Read through forums still not sure about cupramine and pazipro

[reeferloverco]

So about 6 weeks ago I got a small thread fin butterfly fish from the local LFS and as always just acclimated him in my one and only tank. After a few days I noticed that it had some thing on one of its sides as well as some small spots on fins. After about a week one of my existing fish, a chalk bass, started getting Popeye.

After a few days of the bass getting worse I set up a 29 gal hospital tank and moved all the fish to it. Not doing much research first I treated with 400 mg of erythromycin for 5 days. The fuzz/what-ever on the butterfly fishes side reduced and the bass's pop-eye was gone. There was still spots on the butterfly's fins and some of the stuff on his side.

After doing a little more research I decided I should try cupramine and prazipro. The problem is after I bought both I ran into some info that said they should not be mixed.

I decided to go with prazipro first as the dosing was shorter. I am now two days in. My second dose is lights out tomorrow and I am regretting not using the cupramine first.

The problem is that the butterfly fish is all the sudden doing worse (for the first time in 5 weeks). The spot on its side has cleared up in the last two days, but the spots are all over now instead of just on the fins. It looks almost like large ick.

I think that I want to dose next with the cupramine.

Should I:

1. Wait another day for a total of 3 days dosing prazipro then use carbon and a 25% water change. After that dose the 14 days of cupramine?

2. Use carbon and water change to remove prazipro and dose with cupramine now?

3. Do nothing to remove the prazipro (also not add more on day 3) then go ahead and dose the cupramine as directed?

4. Some other ideas?

I am controlling the waste with Prime and water changes. Water changes are going to be hard to control dosage when using cupramine.

I am also using a small compact florescent light for about 12 hours a day. I know light will degrade some meds (hence I turned off uv sterilizer). Will this much light effect my meds?

Also, I still don't fully understand the relationship between using prime to control ammonia, the medicines effectiveness, and the testing methods available. Any one have any direct information on this with these meds?

I do have a large air pump with large air stone on the tank for extra oxygen. The filter is a marineland hot magnum filter with only seachems nitrate removing media. No other filtration. I have a uv sterilizer that is not plugged in while medicating.

Thanks, I know its a long read but that is the most concise I can spit it out

Any and all help is greatly appreciated! - Jake.

 

[Newsmyrna80]

Have you dosed the Cupramine yet? My understanding is Prime and Cupramine is not recommended. Can you get a pic of the fish? Have you tried a FW dip to confirm flukes? Lights will not affect Prazipro. The only med that it can affect is chloroquine phosphate and it's derivatives. Although dim lighting reduces the fish's stress.

 

[Allmost]

from the timeline, it seems like ich.[fell off and came back stronger]

Cupramine will NOT work with prime, you will kill all fish.

I would advice doing TT on all the fish, [Tank transfer] you can even do it in 2 buckets.

popeye I would not worry about ... its usually sign of bad water parameters, so more feeding and more water changes always fixes it.

 

[inigomontoya]

Just to say it again since this is direct from their website. Cupramine and prime is toxic and will kill everyone.
Cupramine and prazi are done together by many people at the same time. I personally do prazi first and then cupramine when qt new fish. If you go with cupramine do a full water change first to get the prime out of the tank. You can use Seachem stability with cupramine to help with the cycle/ammonia if using new water or tank.

 

[reeferloverco]

What can I use as a water conditioner with the cupramine? I am going to search forums for this tank transfer method. I have not heard of that yet. (kept seeing tt but didn't know what it meant). Any have a link to a good walk through? Do I have to do it with all my fish or just the one showing disease?