Fish is dying in QT, please help...

[brianle0612]

My tank has been running about 9 months so far with no problem. 4 days ago, I notices that my blue tang get ich so I decided to set up QT and let it run about 2 days. Today I move all my fish from DT to QT and thing happen liek you see in the image. Here is how I add cupramine to ly 21 gallons tank
10.5 us gallon=20drops and redose another 20 drops after 48hour. So my tank needs 80drops totally to hit the number at the end. But I want to do slowly so I added 20 drops each day for 4 days. Today is 1st day and fish dying. Can Anyone explain what happen so I can avoid on the future. Thank you all

 

[vetteguy53081]

the cupramine may have been harsh on them and More important is testing. Whenever treating with copper, a good quality copper test kit is a MUSt (not API either). What level is your copper at?
You need to know this BEFORE adding any addition copper in which Copper Safe would be/have been a better choice.
Also what is ammonia level, salinity and ph in the QT tank ?

 

[JumboShrimp]

Possibly Ich had taken hold longer and stronger than you had realized, and by the time you acted the fish were too weakened to be chased by a net and take the stress of changing tanks. (?) +1 on CopperSafe as the best choice.

 

[brianle0612]

Thank you for all reply

 

[Lowell Lemon]

@Jay Hemdal fish rescue stat.

 

[Phlynamjax]

Three possibilities:
1. Is your QT cycled? Any chance of ammonia poisoning?
2. Did you test your copper? Any chance of Copper overdosing? You need frequent testing when adding copper. Those drops and water volumnes aren't accruate as you think.
3. It could be that your copper isn't theraputic level and parasites are killing your fish.

 

[Tamberav]

+1 you need a high range hannah copper kit and the tank should have been dosed up before the fish are added and levels verified.

I believe most tanks actually hold less water then advertised and relying on drops really are not accurate enough for medication.

Need good oxygenation, I also use some biospira on set up.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

My tank has been running about 9 months so far with no problem. 4 days ago, I notices that my blue tang get ich so I decided to set up QT and let it run about 2 days. Today I move all my fish from DT to QT and thing happen liek you see in the image. Here is how I add cupramine to ly 21 gallons tank
10.5 us gallon=20drops and redose another 20 drops after 48hour. So my tank needs 80drops totally to hit the number at the end. But I want to do slowly so I added 20 drops each day for 4 days. Today is 1st day and fish dying. Can Anyone explain what happen so I can avoid on the future. Thank you all

Ugh - sorry to see that. My first impression, seeing all the fish down at once, is something acutely wrong with the water in the tank. Some diseases kill quickly, but usually one fish at a time.

Were the fish dying before you moved them?
Did you use any dechorinator, ammonia remover or water treatments?
Have you tested ammonia or copper?
What was the change in salinity between your DT and the QT?

Jay