Help with sick sailfin, please!

RazorD · Feb 4, 2019

I just got a sailfin in last week and he’s in QT. Seemed fine and started eating right away. Around the 4th day (yesterday) I noticed he was spending some time on his side so I decided to start meds (Prazipro and Cupramine). Now I get home and he’s on his side more and laboring to breath a bit more.

Any advice?

Thanks in advance

Frtdrmrose7 · Feb 4, 2019

RazorD said:
I just got a sailfin in last week and he’s in QT. Seemed fine and started eating right away. Around the 4th day (yesterday) I noticed he was spending some time on his side so I decided to start meds (Prazipro and Cupramine). Now I get home and he’s on his side more and laboring to breath a bit more.

Any advice?

Thanks in advance

Does he have any spots, or appearance of dusting? Do you a pic you can post? Did you do a FW dip when you got him to check for flukes?

RazorD · Feb 4, 2019

I did not do a FW dip when he arrived. No visible marks that I could see. I’ll post a pic shortly.

RazorD · Feb 4, 2019

I know these aren’t the best pics, but it’s what I could get.

Hemmdog · Feb 4, 2019

RazorD said:
I know these aren’t the best pics, but it’s what I could get.

How big is the qt?

RazorD · Feb 4, 2019

Hemmdog said:
How big is the qt?

20g

dwest · Feb 4, 2019

RazorD said:
I know these aren’t the best pics, but it’s what I could get.

I would do a big water change, increase aeration, get copper power, general cure, ammonia badge, Hannah high range copper checker, and follow this procedure:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/my-current-qt-process.483371/

RazorD · Feb 4, 2019

I just did a water change yesterday before dosing cupramine. Wouldn’t doing one now just remove the meds I added yesterday? Are those meds not good?

dwest · Feb 4, 2019

The

RazorD said:
I just did a water change yesterday before dosing cupramine. Wouldn’t doing one now just remove the meds I added yesterday? Are those meds not good?

meds are fine. How are you testing for copper? The Hanna is a game changer, plus chelated copper is generally easier on fish and is easier to use the the Hannah IMO.

Ive used the procedure now 3 times, it’s great. Doing it now.

@HotRocks

Frtdrmrose7 · Feb 4, 2019

^^^ beat me to

RazorD said:
I just did a water change yesterday before dosing cupramine. Wouldn’t doing one now just remove the meds I added yesterday? Are those meds not good?

+1 on Copper Power and Hanna Checker. To give you an idea a friend of mine was treating with copper and thought he was around 2.0ppm with the standard test kit. Towards the end of hiss QT he starting seeing HLLE and some other issues so he brought a water sample to me and my Hanna showed it at 3.19ppm (huge overdose). Chelated copper is easier on fish and you have a larger safe window of therapeutic levels. From what I’ve read Cuperamine is easy to overdose or fall out of therapeutic levels. I’m not saying make the change of copper on this QT cycle but consider it in the future.

pdxmonkeyboy · Feb 4, 2019

i agree with everything that has been said. great advice.

if he is having trouble breathing give him so o2... air stone or powerhead on surface.. or both.

RazorD · Feb 5, 2019

He snapped out of it briefly last night. Added a small powerhead and this morning he seems worse now. Just did a 50% wc and run I g carbon back to reduce copper. Hopefully he pulls through.

ngoodermuth · Feb 6, 2019

I’ve never had a problem with cupramine, but you can’t go straight to therapeutic. I usually try to raise it over at least 2-3 days in the case of an active infestation, 4-5 for prophylactic treatments. What level was the copper and how long did you take to get there?

Also, adding prazipro with copper will literally zap the O2 in the water so you need tons of extra aeration. I will put in an airline near my powerhead so it actually shoots bubbles all over the tank for a while after adding prazi.

Has he been eating at all?

RazorD · Feb 6, 2019

Update- He died last night, sadly.

Yes, I read that combining those meds would reduce O2. I added a powerhead and started with 1/2 dose of copper.

Frtdrmrose7 · Feb 6, 2019

RazorD said:
Update- He died last night, sadly.

Yes, I read that combining those meds would reduce O2. I added a powerhead and started with 1/2 dose of copper.

Sorry to hear