So I’m treating my fish for marine velvet... I did the first dose of cupramine about 6 hours ago, I read somewhere I don’t remember where but how much Seachem recommends to dose with is near toxic and only use 15 drops per 10 gallons... long story short I just tested with salifert and it’s saying there’s no copper... should I be worried? Am I doing the wrong?
Detectable levels of copper
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Crabs McJones
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What size qt are you using and is there anything in the tank? Rock, sand, ect.. and what filteration media are you using?
W1ngz
Failed Padawan
Whatever you do, don't add more cupramine to that tank until you figure this out. The nuance here might be the type of copper. Cupramine is different that other stuff, like copper safe. The target for cupramine is 0.5PPM, which according to the directions is two doses 48 hours apart of 20 drops (1ml) for 10.5 gallons. Depending on the test kit you're using, it may not be sensitive enough to detect the 0.25ppm that the first dose gives you.
Here's what I'd do first, to make sure you're testing correctly and the test kit itself isn't suspect:
If you're adding 15 drops per 10 gallon, that's about on the mark for ~2 drops per gal. That's only half the dose, but since we're just testing in a bucket we can skip the 48 hour wait for the second dose.
Mix up some new water and get 1 gallon of it. Allow it to mix and heat it to normal tank temperature.
Add 2 drops of cupramine, and let it mix for 15-20 minutes
Test the water.
Add 2 more drops, mix for another 15-20 minutes
Test again.
Here's what I'd do first, to make sure you're testing correctly and the test kit itself isn't suspect:
If you're adding 15 drops per 10 gallon, that's about on the mark for ~2 drops per gal. That's only half the dose, but since we're just testing in a bucket we can skip the 48 hour wait for the second dose.
Mix up some new water and get 1 gallon of it. Allow it to mix and heat it to normal tank temperature.
Add 2 drops of cupramine, and let it mix for 15-20 minutes
Test the water.
Add 2 more drops, mix for another 15-20 minutes
Test again.
Last edited:
W1ngz
Failed Padawan
Someone with more experience dealing with velvet might be needed in here also, but I think since velvet is so fast to kill, the 48 hour wait between doses should be skipped. #reefsquad
Crabs McJones
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Agree 110% velvet can kill within 48 hours. @HotRocks might be around, he'd be best to answer this question
It’s a 20 gallon qt, and I’m just running the filter which is a marine wheel without the carbon filter and it still has the bio wheel going for water movement, and I took a piece of live rock from my dt to get some bacteria going. I freshwater dipped my 2 clowns which were for sure showing signs of velvet I skipped out on my mandarin because she looks fine and I was reading they aren’t as susceptible. The clowns then got a bath in ruby reef and that was when I did the first dosage of cuperamine, and tested which didn’t show up, I put the clowns in waited, one of my clowns looks and is swimming a lot better, the other is lethargic but still going after food. I already lost 2 damsels. I waited another six hours to test and nothing.
I should also note that as of this morning my test kit showed no signs of copper... honestly I’m really hoping it’s the test kit that’s is showing faulty reading, I’ll stop by petco when it opens to see what else the offer. My only other options are amazon and I’d like to start killing this velvet fast
W1ngz
Failed Padawan
I thought maybe these were new fish in QT. The mandarin may not be susceptible, but can still have it. You need to treat it.
The display tank will need to have 0 fish in it for 6 weeks if it's only velvet, or the disease will still be in the display tank. If for any reason at all you suspect there might also be other diseases like ich, it needs to be fishless for 76 days.
The display tank will need to have 0 fish in it for 6 weeks if it's only velvet, or the disease will still be in the display tank. If for any reason at all you suspect there might also be other diseases like ich, it needs to be fishless for 76 days.
W1ngz
Failed Padawan
You really should do the test dosing and testing in a bucket like I suggested so you know where you're at. Waiting between tests is just costing you time, and possibly fish. There's no benefit to waiting 6 hours hoping for a different result. Velvet starts killing between 24 and 48 hours.
Crabs McJones
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Note that you don't want any rock or sand in a quarantine running copper. The rock will soak up the copper bringing your levels down. Just put a sponge in the chamber for mechanical filtration and for your bacteria to colonize.
From my understanding you'll want to remove the biowheel on the marineland filter.
Crabs McJones
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I believe Salifert is the kit being used.
HotRocks
Fish Fanatic!
That is a proper kit for Cupramine.
The total dosage for a 20g QT would be 76 Drops.
So if the OP has dosed 15 drops per 10g or 30 drops for the 20g QT, then the concentration should be near .15-.2ppm. Which should register on a salifert test kit.
However, live rock can absorb copper quite a bit so with LR present its hard to tell exactly what is going on.
As mentioned above dosing some test water in a clean bucket up and testing it to see what the test kit registers will tell us a whole lot and then we can determine if it is a faulty test kit or the rock munching the copper.
HotRocks
Fish Fanatic!
I would Just dose the copper per the instructions. Order either a new salifert kit or a seachem kit. The hanna checker works wonders as well!
The API kit is no good for ionic copper because it does not read easily at low levels.
I never had any luck with the Salifert (not Seachem as first posted) kit. Too late for you now but I would get Copper Power and a Hanna copper checker.
Dosing uncertainty and inadequate test kits is what caused me to abandon copper until the advent of the Hanna checker and the proven reliability of Copper Power.
I have run a QT with ceramic media in a HOB without any effect on copper levels. Agree with Crabs though rock is probably not a good idea.
I agree with @W1ngz too. I don't think you have any choice but to trust the cupramine instructions over the test kit....tough situation.
Dosing uncertainty and inadequate test kits is what caused me to abandon copper until the advent of the Hanna checker and the proven reliability of Copper Power.
I have run a QT with ceramic media in a HOB without any effect on copper levels. Agree with Crabs though rock is probably not a good idea.
I agree with @W1ngz too. I don't think you have any choice but to trust the cupramine instructions over the test kit....tough situation.
W1ngz
Failed Padawan
Was that only with the initial 2 drops or also after the 2nd dose of 2 more drops? You need 4 drops in the 1 gallon test bucket to get to the expected 0.5ppm.
