Cupramine tolerability for dragonets

[Shilpan Patel]

Hey guys! I asked a few weeks ago if copper was suitable for a mandarin dragonnet and I was advised no it is not.

I purchased a scooter blenny and a bullet goby. I made a mistake and forgot the blenny is actually a dragonnet. I’ve had them both in therapeutic cupramine for 5 days now. Which I intended to raise slowly over a week, but actually went up quickly over 3 days because my ceramic media leached copper from a previous quarantine. (I know so many errors on my part!)

Now both fish are eating, I just fed them now. and they don’t seem distressed (e.g not trying to gasp for air or swimming erratically or anything like that).

My question is should I be removing the copper? Or just continue?

Have I gotten lucky and got a dragonnet that tolerates copper? Or do scooter blennys usually tolerate copper? Or is it that it’s early days and I’m actually going to run into problems soon?

Thanks for your help.

 

[TheEngineer]

I asked a few weeks ago if copper was suitable for a mandarin dragonnet and I was advised no it is not

I think you have your answer.

Might I ask why you are adding fish to your tank that you know has active infections?.

 

[Shilpan Patel]

The fish do not have active infections I use cupramine prophylactically for my fish. They are in QT as I purchased them approximately one week ago.

Ok so you would advice to remove it? I was wondering if the advice I had been given was incorrect given that it seems to be tolerating copper so well.

Thank you for your reply

 

[TheEngineer]

Maybe I'm confusing you with someone else. Were you having issues with dosing copper into a tank with substrate?

 

[Shilpan Patel]

Uhh no I don’t think that was me my Sailfin tang in a previous quarantine had some issues in that my ceramic noodles absorbed a bit of copper. But I was able to maintain it at therapeutic.
Maybe that’s what it was? Haha it’s hard to tell there are many people on here.

https://www.seachem.com/support/forums/forum/general-discussion/22360-cupramine-and-dragonets

This link on the SeaChem forums was interesting. It’s from 2018 and they suggested cupramine is safe for dragonets if raised slowly. (But of course they would suggest that)

I do 14 days of copper and then transfer to a sterile bucket for observation. Since there at 7 days left and both fish are actually eating more, I might continue till 12-14 days and see how it goes. I’ve been fallow once because I didn’t quarantine, never ever want to go there again.

I will update this thread if I have any problems with must scooter blenny or bullet goby.
Thank you kindly,

 

[TheEngineer]

Uhh no I don’t think that was me my Sailfin tang in a previous quarantine had some issues in that my ceramic noodles absorbed a bit of copper. But I was able to maintain it at therapeutic.
Maybe that’s what it was? Haha it’s hard to tell there are many people on here.

https://www.seachem.com/support/forums/forum/general-discussion/22360-cupramine-and-dragonets

This link on the SeaChem forums was interesting. It’s from 2018 and they suggested cupramine is safe for dragonets if raised slowly. (But of course they would suggest that)

I do 14 days of copper and then transfer to a sterile bucket for observation. Since there at 7 days left and both fish are actually eating more, I might continue till 12-14 days and see how it goes. I’ve been fallow once because I didn’t quarantine, never ever want to go there again.

I will update this thread if I have any problems with must scooter blenny or bullet goby.
Thank you kindly,

Forgive me then. I thought you were someone else

Have you seen this chart?
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/fish-and-treatment-guidelines-with-chart.283450/

It is quite helpful when determining how to quarantine fish.

 

[Reefahholic]

Scooter Blenny’s typically don’t do very well in Copper for me. They quit eating and I’ve killed a few. Of course with anything there are some that may do better than others. I wouldn’t chance it.

I’d remove the Copper and start TTM. In the process, (since he’s already eating) get him eating some “food soaked” API General Cure. If you have CP, you could go that route too.

 

[Shilpan Patel]

Ok thank you very much guys, i think I’ll go buy any other clear bucket for TTM then. The 40gallon tank uses far too much salt to clean and refill every time.

Thank you so much for all the advice and the chart too. I have been shown that before but I forgot to consult it.

No CP available here in NZ. It’s a prescription medication only (I’m a doctor but it would be malpractice if I prescribed it to myself haha). And yeah it’s eating but only pellets! I don’t know why it won’t take to other tastier looking foods like mysis or seafood mix.

Reefaholic, when do your scooters stop eating? Do they eat for a week or two and then stop?

 

[Shilpan Patel]

Hey guys I had a follow up question, as long as the fish is eating, and no lethargy and no signs of heavy breathing, then that means it is tolerating copper fine correct?
I was just reading humblefish’s notes on copper and he said it’s very rare for fish to just suddenly die but rather they develop symptoms first.

So either of my QT fish don’t have symptoms then it should be fine to continue with copper right? Has anyone had a dragonnet suddenly die in copper? Or is it usually AFTER they stop eating?

Thanks guys I appreciate your assistance