First time Cupramine use

[krzyphsygy]

Is it ok to dose the Cupramine at 1/2 ml each day until I reach the desired .5 concentration? My qt tank is only 10 gallons So it would take less than 4 days to get it there. I have read dosing a little more slowly than the direction say could be better acclimation on the fish.
The fish is a yellow belly hippo tang. He is small , not tiny but small to med.

 

[krzyphsygy]

He has been in qt for 9 days and showed no signs of ich until yesterday. But he was all of a sudden covered in it. He appears healthy other wise and eats very well. I planned on a small water change today and filter pad change before beginning the treatment.
Kinda stinks, I have a long nose butterfly in another qt with lympho being treated with an antibiotic.

 

[HumbleFish]

As long as you are certain this is Ich, you can do it that way and he should be fine. But if this were Velvet, I would get the copper up ASAP. Say, in less than 24 hrs. IMO, the risk of losing a fish to Velvet outweighs the risk of losing a fish to copper intolerance.

 

[MrTuskfish]

I think increase Cu slowly to about .45-.40; unless the fish is really in distress. Your plan should work fine. Is this fish straight from the vendor or was it in your DT?

There is no reason for the LNB to be in a QT. Lympho isn't very contagious (if at all) and basically harmless. Its a virus, so antibiotics will not do anything. Great water and feeding with vitamins will help speed up the lympho healing, it can take a while.

 

[krzyphsygy]

The hippo and the butterflyhave never enter the DT, straight from the vendor to qt is my standard practice. The butterfly just has never left qt. He has been in for about 19 days now and the lympho popped up on day 1.
I want to avoid changing water on the hippos tank if possible. How long should I treat with copper. I was thinking 3 weeks. And the. Another month in qt after treatment.
Also what test kit is best for this. My lfs has a seachem copper kit, but there's no exp date, only a lot number so I am skeptical about buying it.

 

[MrTuskfish]

The hippo and the butterflyhave never enter the DT, straight from the vendor to qt is my standard practice. The butterfly just has never left qt. He has been in for about 19 days now and the lympho popped up on day 1.
I want to avoid changing water on the hippos tank if possible. How long should I treat with copper. I was thinking 3 weeks. And the. Another month in qt after treatment.
Also what test kit is best for this. My lfs has a seachem copper kit, but there's no exp date, only a lot number so I am skeptical about buying it.

I like to use copper on new fish for 4 weeks. Get him eating and comfy if possible. There is no reason to hurry QT time and you seem to know that. But so many people think a QT is "stressful" and the new fishie wants to play with his friends, so they rush QT time. The only reason to change QT water is an ammonia spike or accident. . So it depends on your QT bio-filter. NEVER use an ammonia neutralizer (Prime, Amquel, etc. with Cupramine.

IMO, a Sea-Chem copper test kit is best with Cupramine. Red Sea and Salifert also work. Several years ago, Sea-Chem had a bad batch of reagent (65 and still have my memory!) but they say these have all been recalled long ago. . I would call SeaChem (800-seachem) and ask their tech support people about the age/dating/ expiration, etc. They're an an excellent group; IMO, we don't use tech support often enough. SeaChem'c Cupramine page is excellent, the FAQ are essential. http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/Cupramine.html)

 

[sleepydoc]

I typically go about 1/2 the recommended dose for cupramine and test often. last time I dosed the Cu level was up to 0.55 after 3/4 of the recommended dose.

 

[MrTuskfish]

I typically go about 1/2 the recommended dose for cupramine and test often. last time I dosed the Cu level was up to 0.55 after 3/4 of the recommended dose.

The "offical" reccomended dose on the bottle is .50ppm. Half would be .25, this is not enough copper to kill ich. >30-.40 works fine. Most fish can handle up to about .80; but that isn't necessary. If Cu level drops below .5, even very briefly, the clock must be re-started.

