ich fight back!! what's next???

[joemin51]

Hi, I have been treated ich for three weeks now but with little success.. here is what happen, I was putting two of my five sick fish to QT treat with "coppersafe" for experiment, the result was surprisingly good no visiable parasites only gill still infected in first ten days then I add all my fishes to QT, a week passed some of my fish got ich in QT even treat it with copper, I keep copper level in 0.25mg/L ... do i have raising copper level?? any suggesting !! thanks in davance!!

 

[cooltankmate]

i am keeping the level in 2.0mg/L. i think you should raise the level between 1.5 - 2.0. what copper test kit you using? i am using aquarium pharmaceuticals. anyway, it's the copper that my LFS recommanded. so i'll give it a try. if it's not improving in 3 weeks, i'll change to cupramine and red sea test kit as members in here recommanded.

 

[coco21]

:rollface: Ich can only be controlled in the free-swimming stage of the parasite. five to 30 days may be needed before the infestation is completely eradicated:rollface: :rollface: keep the copper to ppm when used... use maracyn-plus to prevent secondary infections from bacteria....:mad2: the parasite is easily transmitted from one fish to another:mad2:

 

[coco21]

keep the copper to 2.0ppm when used.....

 

[capted]

I have treated many fish with ich and copper. The cysts you see usually are not killed by the copper. I think they are too protected.. The copper WILL kill the free-swimming new ich in the water when they hatch and look for a host..Keep in mind this can take 30 days to complete. Remember to keep the qt tank water clean and check parameters to keep the fish healthy and happy!!!! You should treat with copper for 30 days and keep the fish in there for 8 weeks to check for any other problems and let the ich go through the life cycle.

 

[joemin51]

Hi, I think I got a wrong test kit, it only measure 0.0 to 0.25mg/l I will get a new test kit later .. the other question is what is the best copper to treat ich?? I'm using "coppersafe" to treat ich and I just read a new thread that other person used "coppersafe" has same problem as I do, ich coming back week later !! any suggestion !!

 

[capted]

I have used coppersafe only. The levels of copper use is higher than other copper meds so make sure you read the bottle for correct dosage..

 

[arizona tech]

cuparmine hands down- with red sea test kit, i have used coppersafe to it works just have to have the right test kit, treat for a month

 

[joemin51]

it seems like most ppl. here have experance on coppersafe, how come it doesn't work for me ????? I have a powder blue (17days in QT) and a blue tang (7 days in QT)still got ich , do you suggest that I change medication to cuparmine ?? and other question is I'm using buffer to bring up the PH because it seems to drop very quick I measured it at 7.8 this morning ....is "Seachem Marine Buffer" ok to use in QT??

 

[arizona tech]

are you sure its ick? dont change stay with coppersafe, if you are at the theraputic level 1.5-2.0. i use the buffer 2 it all depends when you test ph, if it is first thing in the morning it will be like 7.8 and at night 8-8.1

 

[joemin51]

I did PH test at this morning.. so 7.8 is normal?? I think that parasite is ich just looks little different than last time. the blue tang got little dots, but I can't tell the color, on the body and small flake like stuff cove 1/3 of the body too ( i saw that infection on clown before)... BTW I did treated maracyn-two with coppersafe!!

 

[joemin51]

I just did copper level test, it's around 2.00ppm but all my tang appear still have ich on thire body.. is there any disease that looks like ich and it makes fish rubbing against rock and shake head ( looks like something in the gill)... !!!

 

[TerryB]

IMO, Coppersafe may be the poorest choice of copper medication. If you must use copper, Cupramine is superior. Follow the instructions,but test the copper level twice a day and add as needed. Treat for 21 days minimum once you get the copper level up. I don't use copper for ich, hyposalinity is better.

Terry B