Copper or no Copper The Great Quarantine Debate

[aquaskilz]

Hey Reefers!
So after loosing a tank load of fish bc my Hippo tang had ich, I decided to set up 2 quarantine tanks 20 gal and 10 gal. Before I restock again.

​

In my 10 gal quarantine (for my 10gal nano)

• 2 baby ocelleris clowns (1/8 in)
• coral beauty 1/2 in
• sleeper gold head gobie
• pink skunk clown (survivor)

In my 20 gal quarantine (for my 60gal tank)

• yellow tang
• flame angel
• powder brown tang
• fairy wrasse
• 2 frostbite designer clowns
• cinnamon clown

THE DABATE: I brought some Copper Power to dose, (1/2 of what the instruction say) bring to the recommend ppm over 3 days and use my Hanna checker to confirm amount. Then I was gonna quarantine for 30 days before adding to the main tanks. Then the owner of the store (whose been in business for over 30 years and has some of the most amazing corals and fish in B'klyn) says "Don't use copper, you'll kill all your fish! So now I'm confused what to do.

PS. I'm Treating my 60 Gal with Pollyp Lab Medic for 30 days to kill any parasites left in tank. Snails and crabs are doing ok.

 

[joe0813]

He is wrong.... copper power is a very safe way of QTing fish.... if its what humble fish uses ill trust it. I have QT'd wrasse and other "copper sensitive fish" in copper power with no ill effects. Will you also be QTing new coral and inverts in another tank? Polylab medic isn't going to get rid of all the parasites in your tank. You need to wait out the fallow period of 76-90 days. And even with the new study that humble fish posted a few months ago that may not be enough as the ich parasite can encrust in an low/zero oxygenated zone in the tank and remain there indefinitely.

I do however think you'll run into an issue with two decently aggressive tangs in only a 60 gallon tank.