Newbie question on ichk, qt tank, etc

[eel88]

Hello guys I'll try to make this short because I need your help. I bought a blue and naso tang and didn't qt them. They were doing great for a week, eating a lot ! And got along great with my scopas tang that was in my tank already. After a week I found my blue tang on the bottom of my tank gasping for air and so was my scopas. I didn't see any symptoms of ichk on any fish not even a white spot. maybe the ichk is in their gills ? Idk so I took them out and set up a 30g hospital tank for all of them. I been dosing copper power for a week now. I thought the blue tang was a goner, he didn't even move when I transfer him. The next morning after dosing copper power the blue tang was up and active. The 30 gallon tank is not filled to the very top I would say it's more like a 25g so I dosed the copper accordingly. It says to dose 1 ounce for every 20 gallons
1) So everytime I do a water change I have to dose more copper?? Depending on how much gallons of water I'm putting back in ??
2) I'm doing 2 water changes a week right now is that okay ? Or can I go for once a week ?
I read that the api copper test kit is the best for copper power. But it doesn't have the 2.5ppm level that the product tells me to keep it at. It just skips from 2ppm-3-4.
3) has anybody used copper power and any suggestions on what to keep it at? Maybe 3ppm? I don't want to over dose
I also have doubt that maybe it wasn't ichk that caused my fish to act this way, very confused right now any suggestions or comments will be appreciated .

 

[MurphyLong]

So, the fish were in distress, and you just randomly decided it might be ICH and start treating with copper?

 

[eel88]

So, the fish were in distress, and you just randomly decided it might be ICH and start treating with copper?

My naso tang was kind of scratching himself on the glass and rock a couple days before I found the blue tang on the bottom of the tank. So from that day I already thought that they had ichk. I was watching them closely for white spots since I read that blue tangs are ichk magnets. I mean the copper treatment prettt much revived the blue tang and he's doing great right now. Eating/swimming like if nothing happend.

 

[eel88]

Anybody help me answer some of my questions please ?

 

[thegrun]

1. Yes you need to keep the copper level within a very specific range, too much will kill your fish, too little and it will not be effective in eliminating ich. When you do a water change you need to dose the new water you are adding.
2. Keep a close eye on your ammonia, I'm not certain if you have any biological filtration in your quarantine tank, if not you will need to make water changes at least twice a week, if you do have biological filtration you should be able to go at least a couple of weeks without a water change.
3. I haven't used either copper power or the API copper test kit so I can't help you with #3.

 

[eel88]

1. Yes you need to keep the copper level within a very specific range, too much will kill your fish, too little and it will not be effective in eliminating ich. When you do a water change you need to dose the new water you are adding.
2. Keep a close eye on your ammonia, I'm not certain if you have any biological filtration in your quarantine tank, if not you will need to make water changes at least twice a week, if you do have biological filtration you should be able to go at least a couple of weeks without a water change.
3. I haven't used either copper power or the API copper test kit so I can't help you with #3.

Okay good I been doing that I been dosing a little more than 7ml of copper power everytime I do a 5 gallon water change.
I took 2 big sponges from my display tank and put them in the qt for biological filtration. Seems to be okay since my seachem ammonia badge is reading 0 ammonia.

How long I'm I suppose to keep my fish in copper ?
I heard people keep 2 weeks in copper and the last 3 weeks observation.
Or 4 weeks in copper and the last week in observation.