Firefish laying on the ground not eating

[Maurafish]

Hi
I’ve had a 20 gallon aquarium with a fire fish and a clown fish for 5 weeks. After a few weeks, we noticed white spots on the clown fish so we decided to treat the tank and the fish for ich. We took the fish to a 30L QT with 0,25 ppm copper in It and ramped it up to 0,5 ppm a day after. Since in the QT the firefish has been getting worse. He doesn’t eat anymore and is laying on the ground al day. He can still
Swim but wont most of the time and if he does its on the bottom of the QT. He hasn’t eaten for 5 days, we tried flakes and mysis. The QT has a HOB with a sponge, a powerhead and a heater. I added bacteria to it and the ammonium levels seem fine, measured with an ammonium badge. Temp, ph and salinity are the same as in its other tank (27degrees, 1025 salinity). We did a waterchange already a couple days ago in case maybe the nitrates were to high, but it hasnt made a difference.
a video:

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Hello, welcome to Reef2Reef!

In looking at your ammonia badge, you do seem to have an ammonia problem - the center should be yellow. I always worry about the accuracy of these badges. Can you test for ammonia with another method, perhaps you pet store can run a sample?

What brand of copper medication are you using?

Can you give the firefish more structure to hide in? From the timline, it seems that it stopped feeding when you moved it to the QT, it does look uncomfortable. You can also black out the sides and back of the tank, and lower the lights a bit.

Jay

 

[Maurafish]

Hello, welcome to Reef2Reef!

In looking at your ammonia badge, you do seem to have an ammonia problem - the center should be yellow. I always worry about the accuracy of these badges. Can you test for ammonia with another method, perhaps you pet store can run a sample?

What brand of copper medication are you using?

Can you give the firefish more structure to hide in? From the timline, it seems that it stopped feeding when you moved it to the QT, it does look uncomfortable. You can also black out the sides and back of the tank, and lower the lights a bit.

Jay

The badge is yellow when shining a light on it, i thought that’s how you are suposed to measure it. A pet store will be difficult, there arent any near me. I do have the JBL amonnia test but dont think its reliable with copper in the water?

Cupramine is what we are using.

he does have several structures to hide in. At first he was in those but since not anymore. We are blacking out the windows with towels so that shouldnt be the problem i think…