How long till I notice true improvement (Using Copper)

[chrisbenavides]

How long does Copper take to effect the disease? how long will it be so I can start seeing some improvement in my fish with possible Marine Velvet and possible ICH as well?

THANKS!

 

[Steven Pro]

Copper only works against ich or velvet when the parasites have dropped off the fish to reproduce. It does nothing to them while they are attached to the fish.

 

[chrisbenavides]

So how do I get Marine Velvet off my fish?

Why would we use Copper to kill parasites that have been dropped off (when we are using it in a QT/Hospital Tank)?

Thanks!

 

[BTTRFLYGRL]

Both parasites have a life cycle...Neither are affected by chemicals while on the fish as they are imbedded too deep..Once the parasite drops off the fish to reproduce, the copper will kill it thus preventing reinfection

 

[chrisbenavides]

I get it! So we are basically waiting for the life cycle to proceed and for the fish's immunity to do its part. So we kinda are treating the water it lives in so it cannot reinfect the fish. Once the life cycle is complete, the fish is rather healthy.

Right?

This takes about a month right?

 

[Steven Pro]

Most copper treatments generally last two weeks. After that, I would keep the fish in quarantine for an additional month to assure that the treatment was effective, that the fish has recovered without secondary bacterial infections, and puts weight back on as most fish refuse to eat when infested.

 

[chrisbenavides]

I would say its a good sign that my fish never stopped eating.

 

[Triggerfish]

i would recommend maintaining quarantine period for a miniumum of 6 weeks after you have seen the last spot.
ensure you are using a bright light to view in quarantine, as many times spots cannot always be noticed with most NO flours.

 

[Aprion]

In fact velvet is easy to get off the fish. Cryptocaryon less so. Velvet attaches to the fish via root like processes and crypto is beneath the skin. A freshwater bath will remove all velvet from a fish after about 10min (however not all fish will tolerate this kind of abuse). Cryptocaryon can be affected by some treatments while on the fish (eg. formalin) but generally this is not as effective. When off the fish both parasites can be a pain to treat. However, copper is a reasonable solution. I have found it to be most effective on the freeswimming forms of these bugs. If this is a new fish then you will be able to keep the parasites out of the main tank. However, if your fish were sick in the main tank chances are its still there slowly kicking on at low levels in your other animals. This is not a problem for the most part and i suspect 90% of tanks have this situation going on in them. Even if the skin looks clean gills are still hidden and therefore you will almost certainly not see every infection that is there. Ah......... parasites such fun