Copper in QT with Tangs

[Colin Fowler]

I put all fish in QT. The first 14 days I use Cupramine, followed by 7 days of PraziPro and then 7 days with no treatment and just observation. I do a 50% daily water change and dose the new water, testing for copper level after each water change. I have not had issues with other fish, but Tangs have been tragic never making it through the copper treatment. I am going to try again with a Powder Brown that is arriving this week. Thoughts? Are Tangs copper sensitive? Should I use a lower dose?

 

[Dr. Reef Verified Sponsor]

It's hard on them. It's poison to them.
Slowly increase the copper dose. Whatever medicine you are using break the dose down over 3 to 4 days rather than 1 day like most manufacturers say.
Good luck

 

[HotRocks]

I put all fish in QT. The first 14 days I use Cupramine, followed by 7 days of PraziPro and then 7 days with no treatment and just observation. I do a 50% daily water change and dose the new water, testing for copper level after each water change. I have not had issues with other fish, but Tangs have been tragic never making it through the copper treatment. I am going to try again with a Powder Brown that is arriving this week. Thoughts? Are Tangs copper sensitive? Should I use a lower dose?

Couple things here... Are you dosing cupramine by the drop, or using a syringe? How often are you testing? What kit are you using?

Tangs are generally not "sensitive" in copper. Although following the instructions on the cupramine bottle introduces the copper rather quickly IMO. So I always recommend to figure total dosage and slowly ramp up over 5-7 days split into at least 2 doses per day. This helps them adapt to the copper treatment better. If you are dealing with velvet you can't use the extended ramp up, but you can break it up into many smaller doses over 48hrs instead of 2 large doses.

Chelated copper (copper power) seems to be less harsh IMO.

Only other thing I should add is fish should be treated in copper for 30 days consecutively, unless you are transferring them to a separate sterile QT at the 14 day mark.

 

[Big G]

Cupramine can be a bit hard on some fish's internal organs. With some fish, chelated copper is the way to go. We are recommending Copper Power. Very reliable strength. Here's my usual treatment for all new fish, including tangs. It's not just the chemicals but the entire process that helps the fish to adjust to a QT and do well:

For fish with no injuries or observable illness:

20 gal QT cycled: HOB with foam pad & BioMax treated with Bio Spira/Dr Tims, foam bubble filter with foam soaked for at least 2 weeks in DT sump, heater, powerhead, Seachem Ammonia Alert Badge.

Tank lights off. Ambient room lighting only.

Feed fish with white/black worms, vitamin & fiber packed frozen food with Selcon/Zoecon for at least 3 days before dosing with chemicals/copper.

S-l-o-w-l-y (8-10 days) bring up copper to therapeutic levels for prophylactic treatment for 30 days: Tank lights off until therapeutic level is reached. Best to dose several times a day (AM, lunch, PM) rather than one large dose.
Carbon & Cuprisorb to remove copper. Water changes. Observe.

General Cure 2 doses 5-7 days apart. Turn up bubbler and turn on powerhead aimed at surface to increase O2. Like GC over Prazipro. GC has Metro + Praziquantel, so you are getting the Praziquantel which kills flukes and "some" internal parasites and Metro that kills all internal parasites/worms. And the dose of Praziquantel is lower but does the job and is easier on sensitive fish.
Carbon & water changes.

Observe 10-14 days.

 

[HotRocks]

Cupramine can be a bit hard on some fish's internal organs. With some fish, chelated copper is the way to go. We are recommending Copper Power. Very reliable strength. Here's my usual treatment for all new fish, including tangs. It's not just the chemicals but the entire process that helps the fish to adjust to a QT and do well:

For fish with no injuries or observable illness:

20 gal QT cycled: HOB with foam pad & BioMax treated with Bio Spira/Dr Tims, foam bubble filter with foam soaked for at least 2 weeks in DT sump, heater, powerhead, Seachem Ammonia Alert Badge.

Tank lights off. Ambient room lighting only.

