Fish and Treatment Guidelines (with chart)

[seastar]

Thank you all so much! This baby will have a place front and center in the fish room.

 

[acer]

Thanks Valkarie - you cleared up a few Questions for me.

 

[Chrisfish]

Thanks @melypr1985 this is awesome.

 

[TheEngineer]

<Let me just click this bookmark button...done!>

Amazeballs! Thanks for this quick reference!

 

[Empress]

If only this list were around a long time ago! You just saved a lot lives. That makes you a life saver! Thank YOU!!!

 

[MT. Reefer]

@melypr1985 Meredith, my clown has white stringy poop. I know that's not good but can't find the thread that discusses how to treat it. Do you know which meds to use?
Thanks!

 

[melypr1985]

@melypr1985 Meredith, my clown has white stringy poop. I know that's not good but can't find the thread that discusses how to treat it. Do you know which meds to use?
Thanks!

Yes. White stringy poo is indicative of intestinal parasites. Treatment is best fed to the fish so that the med gets directly to the problem (the gut). Metroplex and Focus soaked into the food will take care of it for you. 1:1 ratio of both in one cube of frozen food. Let soak for 20 minutes before feeding. Feed this, once a day, for a minimum of 10 days. Note that it make take longer than ten days since these little buggers can be hard headed.

 

[MT. Reefer]

Yes. White stringy poo is indicative of intestinal parasites. Treatment is best fed to the fish so that the med gets directly to the problem (the gut). Metroplex and Focus soaked into the food will take care of it for you. 1:1 ratio of both in one cube of frozen food. Let soak for 20 minutes before feeding. Feed this, once a day, for a minimum of 10 days. Note that it make take longer than ten days since these little buggers can be hard headed.

Thanks! I've got the Metro.

 

[melypr1985]

Thanks! I've got the Metro.

Good deal. You'll need the Focus (by seachem) to keep the meds from leaching into the water.

 

[Empress]

Can I make a suggestion on your chart? Formalin isn't a very popular poison, but sometimes it's the only poison to cure a disease. I wonder if that should be added? Malachite Green usually goes hand in hand with the formalin. Just a suggestion. Thanks again for being awesome!

 

[melypr1985]

Can I make a suggestion on your chart? Formalin isn't a very popular poison, but sometimes it's the only poison to cure a disease. I wonder if that should be added? Malachite Green usually goes hand in hand with the formalin. Just a suggestion. Thanks again for being awesome!

Formalin would be marked "3" for every single fish. Use with caution if needed.

 

[Jeffdstafford]

Excellent reference chart to simplify treatment decisions!

 

[Ponraj A]

The best and most valuable information. Thanks for all who has joined their hands together for sharing such a wonderful guideline ......

 

[leahfiish]

Can someone explain the difference between ionic and chelated copper and why they affect fish differently? On the bottle for cuprimine it says it's less toxic and safer than other forms of copper. But obviously that is not always the case? Are there any situations where you would use cuprimine over coppersafe or vice versa?

 

[Humblefish]

Can someone explain the difference between ionic and chelated copper and why they affect fish differently? On the bottle for cuprimine it says it's less toxic and safer than other forms of copper. But obviously that is not always the case? Are there any situations where you would use cuprimine over coppersafe or vice versa?

IMHO; whether ionic or chelated is the "safest" form of copper is purely anecdotal. I've used both (and also copper sulfate pentahydrate) and haven't noticed any measurable difference in my success rate. Some fish can tolerate copper and some can't. And they don't always abide by "the rules" either i.e. angels & wrasses are notoriously copper sensitive, while clowns & tangs are usually fine in copper. I think it comes down to being more of an individual thing.

I advocate chelated copper over other forms mainly because of the wider (and IMO more measurable) therapeutic range. Reading 2.0 ppm using an API copper test kit (or Chemetrics for those who are color blind *JUST KIDDING* ) is very doable I think. And you have so much wiggle room until it would drop to 1.5 (the minimum therapeutic level). We all know very few actually check their copper level on a daily basis.

FWIW; @melypr1985 put together this pretty comprehensive chart for determining the "copper risk" to fish: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/fish-and-treatment-guidelines-with-chart.283450/

As you can see, both ionic and chelated copper are listed with risk assessments. Also listed is Chloroquine phosphate, which is another option for dealing with known copper sensitive species.

 

[Jeffdstafford]

or Chemetrics for those who are color blind

Hey I would take great offense to this if it weren't so true!

 

[Zero Nitrates]

Very nice

 

[Humblefish]

Hey I would take great offense to this if it weren't so true!

Don't feel bad. I just realized I linked back to a thread I was already replying to.

So I must be going senile or something.

 

[Jeffdstafford]

You're just trying to reinforce the information in this thread! repetition is key.

 

[azbigjohn]

It is this sort of amazing work by @melypr1985 that makes Reef2Reef such an outstanding community. The amount of effort to put this all together and publish it awesome.

I know Meredith has answered PMs from me on several ocassions, and using the advice of she and @Humblefish , all of my fish are now in a hospital tank and being medicated, as I had never QT'd before, and I am beginning a larger (and ultimately better) DT. I would like to add that my fish are all doing very well, and eating well in coppersafe, after following her directions!

Thanks to all our pros on the #reefsquad!