Need some advice

[kope1078]

I have two ocellaris clowns and a yellow tail damsel in a hospital tank that I'm treating with cupramine. I'm on my fourth day in and my fish have stopped eating. They are active and look fine but when I put food in they swarm to the top like usual to eat but they just put the food in their mouths then spit it back out. I've tried Rod's food, brine shrimp, and pellets...they spit everything out. I even tried soaking the food in garlic. Is this normal and should I worry??
Any advice would be nice.
Thanks

 

[RegalAngel]

Hospital tank?

What are the water parameters, ie ammonia level? etc.

 

[kope1078]

It's a 29 gallon tank, with a very small trace of ammonia...only because my salt has it in it. I've been doing ten gallon water changes every other day. Barely reading nitrite and nitrate.

 

[RegalAngel]

Ok, then no biological filter?
You do understand that if no bio filter and you have ammonia then water changes are your only option if using Cupramine.

Adding Prime or Amquel is a no-no as it will release the toxic copper that is safely bound in the Cupramine.

Need to make sure your water changes are similar to your tank or it could be stressing the fish.

 

[kope1078]

I understand that...however, the fish don't looked stressed. They seem to want to eat but are spitting the food out. I don't see having a trace of ammonia in the tank would have this effect. And what should i do

 

[Sk8r]

Try holding a penny in your mouth for an hour and you'll understand why they're spitting their food out. Copper depresses appetite because it makes everything taste bad. See if you can get some variety of food for them.

My treatment of choice is hypo, for that reason, and you could still go to that, but it would take a TOTAL water change, and beyond that, it takes a degree of precision about salinity that is hard to reach without an ATO in the picture. If you don't have an ATO, and particularly since these fish are launched on copper, it's best to continue as you are. But the same way an ATO makes hypo even possible, it prevents highs and lows of the amount of copper in the water, which can go to 'bad' daily due to evaporation concentrating the med at a higher level than the recommended dose. Draw a fill line on your tank and keep it meticulously.

 

[kope1078]

Thanks for the advice...I think I'll try to entice them with some live food. I've been topping off and checking copper level twice a day with seachem and api kit...can't wait for this to be over. I really feel bad for the fish

 

[Sk8r]

It's really hard. I know.

 

[kope1078]

One clown ate like a champ this morning:bounce1:. Now if his buddy will start eating I will sleep better at night.

 

[snorvich]

Thanks for the advice...I think I'll try to entice them with some live food. I've been topping off and checking copper level twice a day with seachem and api kit...can't wait for this to be over. I really feel bad for the fish

Live food in copper is dead live food.