Treating Ich with Cupramine

[Bluespot22]

I am currently treating a bluespot jawfish and a pair of clowns for ich. They have been in the QT tank since Friday, and I have been adding the cupramine slowly over a 3 day period to get the copper up to .5. It is testing consistently now at that level for the past 2 days. Today, all cysts have dropped off the jawfish, and the clowns look fine still (they never exhibited symptoms) but they seem to have lost their appetite. They are not breathing heavily, and I did a 5 gallon WC just to be safe. I re-dosed the cupramine and tested an hour later and it was right on-.05. They go after pellets but do not eat them, just taste them. Is this common? I'll try some garlic and mysis, but I hate to feed frozen in QT tanks where water quality can degrade so quickly, but I'll give it a shot. Thanks in advance.

 

[b0bab0ey]

Yes, very normal. A side effect to all copper based medications is appetite suppression. I wouldn't panic just yet. Give it a few more days, they may start eating again. If not, then keep doing WCs, lowering your copper level, until they resume feeding. Try frozen mysis, brine, etc.

 

[keving]

Pellets are typically worse on water quality than frozen foods. They should starting eating better after the copper treatment is completed

 

[SPSEMPIRE]

Look into getting some frozen cylopeeze for the clowns. Those are a lot easier for them to eat.

 

[Bluespot22]

OK, thanks for the advice guys.