so, the die-off could cause a problem.

 

[tcmfish]

Well sounds like you had a good plan, until this freak accident. But I would get a larger tank than a ten if possible at least a 20 or 29 should be good. So hopefully this fish pulls through and you will be good from there.

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

I've got a 30 breeder but that doesnt leave a lot of space for a second tank, but I guess Ill fit it somewhere.

I'm expecting some dieoff from the rock. I did two 25% waterchanges today, I will continue this for a few days.

He ate well this morning but began refusing food mid-day. He's spending more time hiding and seems to be breathing a little heavy... but he is covered in parasites, so I guess that's to be expected?

 

[Iwishihadgills]

Declivis are beautiful. Hope he pulls through

 

[WuHT]

one thing i wanna mention about FW dips : Prepare the water well in advance (so that your buffer actually works), then heat an amount you plan to dip with, but you might do multiple dips. worked for me, except I was too stupid to re-acclimate the fish to regular salinity.

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

Still kickin', less ich but the overall skin looks a little beat up, probably from having thousands of parasites burrow in to it. Does something like stress coat which claims to help with the skin and slime coat actually work?

Also, as he swims around he does a few twitches every once in a while. What would that indicate?

Eating nori as of this morning.

 

[Big E]

guess I messed up because I bought two fish at once, and put the smaller in the 10. I could have switched them but didnt want to put the majestic in the 20 after the butterflys outbreak... and the 10 seemed a little small for a ~4" butterfly. Thought I was doing the right thing by having two separate tanks but I guess if theyre too small and already have fish in them it doesnt matter.

You're plan was fine other than I just have the QT tanks with PVC or other inert objects. No reason to use rock. That's the right way to do it..........one fish per tank.

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

Just wanted to give an update - swimming around happily in the DT now. I did two weeks of copper and prazipro the second week. He ate kind of off/on during the prazi treatment but ate like a pig yesterday and considering both treatments were up I went ahead and put him in! Looks like he's enjoying the tank. The little majestic however is hiding from the multicolor who is being a wrassehole.

Thanks to everyone who helped me out!