Added copper power too fast?

[cshouston]

I had to tear up my scape and put my fish into hospital tank today because of an ich flare up. I had Copper Power on hand as suggested, just in case it turned out to be ich. The bottle just said to add one ounce per 20 gallons for a 2.5ppm dosage, so I added it all in one go. Now I’ve seen threads where people are saying to add it very slowly over a looong period of time. Should I do a big water change right now, or roll with it? Thanks.

 

[AcanthurusRex]

Water change.
You want about 1ppm initially. Assuming it is really ich.
Hanna tester?

 

[Pistol Peet]

Water change if and when I use Copper products for ick eradication I usually do about a quarter Dose first day and gradually increased from that until I reach the 2.5 PPM and then you have to hold it very steady at the 2.5 PPM from there for at least a minimum of 14 days

 

[Pistol Peet]

Remember Copper products are hard on the fish also not just the i c k if indeed it is it i c k give your fish time to adjust to the Copper levels in the aquarium and gradually dose up until you reach a maximum dose of 2.5 parts per million

 

[cshouston]

Water change.
You want about 1ppm initially. Assuming it is really ich.
Hanna tester?

Thanks, folks. It is definitely ich, unfortunately. If it was velvet, I’d be more aggressive. It took about a week from the first signs to actually see the trophonts. I just ordered a Hanna checker to be overnighted. I had an API test on hand, but it’s really hard to read.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

With today’s organically chelated copper products, adding it fast is not really an issue. Imagine wholesalers and dealers who routinely acclimate fish right into full dose copper. I’ve seen people ramp up copper so slowly that they lose out to the parasite. This all stems from overextrapolation from back in the day, using citric acid copper meds. That needed to be ramped up over two to three days when used on pygmy angels and some wrasses .
Jay

 

[cshouston]

That’s reassuring; thank you, Jay. I’ve been monitoring them and they look like they’re doing okay. They’re eating well and don’t seem to be overly stressed beyond wondering what happened to their previous home. I’ll keep monitoring them and check the levels when my Hanna checker arrives tomorrow.

 

[Qasimja]

i always drop fish in 1.0ppm copper and never had an issue i goto 1.9-2.0 the next day

 

[DrMMI]

When I went fallow and started copper on my fish, I went straight from 0 to 1.49 and had no issues, even with a yellow coris wrasse, carpenter's flasher wrasse, melanarus wrasse, coral beauty, and flame angel.

 

[Pistol Peet]

This is unnecessary stress on your fish ihave used copper safe wich is a chelited copper also cupramin wich lots swear by however in my experience coppersafe is less lethal to my fish again in my experience.

 

[Pistol Peet]

copper in any form is a poison in a cense to anything exposed to it. Including the fish this is why an over use of dose c a n kill all of it. Start with a smaller dose let them adjust then increase over 1 or 2 days its not to Long to work just remember they have to be at therapeutic levels for 14 days minimum witch is 2.5 PPM