red sea copper test kit & cupramine

[joemin51]

Hi, I recently just purchased red sea copper test kit and cupramine my question is I add more than twice of recommend dose in QT (10g) but the copper level just reach 0.1ppm... do I have to add more to the reach the recommend of 0.5ppm??? any suggestion thanks!!

 

[TerryB]

You should add the half dose the first day as per the instructions and add the another dose the next day. I believe the Redsea kit only tests to .4ppm which is actually fine with Cupramine. Copper is inactivated by organic matter, calcium and contact with rock and substrate so you should be testing twice a day and adding more copper as needed to keep the correct level. The Redsea kit works fine provided the reagents are not expired. You will find that the copper level will begin to stabilize the second week of treatment. I would treat for 3 weeks.

Terry B

 

[joemin51]

thanks Terry! I will gradually bring up the copper level hope it won't harm the fish! BTW is it ok to run skimmer when QT treating fish with copper???

 

[TerryB]

I don't think the skimmer will take out a lot of copper. However, I usually don't recommend copper much anymore. Hyposalinity works well for ich and it is not toxic to the fish. What are you treating for? Don't use rock or substrate in the tank with copper.

Terry B

 

[joemin51]

actually I have been fighting ich for over a month now, in the very beginning I use coppersafe + marcyn two but ich fight back then I use CLOUT then cupramine. I have a very serious problem now the powder blue tang I have in QT getting skinny and got a big belly the fish show signs of rapid breathingeven..... it stll eatting but I don't know how long it will last !! any idal???

 

[TerryB]

Your fish may be losing the ability to osmoregulate due to the wounds and it is litterally becoming dehydrated, hence the weight loss. The swollen belly may indicate an internal bacterial infection. I would use Furanase or maybe Maracyn-Two and definately switch to hyposalinity rather than copper. Hypo will help with the dehydration. Sounds like you have already exposed the fish to a lot of copper. Hypo works great if you do it correctly and measure the salinity with an accurate refratometer. Try not to handle the fish or expose it to the air. Check the pH daily in hypo.

Terry B

 

[joemin51]

Hi Terry, when you mentioned about fish may be losing the ability to osmoregulate due to the "wounds" what cause the wound, is it possiable cause by other fish... because I have another yellow tang in QT got a very bad temper, it alway bite the poweder blue is it possiable ???? I think I will try Hypo later next week if fish don't get better.. thanks for your help!

 

[TerryB]

Every parasite attachment site is a wound that compromises the mucus/scale/skin barrier. Your tang (and maybe the others) isn't going to survive until next week if you don't change course now.

Terry B

 

[joemin51]

man that is pretty scary I will filter out copper this weekend hope it's not too late, do I have to let all fishes rest for few days before starting new treatment ???