LFS and the use of copper...partial rant...

[loosbrew]

hello all,

I just purchased a few animals today in one of a few great LFS in the area and overheard them talk about copper. That is the second place ive heard say they use copper and not mention it to there customers, or at least to me in the past. Now I know why I have lost a few frags over the last few weeks. I mean, I dont normally throw all of the water in from the fish bag, but sometimes I do allow a little to go in. Im not really concerned with disease or parasites, i hold an extremely healthy tank, however, copper is something that *everyone* should know about. Now I need to find a way to eliminate with traces of copper still reside in the water.

grrr...this isn't meant as a "dis" to any store in particular, but still, everyone that shops at your store should be aware of this...

maybe its just me and I expect too much...

ce la vie...

 

[Pacific Reefs]

Running carbon should take care of the traces of copper IMO. Also I really recommend having a QT setup and place new fish in there for at least 2 weeks. I purchased a fish and threw it in my display and the next day it had ich (even if the store runs copper ich still can be present depending on how long the fish was there). You couldnt see it but I sure saw it the next day and it got worse and worse. I had to take all the fish out and run hypo on them.

I see your point about copper and I've been to many LFS and bought fish and none of them said anything about copper. I don't even ask anymore because I just put them in the QT. I guess if you dont use at QT then you should just ask the LFS if they run copper because most dont tell you.

 

[Boostable]

CupriSorb

http://www.seachem.com/products/product_pages/CupriSorb.html

 

[waterfaller1]

It's a given. Just about all stores have copper in their FO systems...they have to. You are NEVER supposed to let LFS water into your tank. Even from an invert system, unless it's a sponge and then as little as possible. Are you assuming you have copper and that's what killed your corals...did you test for copper? And on the note about ich. Ich is often in our home tanks...it goes unnoticed. Ich does'nt want to kill it's host, it needs it to survive. But, when a new fish comes in that is stressed and has dropped it's slime coat, the ich attack and multiply. For this and the obvious reason that the fish may in fact have ich...all fish should be QT'd before adding to your display. People act like ich is so surprising, or a store is "bad" because their fish had ich.Ich is a parasite and only one of many other possible parasites a fish can have..or disease for that matter. It would be nice if they told you...but remember they are human too...it's hard to remember to tell each and every person every detail they SHOULD know on their own. Not trying to be harsh, but it is your responsibility to know what you are doing, not the store's to make sure you do.

 

[keithntracy]

...but remember they are human too

or are we fish?

 

[waterfaller1]

Another FYI about ich. You can have a reef tank that is free from ich and introduce it on a coral or invert. The parasite has different stages of it's life cycle, including one where it stays on substrate and surfaces. There is alot of great reading on the subject of cryptocaryon irritans.

 

[Pacific Reefs]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7969634#post7969634 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by waterfaller1
Another FYI about ich. You can have a reef tank that is free from ich and introduce it on a coral or invert. The parasite has different stages of it's life cycle, including one where it stays on substrate and surfaces. There is alot of great reading on the subject of cryptocaryon irritans.

Ich is a pain :mad2: It's scary to think that just by adding snails or hermits you could be adding ich.

 

[cristhiam]

Use poly filters too they change to different colors according of what it's removing. Like everyone said, allways use QT 4-6 weeks.

 

[loosbrew]

I dont QT as i dont regularly purchase fish, but ive also never had an issue related to not qt'ing a fish. anyway, it was more of a rant than anything else, notthing personal of course, just one of those things that everyone should know before leaving the store.... and I dont want to hear about how its my fault if I have ich now etc etc... ich is the least of my worries... but elements that arent mentioned are. IMHO

 

[Pacific Reefs]

I hear yah. Everyone has different expectations etc. Happy Reefing.

 

[jay24k]

I dont see the big deal on copper. I never allow their water in my tank unless it is a very tiny amount. Also if you acclimate the way you should, then this should not even be a concern.

I drip till the bag is 2/3 full, then dump half. Do it 3 times. Now the amount of copper if it was there is 1/3 less. Considering how much water got in the tank, the amount would be small.

And from what I've read and seen, if copper killed a few of your sps, chances are it would of wiped out all them and the inverts.

 

[GregDoug]

Am I the only one who thinks it is odd to use copper at a LFS as routine? Where I moved from (up north), almost all stores would use copper by placing the individual fish into a Q. tank and then using copper. Two stores that I know would not even use copper. I noticed one store yesterday had a sign above their fish only display tanks but I wondered why when most of the fish looked great, minus two tangs.

On another note, who uses copper and for what? I have not even thought of using copper in any of my tanks for years... it seems silly but I would rather lose one fish then to put copper in my tank.

 

[loosbrew]

lisa and mike...

I agree who heartedly! I moved here just over a year ago from up north and rarely did we have this situation.

Where were you from?

Luis

 

[waterfaller1]

Look at it from a shop's perspective. Copper may be more "radical", but it is pretty darn effective at removing parasites and quicker than hypo. A store does'nt have 8 weeks they can hang onto a fish.

 

[GregDoug]

Cincinnati

 

[jay24k]

Your normal person isn't going to use copper and copper isn't bad if you done correctly. I'd rather have a healthy fish treated with copper then have one otherwise. Better chances in my fish tank. I don't know about up there but alot of the fish down here in the well known stores do very well.

 

[chrisstie]

I picked up a good tip at a LFS.. when acclimating you know how you want to eventually have the majority of water in the bag.. as your water? You can dump out much of the store water so if you drip you have a lot less to go to match the half and half water point... and its quicker all around for you and the fish and less stress.. and less chance that any potential bad stuff in the water could sneak into your tank

 

[AIMFish]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7969583#post7969583 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by waterfaller1
Not trying to be harsh, but it is your responsibility to know what you are doing, not the store's to make sure you do.

So nice I had to quote it! :thumbsup: All the store's I've worked at have always had a tank/system running with copper in it. I do tell people and make sure they know which tank(s) have it. As mentioned I wouldn't mix water either, copper or not. I'm always delighted when people ask if the water they are getting has copper in it, especially when they are buying inverts