 

[MrTuskfish]

The "offical" reccomended dose on the bottle is .50ppm. Half would be .25, this is not enough copper to kill ich. >30-.40 works fine. Most fish can handle up to about .80; but that isn't necessary. If Cu level drops below .5, even very briefly, the clock must be re-started.

T late to edit: I didn't mean to say ">.30-.40 works fine". Should be simply .30-.40...".

 

[krzyphsygy]

Wait, if .30-.40 is fine, why does the clock restart when dropping below .5 ?

 

[krzyphsygy]

What are the ways copper can drop? How does evaperation effect the copper concentration?

 

[MrTuskfish]

What are the ways copper can drop? How does evaperation effect the copper concentration?

It increases Cu level, the CU doesn't evaporate. This can kill a hypo procedure. I must have been on my 5th martini when I responded above. Obviously it should read "drop below about .35".

 

[krzyphsygy]

How often do you recommend feeding a hippo tang in QT under going copper treatment?

When I have a fish in QT, I always feed them like 5 x a day to fatten them up. I usually do 20% water changes each week. But now, I want to be sure to not make any mistakes in the treatment by performing water changes and ruining the concentration.

 

[SDguy]

I try not to overfeed when a fish is in QT. Once or twice a day is plenty, unless the fish looks excessively skinny. I also tend to do larger water changes (it's easy when the tank is only 15g ).

 

[krzyphsygy]

Even when using copper?

 

[SDguy]

Yes.

 

[Deinonych]

I must have been on my 5th martini when I responded above.

Gin or vodka?

 

[jjk_reef00]

I like to feed a lot and then syphon the uneaten food if the fish is not eating well. A turkey baster will work well for your 10 gallon. I also like to do frequent water changes to keep the water quality very high. I pour my new water into 5 gallon buckets and then add the medication to the buckets before adding it to the tank. It is very easy to maintain proper levels when measuring 5 gallons at a time. If I were running a 10g QT I would do 5 gallon water change 2x a week.

If the fish is eating aggressively and not losing weight then moderate feeding and smaller water changes may be more appropriate/practical.

 

[jcolley]

It increases Cu level, the CU doesn't evaporate. This can kill a hypo procedure. I must have been on my 5th martini when I responded above. Obviously it should read "drop below about .35".

Old thread bump, but I'm also curious about the first part of that question. I just started my first ever round of cupramine on a 55 QT while my DT is fallow. Forgetting my Boy Scout lessons, I did not open the API copper test kit before I started and was disappointed in the resolution before I did. Sea chem kit is on order, hopefully in soon.

I have an acrylic caged float valve for ATO w/ DI, so level is constant. My water changes will be 20% per week with pre-dosed copper water to minimize the delta due to a WC.

But still, I'm curious, what are the means in which copper concentration varies?

 

[dixiedog]

Old thread bump, but I'm also curious about the first part of that question. I just started my first ever round of cupramine on a 55 QT while my DT is fallow. Forgetting my Boy Scout lessons, I did not open the API copper test kit before I started and was disappointed in the resolution before I did. Sea chem kit is on order, hopefully in soon.

I have an acrylic caged float valve for ATO w/ DI, so level is constant. My water changes will be 20% per week with pre-dosed copper water to minimize the delta due to a WC.

But still, I'm curious, what are the means in which copper concentration varies?

I agree the API is a lousy kit. The color differences are so subtle that you have to resort to guesswork. I find myself walking around, squinting at the sample in different lighting, in a vain attempt to deduce what the reading is - then showing it to the wife for a second opinion, and watching HER twist around squinting at it. I have not used any other Cu kit, but before my next fish purchase, I will acquire one.

In answer to your question, it is my understanding that Cu levels cannot vary on their own. And that Cu doesn't break down, or evaporate, or get consumed in any meaningful amount. The only way (in my understanding!) that the Cu level can fluctuate is through evaporation/topoff/WC's, or if the reefer unwisely uses natural rock or substrate in the QT which may absorb some of the copper.

But someone may correct me on that.