Copper QT - 14 or 30 days?

[DarkSky]

I've been QTing fish using copper safe @ 1.75ppm levels - recently I've been reading that people have been only running copper for 14 days vs 30 - is it safe to cut the Cu treatment that early vs a full 30 day cycle? I wouldn't mind shortening my QT process, but I want to make 100% sure that ich/velvet/brook aren't going to make it into my DT with a shortened cycle.

 

[Huskymaniac]

14 days if you ttm to another tank. If leaving in same aquarium than 30 days.

 

[DarkSky]

14 days if you ttm to another tank. If leaving in same aquarium than 30 days.

Got it, thanks! I was reading through HotRocks' post and saw the same thing just now.

 

[HotRocks]

It only works if you have a second completely sterile tank to transfer the fish into after 14 days in copper. I do prefer the 14 day method as copper is an immunosuppressant. So the quicker you can get them out of copper the better.

If you only use one QT is will require the full 30 days at the therapuetic level before you begin reducing the Cu level.

 

[Reefahholic]

I like to Always Transfer fish. I transfer on day 1, 4, 7, & 10. While doing all transfers, I do Acriflavine or Formalin baths. Most of the time I’ll FW Dip as well (just depends on the fish). By day 4, my fish are already sitting at a therapeutic level of Copper or CP. If CP...they’ve been therapeutic since day 1. By day 11...the fish should be clean of both ICH and Velvet. I’ll normally do one last transfer on day 13 and stop running meds unless I suspect Brooklynella or Uronema. If I suspect either of those...different measures are taken.

Anyway, we know ICH can stay on the fish for a maximum of about 7 days, but most of the time it’s only about 3 days.

Velvet 12hrs to 4 days...

Under therapeutic conditions...theoretically...it should be impossible for either ICH or Velvet to infect the fish or land back on the fish. Although we do know Velvet dinospores can remain active/infectious in the water column for up to 15 days IF....IF.....therapeutic conditions AREN’T PRESENT!!!

So after 7 days of “ACCURATE” THERAPEUTIC CONDITIONS....both ICH and VELVET should lay crippled or dead on the bottom of the tank. At this point, the fish should be clean of ICH or Velvet.