30+ copper treatment and fish started flashing

[Smite]

I completed a full QT. Copper Power for over 30 days. Battle infection so fish got furan 2. Suspected fukes in my tomini tang so I added a air stone near return pump and dosed general cure.

Fish looked great so I removed copper. My last 2 anthias died, one blew up with pop-eye and was gone the next day. Now, tomini has what looks like shedding skin around right side of face/chin. I suspected my pintail cracked his noggin trying to jump and has a lump on his head, but now its very lumpy and looking like its peeling as well. My scopas and mimic tang have looked healthy through the whole treatment but now are twitching and flashing every few seconds.

I see no spots. What I do find strange are the copepod looking critters on the glass. I added chemipure from my frag tank to pull copper from the system so I guess its possible thats what they are. Just seems strange they show up are the same time as the fish acting funny. Any pests that can be seen on glass?

Probably just pods but heres a video to confirm.

 

[Humblefish]

Those look like flatworms to me. The shape anyway.

 

[Frtdrmrose7]

Have you done a FW dip on one of the Tangs to see if anything comes off?

 

[Smite]

Those look like flatworms to me. The shape anyway.

Can flatworms move that quickly? In the last few seconds you can see them sprint around a bit.

Have you done a FW dip on one of the Tangs to see if anything comes off?

I have not. I've added GC since I had it on hand. I need to get a hang on acclimation box so I can fresh water dip easier. I've had a few bad fw dips in the past i believe were due to temp issues but not sure.

 

[Humblefish]

Can flatworms move that quickly? In the last few seconds you can see them sprint around a bit.

If they're "running around" that sounds more like copepods or amphipods.

 

[garbled]

Are we looking at the little white things, or the big black spots? The little white things just look like pods. The bigger black spots are shaped like flatworms, but can't tell at that resolution.

 

[Smite]

Are we looking at the little white things, or the big black spots? The little white things just look like pods. The bigger black spots are shaped like flatworms, but can't tell at that resolution.

If they're "running around" that sounds more like copepods or amphipods.

Thanks guys, pretty sure they are just pods then. Not sure why the vid comes out that way, says its 1080p but sure doesnt look like it. The black spots are just algae of some kind forming. I was referring to the small white specs.

I was very surprised to see these guys flashing so much all of a sudden. Going to be keeping a close eye on these guys. the wrasse has me worried, I wish i could capture what I'm seeing with my phone.

 

[Smite]

First dose of general cure dine and after 48 hours still flashing and swimming in jerky jumpy motion

 

[Smite]

I'm wondering if its a water quality issue? My ammonia badge is hard to read but looks like its in the safe zone to me. If my ammonia badge is off would flashing be a sign of ammonia?

I don't see any signs of ich or velvet and they are not hiding from the light. Come up to the glass to eat but if I stand there long enough start at flashing at their gills.

 

[Smite]

2nd dose of GC complete and fish are still flashing and twitching.

I did a 50% water change and added carbon/coppersorb.

I performed a FW dip for 5 minutes on the scopas, he was flashing the most. I saw nothing really. Maybe some tiny white specs but it was hard to tell if it wasn't just debris in the water. I did not see any sesame seed type pests in there like i expected to.

Now I'm wondering if my copper treatment was unsuccessful. Is there any other steps I should try before proceeding?

If the fish had flukes and the GC took care of them is it possible they are flashing healing wounds?

Current symptoms of all fish:

not quite rapid breathing, but quicker than normal
flashing at gills, chin and sides
slight twitches

All are chow hounds on flake, pellets, frozen thawed foods and nori sheets.
bowel movements are healthy and regular
eyes are clear
No visible spots
Tomini tang's chin "tags" seemed to disappear with the GC treatment. Could have been coincidental though.

I tested fairly frequently during copper treatment, 1.75-1.90 ppm via Hanna with Copper Power. I guess theres always a chance something went wrong or a kit/regeant/operator error occured.

Thanks for any input/help.

 

[AquaLifeStudio]

I have discovered this the hard way. If you are going to run copper on your fish for less than 76 days, you should transfer the fish to another, sterile tank, for observation.

Think of it like this; you place your fish in qt, a fish that has ich but could be asymptomatic, and you wait maybe a week before ramping up copper. In that week, the parasites fall off the fish and encyst somewhere in your tank. You add your copper and maintain a therapeutic concentration for 30 days. After day 30, you're like "awesome, let's start removing copper and observe for any issues and prepare to move them into the main display". Well, that's when that cyst, that copper doesnt effect, explodes and those little buggers find your fish again.

You just wasted a solid month or if you're like me, you just wasted another 3 months as you now have to let your main display go fallow, again.

Either be confident in your qt procedure and remove the fish to a sterile tank and then transfer again to the display or go the full 76+ days in full copper. I've done this and so far I finally have disease free fish.

 

[Smite]

You're probably right about that. No reason it can go dormant in QT until after treatment.

I guess I need to put this group through copper again. Bummer