Feed fish with white/black worms, vitamin & fiber packed frozen food with Selcon/Zoecon for at least 3 days before dosing with chemicals/copper.

S-l-o-w-l-y (8-10 days) bring up copper to therapeutic levels for prophylactic treatment for 30 days: Tank lights off until therapeutic level is reached. Best to dose several times a day (AM, lunch, PM) rather than one large dose.
Carbon & Cuprisorb to remove copper. Water changes. Observe.

General Cure 2 doses 5-7 days apart. Turn up bubbler and turn on powerhead aimed at surface to increase O2. Like GC over Prazipro. GC has Metro + Praziquantel, so you are getting the Praziquantel which kills flukes and "some" internal parasites and Metro that kills all internal parasites/worms. And the dose of Praziquantel is lower but does the job and is easier on sensitive fish.
Carbon & water changes.

Observe 10-14 days.

Great minds think alike eh!

 

[4FordFamily]

Great minds think alike eh!

I was going to say I agree until I read this!

 

[Colin Fowler]

It's stuff on them. It's poison to them.
Slowly increase the copper dose. Whatever medicine you are using break the dose down over 3 to 4 days rather than 1 day like most manufacturers say.
Good luck

Thanks. That’s one strategy I was considering.

 

[Colin Fowler]

Cupramine can be a bit hard on some fish's internal organs. With some fish, chelated copper is the way to go. We are recommending Copper Power. Very reliable strength. Here's my usual treatment for all new fish, including tangs. It's not just the chemicals but the entire process that helps the fish to adjust to a QT and do well:

For fish with no injuries or observable illness:

20 gal QT cycled: HOB with foam pad & BioMax treated with Bio Spira/Dr Tims, foam bubble filter with foam soaked for at least 2 weeks in DT sump, heater, powerhead, Seachem Ammonia Alert Badge.

Tank lights off. Ambient room lighting only.

Feed fish with white/black worms, vitamin & fiber packed frozen food with Selcon/Zoecon for at least 3 days before dosing with chemicals/copper.

S-l-o-w-l-y (8-10 days) bring up copper to therapeutic levels for prophylactic treatment for 30 days: Tank lights off until therapeutic level is reached. Best to dose several times a day (AM, lunch, PM) rather than one large dose.
Carbon & Cuprisorb to remove copper. Water changes. Observe.

General Cure 2 doses 5-7 days apart. Turn up bubbler and turn on powerhead aimed at surface to increase O2. Like GC over Prazipro. GC has Metro + Praziquantel, so you are getting the Praziquantel which kills flukes and "some" internal parasites and Metro that kills all internal parasites/worms. And the dose of Praziquantel is lower but does the job and is easier on sensitive fish.
Carbon & water changes.

Observe 10-14 days.

Thanks for the detailed recommendation. Everyone seems to be suggesting Copper Power. I switch to that.

 

[Colin Fowler]

Couple things here... Are you dosing cupramine by the drop, or using a syringe? How often are you testing? What kit are you using?

Tangs are generally not "sensitive" in copper. Although following the instructions on the cupramine bottle introduces the copper rather quickly IMO. So I always recommend to figure total dosage and slowly ramp up over 5-7 days split into at least 2 doses per day. This helps them adapt to the copper treatment better. If you are dealing with velvet you can't use the extended ramp up, but you can break it up into many smaller doses over 48hrs instead of 2 large doses.

Chelated copper (copper power) seems to be less harsh IMO.

Only other thing I should add is fish should be treated in copper for 30 days consecutively, unless you are transferring them to a separate sterile QT at the 14 day mark.

Going to switch to Copper Power as everyone is suggesting. The test kit is the Seachem kit which is the reccomeded clot for Cupramine. I did just order a Hanna Instraments tester which should give me more precise results as opposed to interpreting the color chart. I treat only 14 days as that is what seachem reccomends. I called and spoke to them to confirm. I am dosingnin drops which I thought was ok as I test and don’t relay on the general dosing instructions to get it right. The one thing I did not do is ramp up the dose, so i’ll Try that with the copper power. Thanks for the help.