Coppersafe seems failed on me, TTM next

[coweyes298]

Long story short, I have 2 anthias in QT and they had been through 2 rounds of prazipro and yesterday is 30 days in coppersafe treatment. I also dosed metro for about 15 days in case of bacteria or brooks.

I used Chematric copper test kit and I am sure the QT is at a little bit north over 2 ppm all the 30 days. I have posted an API test thread here a week ago and it seems like it is also very close to 2 ppm. Today is the 31st day and I am still seeing one anthias flashing on the tank bottom couple times a day. Another anthias looks like having several white pimple size bumps on its body. Ich may still be alive in the QT. These two anthias were eating like hogs for the first part of copper treatment, but one was not eating for the last week of the 30 days treatment. I decide to put poly filter in the QT to reduce the copper. And I will be able to setup 10 gallons tank and switch to TTM + prazipro again this weekend.

 

[4FordFamily]

Can you post pics? I wonder if this is a skin irritation like we see occasionally in hippo tangs.

 

[coweyes298]

I am away from the QT these days... Will post a picture this Friday.

My Hippo in DT is parasite free, but I occasionally see him flashing on rocks. It is rare and at a much lower frequency (once or twice a day). My Hippo likes to sleep in tight rock spacing so I am sure it is just skin irritation. But the Anithias who is flashing is at a higher frequency, like two three time in an hour. And he is rubbing his gill area. Weird thing is the one who is flashing I couldn't see any dots or bumps. The one is not flashing but not eating I can see bumps.

 

[Humblefish]

Would like to see pics as well for this one.

 

[lagatbezan]

I'm curious how much coppersafe did you add? The 1.25ml/gal that's on the box or 2ml/gal which is recommended by humblefish here?

 

[coweyes298]

Probably lower than 2 ml/gal. I added 2 ml/gal initially and Chematric test reads about 3 ppm or more. Did several water change to lower it to 2 pmm based on Chematric kit. But I did a API test the past weekend and I think it is also reading like 2 ppm.

Photo for API is here. Outdoor with indirect sunlight.

 

[lagatbezan]

There is a 5 page thread here where people say how these test kits are not accurate and that the 2ml/gal is what should be used to land you in the 1.75-2 thereputic concentration.
I hate reading those color kits but to me your test looks closer to 1.0 that would be my guess.

 

[coweyes298]

Humble said looks like 2 at that time. For me it is not close to 1. It is way darker...

I was in that thread too. It is still a debate on which one reads more accurate.

And this is how I hate API, it is just guessing. I am looking at different color shade.

 

[lagatbezan]

I know what you mean. I currently have one fish in coppersafe added at 2ml/gal and the API test kit looks more like 4.0

 

[Radman73]

Use @Brew12 suggestion of dosing the therapeutic amount of copper into a known quantity of water, I used 1 gallon, and taking a reference test. Take a picture of it and use that as your reference. Only way I was able to tell if I was keeping my copper power at suggested level or not and I'd go back to the same place where I took the pic of the reference sample, try to create the same lighting, and take a pic of the test to compare picture to picture.

 

[coweyes298]

I went back and examine my anthias these weekend, but I could not find bump on them. The one showed sign of flashing is not flashing anymore. I ran poly filter for four days and the copper level is dropping slowly, still around 1.5 to 2 ppm. So I did another half WC and replaced the poly filter. Now the copper reading is at 0.25 to 0.5 ppm per API kit. Planning to replace another poly filter, WC if needed.

For the one anthias that is not eating, I think he might be blind. He is not reacting to light nor food. Only will gobble some when the food hits him. He always stays at bottom on one corner, never swim up...