Copper not working

[MrWellington]

34 days in QT. Copper power is a constant 2.3 - 2.6 according to Hanna. water changes (TTM) done every few days. Is this NOT ich? Eats well, active swimmer, breathing is not labored. I’m wondering if I should add Formalin 1ml per 10gal. (QT tanks are 10g each)

 

[Jekyl]

@Jay Hemdal @MnFish1

 

[JayM]

TTM and water changes are two different things. How exactly are you treating?

 

[MrWellington]

TTM and water changes are two different things. How exactly are you treating?

Copperpower at 2.3 to 2.6. I have 2 QTs, 10 gal each. When I want to switch, I prep the 2nd with clean everything and add new copper. Then move fish. After moved, I sterilize the 1st tank and leave it dry completely until the next transfer. After 3 days, repeat.

I do this in instead of changes since I have the tanks available. Essentially a 100% water change every 3 days.

But even with doing both TTM and copper, the tang is still infected with something. I would have thought he’d be clean as can be by now.

 

[vetteguy53081]

34 days in QT. Copper power is a constant 2.3 - 2.6 according to Hanna. water changes (TTM) done every few days. Is this NOT ich? Eats well, active swimmer, breathing is not labored. I’m wondering if I should add Formalin 1ml per 10gal. (QT tanks are 10g each)

This look like velvet which they are susceptible to and woold treat like ich. You want to change water If necessary and run at steady 2.5 for Full 30 days as you indicared . How are you testing copper level?
With water changes, you want to mix the water to match the current copper level opposed to adding it to water.
Do Not mix with formalin especially anything with copper. Also run tank temp at 80-80.5 degrees.

 

[JayM]

Copperpower at 2.3 to 2.6. I have 2 QTs, 10 gal each. When I want to switch, I prep the 2nd with clean everything and add new copper. Then move fish. After moved, I sterilize the 1st tank and leave it dry completely until the next transfer. After 3 days, repeat.

I do this in instead of changes since I have the tanks available. Essentially a 100% water change every 3 days.

But even with doing both TTM and copper, the tang is still infected with something. I would have thought he’d be clean as can be by now.

Gotcha. That sounds like more work than necessary, but if it is ich you’re dealing with, I don’t see why it wouldn’t work.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Copperpower at 2.3 to 2.6. I have 2 QTs, 10 gal each. When I want to switch, I prep the 2nd with clean everything and add new copper. Then move fish. After moved, I sterilize the 1st tank and leave it dry completely until the next transfer. After 3 days, repeat.

I do this in instead of changes since I have the tanks available. Essentially a 100% water change every 3 days.

But even with doing both TTM and copper, the tang is still infected with something. I would have thought he’d be clean as can be by now.

How long has the tang actually been in full strength copper?

I’ve never tried TTM and copper at the same time. I’m worried that the stress is causing mucus plugs in this fish - the white spots looking like ich might just be mucus.

 

[MrWellington]

Jay, I brought the tank to 2.0 on day one, over a 6hr introduction period, then increased to ~2.5 since. When I switch tanks, I match temp,salinity,copper as close as I can.

Can this be confirmed and ich/velvet. I don’t want to chase a misdiagnosis.

 

[MrWellington]

Interesting thought about mucus. I also wondered if an occasional bath in meth blue would help heal any open sores.

 

[MrWellington]

This look like velvet which they are susceptible to and woold treat like ich. You want to change water If necessary and run at steady 2.5 for Full 30 days as you indicared . How are you testing copper level?
With water changes, you want to mix the water to match the current copper level opposed to adding it to water.
Do Not mix with formalin especially anything with copper. Also run tank temp at 80-80.5 degrees.

If velvet, wouldn’t he be dead by now? Then he is about 5” and seams strong. Maybe his immune system is preventing what would normally cause death? Just guessing anymore.

Is there any concern about long term copper treatment?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Jay, I brought the tank to 2.0 on day one, over a 6hr introduction period, then increased to ~2.5 since. When I switch tanks, I match temp,salinity,copper as close as I can.

Can this be confirmed and ich/velvet. I don’t want to chase a misdiagnosis.

The spot size and the glassy eyes sure looks like ich, but the copper treatment makes that less likely. It doesn’t look like velvet to me at all, if the fish isn’t breathing fast, it isn’t velvet.

If you showed me the picture without saying the fish has been in copper, I would 100% say this is ich. I just can’t reconcile that with your copper treatment.

Jay

 

[MrWellington]

Good news - he's finally become spot-free over the last 2 days. I'm thinking another week in QT?

 

[Spare time]

Good news - he's finally become spot-free over the last 2 days. I'm thinking another week in QT?

If it is ich, it needs to be at least 30 days from the last symptom at 81F. What it sounds like to me is a testing error if it is ich. Do you wipe the vials with a microfiber cloth and/or use gloves when handeling the vials? Do you also place the vial in the checker the same way every time?

 

[Ross]

I believe current protocol is 2 weeks symptom free.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

The time for the treatment to continue is all just a “best guess” really. I usually go conservative - 30 days in copper beyond when the last spot was seen. Commonly, people say 3 weeks, or even 2 weeks. A lot of this has to do if the fish will be moved from the tank while in full copper, or if the copper will be removed first. In the latter case, go 30 days.