Ok, so I'm sure you guys have seen me post on here and are tired of me lol, but I'm just curious as to when I should expect results from treating with CP right now I'm sitting at 50mg per gallon in my qt and my fish seem to be a little stressed. It's only been about 16 hours and I figure that's too soon to be expecting anything for any medication. Should I up it or am I being too paranoid. The lights are out so that could be one reason and none of them seem to want to eat except for my convict tang but he's always hungry. Thanks for your help!
CP treatment and general timeline
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zed102
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What are you treating for? 16 hrs is likely too soon to see results for anything, but knowing what you are treating for will help determine the correct dose and how quickly you should see results.
Humblefish agreed I had marine velvet in another thread. I've treated the fish with copper but they had a bad reaction. My pb tang developed a bad bacterial infection from being overridden by velvet and since has cleared up. I guess I should wait it out longer and try some nori tomorrow. I luckily saved all my fish but nearly lost some. I should just be thankful I made it as far as I have.
In the cases of both CP and Copper, against either ich or velvet, the medication has no effect on parasites embedded in the fish. Only after the parasites leave the fish can the meds go to work on them, preventing reinfection. Until the parasites currently on the fish drop off to continue their lifecycles, the fish will simply have to "weather the storm".
~Bruce
~Bruce
Thanks! That's reassuring, they were in copper for a week or so, which is when they became lethargic. I lowered the copper via wc and carbon which I guess "took their shield away". This is my first rodeo with CP so I didn't want anything bad to happen, which is why I was cautious with it. I'm assuming I let them become reinfected in qt is why they are lethargic. Hopefully now that I have the water treated they will get better each day. I've also read cp is supposed to have anti-inflammatory affects. My yellow tang is seems especially sensitive to copper so he had a flare up. My ammonia detector is reading alert but I will continue to do wc with CP treated water.
zed102
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Sounds like you are on the right track for the velvet. If there is not a severe outbreak I have been successful treating at 50 mg/gal. I have only fought a severe case once and was successful with Humbles recommendation of an Acriflavin bath followed by qt dosed at 80 mg/gal. However, the symptoms you are seeing now are also consistent with ammonia. I would try to get your levels down as quickly as possible. Since you are using CP, Prime is also a good option as a band aid until you get the levels down through wc’s. Just make sure that all of the copper is out.
4FordFamily
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In addition to what’s been said (I agree it’s too early), you may see spots on the fish after the parasite is gone and dead, as it’s the skin’s reaction to the insertion points that you see. That could be 2-5 days before a marginal/obvious improvement is noted.
Hey sorry I'm annoying. My fish are looking great on day 3 by the way. The exception is my pbt who seems to be swimming downward a little and it just seems odd. I have quite a bit of flow in my qt just to get O2 in the water. When I have my one pump on it really shows up. When it's off he swims halfway decent and he's still eating fine just kind of awkwardly. I've heard peas could work. Any info?
4FordFamily
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Would need a video of the behavior to be able to advise. Peas would work if it was a blockage but I’m not even a little convinced that’s what you’re dealing with
I still think it's ammonia. I hadn't planned for this many fish in qt so I'm not sure how I can keep it low. I have no room for anything bigger than this 40 breeder. Would 25% wc be ok every other day? I work an odd schedule and some days I just can't make water.
Water changes would be better than ammonia - keep the salinity the same, or change it _very_ slowly, especially if increasing. Mix water the night before, if you can - or do a water-change, mix water after the WC, and let it sit for two days. Next water change, mix, repeat.
Do you have an ammonia badge in the tank? If so, what's it telling you?
~Bruce
Do you have an ammonia badge in the tank? If so, what's it telling you?
~Bruce
Poor water quality can ... but not specifically ammonia, that I know of.
~Bruce
~Bruce
