help with propper copper dose

[Zacktosterone]

OK so I have 1 green mandarin, 2 clowns, 1 firefish, 1coral beauty, 4 chromis. My coral beauty has ich which is irritating because I put her in a quarantine tank for 2 months with a hyposalinity treatment of 1.008 AND a transfer method. She contracted it yesterday when I did a water change. The water was cold so I had a drop of 4 degrees so it probably stressed her put enough to contract it. She's still eating and looking very lively. So I'm pulling all of my fish out of the main display and placeing them in the 20 gal quarantine. I'm just going to be doing The copper treatment. All of my inverts will be in the main display for the two months of treatment. I'm hoping the ich will die in that time in the display while I treat the quarantine. Please help with dosages and procedures, thanks guys and gals. Yes all my fish are very small. The main display is a 60 gallon cube

 

[sleepydoc]

Stress doesn't give fish ich, it simply unmasks it. I suspect that you had ich in your DT prior to the coral beauty being introduced.

For fallow time, 8 weeks may be adequate, but I would use 10.

As far as using copper, I would be careful with the mandarin and angel as they can be sensitive to copper. I have no personal experience with them but have seen several reports of people successfully treating them with copper, so it can be done. You'll also need to watch to make sure the mandarin keeps eating (actually all the fish.)

For medications, my preference is cupramine. The dosing on the bottle is overly aggressive, so I go very slowly and test the level frequently. If the mandarin or any other fish show signs of not tolerating the copper, be prepared to either remove the copper or remove the fish. Once you get to a therapeutic level it tends to be quite stable, but follow on a daily basis anyway.

 

[Zacktosterone]

I'm aware that it unmasks it. I'm guessing the stress is what showed it in the first place. How long should I dose with copper? And if I don't have access to it should I just do hyposalinity again but for 2.5 months? Then 1 month of monitoring

 

[Mrscribbled]

Being you have a mandarin I'd suggest setting up a small qt just for it, ideally do tank transfer method on it either right away or before going back into the disp. It will have a tough time competing for food with the other fish and won't handle the copper for the full 30 day treatment which is needed. .35 is the lowest effective level of cupramine. Dont go more than .5 ppm with the coral beauty. Ramp up dosage over several days.

 

[Zacktosterone]

Being you have a mandarin I'd suggest setting up a small qt just for it, ideally do tank transfer method on it either right away or before going back into the disp. It will have a tough time competing for food with the other fish and won't handle the copper for the full 30 day treatment which is needed. .35 is the lowest effective level of cupramine. Dont go more than .5 ppm with the coral beauty. Ramp up dosage over several days.

You don't recommend a second go at hyposalinity? Even with spot feeding with turkey baster?

 

[Mrscribbled]

You don't recommend a second go at hyposalinity? Even with spot feeding with turkey baster?

I don't trust hypo any more than having a lion as a pet. The only treatments I've personally used and had success with is copper and quinine sulfate (crypto pro) which requires only a 14 day treatment.

 

[Zacktosterone]

I don't trust hypo any more than having a lion as a pet. The only treatments I've personally used and had success with is copper and quinine sulfate (crypto pro) which requires only a 14 day treatment.

How about copper and I'll spot feed the mandarin. I don't have another tank to separate the mandarins. Does cupramine need a test kit?

 

[Mrscribbled]

How about copper and I'll spot feed the mandarin. I don't have another tank to separate the mandarins. Does cupramine need a test kit?

Should be fine with a low dose, keep a close eye on the mandarin. Yes needs a test kit. I prefer salifert. Otherwise sea chem. Also cupramine will give false ammonia readings. An ammonia alert badge is recomended. Never use ammonia binding products with copper. Aim for .4pmm copper.

 

[Zacktosterone]

Should be fine with a low dose, keep a close eye on the mandarin. Yes needs a test kit. I prefer salifert. Otherwise sea chem. Also cupramine will give false ammonia readings. An ammonia alert badge is recomended. Never use ammonia binding products with copper. Aim for .4pmm copper.

What is an amonia alert badge? Also are you giving me the OK to use cupramine? And how low of a dose are we talking?

 

[Mrscribbled]

Like I said use the cupramine on the mandarine, keep a close eye on it. If it starts acting weird remove Cu with poly filters or set up a plastic tub with separate treatment. 30 day minimum Cu treatment. Do you have an established bio filter for the qt?

 

[Mrscribbled]

Google seachem ammonia alert badge, amazon sells them and marine depot.

 

[Zacktosterone]

Like I said use the cupramine on the mandarine, keep a close eye on it. If it starts acting weird remove Cu with poly filters or set up a plastic tub with separate treatment. 30 day minimum Cu treatment. Do you have an established bio filter for the qt?

Couldn't I just put a sponge or something from my sump in the quaranteen? If not what do you suppose I pit in there. I was going to use my main displays tank water for the first week then water change it every week with new rodi

 

[Mrscribbled]

Yesvif you have a sponge in display that's benn in for several weeks, otherwise instant ocean bio spira works great.

 

[Zacktosterone]

order made. thanks a lot