Why prophylactic treatment is good.

[triggreef]

IMO. Something I learned today at a seminar I attended in Rhode Island. The speaker stated that there was a recent study (or maybe a few years back) of wild caught fish that were tested for parasites. Of the fish tested, they averaged 37 parasites (Internal and external) found per fish. This does not mean an average of 37 ich parasites. This means 37 different types of parasites. Obviously we use copper for ich and prazi for flukes and intestinal worms, but imagine how many other parasites most of us don't even know about.

Between copper and prazi, you can kill most of them. I made that my qt process a few months ago, and just reiterated to myself why its worth the wait.

 

[HumbleFish]

IMO. Something I learned today at a seminar I attended in Rhode Island. The speaker stated that there was a recent study (or maybe a few years back) of wild caught fish that were tested for parasites. Of the fish tested, they averaged 37 parasites (Internal and external) found per fish. This does not mean an average of 37 ich parasites. This means 37 different types of parasites. Obviously we use copper for ich and prazi for flukes and intestinal worms, but imagine how many other parasites most of us don't even know about.

Between copper and prazi, you can kill most of them. I made that my qt process a few months ago, and just reiterated to myself why its worth the wait.

+1 And with everyone being so busy nowadays, symptoms of Ich/Flukes can easily be missed in a QT.

 

[jjk_reef00]

Good choice, my display tank is much happier since I've switched to that same philosophy.

 

[MrTuskfish]

I've been doing the same basic regimen your many years; and , funny thing, I haven't seen any protozoan parasite in any of my DTs for that same amount of time. There are still so many myths in our hobby that just won't die and the fear of copper (IMO) is at the top of the list. If a fish dies in a copper-treated tank, it has to be the copper, so another guy keeps the copper fear going.

It amazing how many folks still think a tank that has been treated with copper can never be used with corals or other inverts.

 

[triggreef]

Yeah not a ton of common sense with that try selling a tank & being honest about having used cupramine before in it. No one will touch it. Lol what ever. Yeah buddy the copper has now boned to the glass & silicone so it couldn't possibly be used as a reef again.

Another good one is the thought that glass can leach silicates. Who comes up with this stuff?

 

[Reef Frog]

I am 100% in agreement with the prophylactic method in QT and will employ it from the start on my next upgrade.

It's interesting to note that the stickies in this forum state that "copper" is poisonous to fish and although effective in eliminating parasites, it's effects are permanent,even reducing the lifespan of the fish. Not sure if the author is referring to the old style copper meds or Cupramine.

Not sure if there is any truth to that but will choose to disregard it. Another myth based on anecdotal observations? But I'm sure it has kept some folks away from the proactive method, choosing instead for the "QT, observe, I see nothing, introduce to DT & now I have ( )" syndrome.

 

[triggreef]

Ya from what I understand the "older style" chelated copper is more toxic to fish. Although there are many on the site that have been in the hobby so long they have used even that type of copper and still have kept those fish for 10+ years. So when it comes to cupramine I'm not worried at all.

Also having treated a good variety of fish now with cupramine, I've seen no ill effects on many fish that "they" say are very sensitive to copper. Yet when treated with prazi "the reef safe med" many fish almost stop eating completely for a day or 2.