I can’t shake this ich!!!

Justin101714 · Feb 8, 2020

I’ve had a fish only tank running 0.8ppm of cupramine for three months. My fish still randomly have outbreaks. At least once a week. I am now using cuprazorb to remove the cupramine, it is currently at 0.5ppm. What else can I do? Hypo?

Intense37754 · Feb 8, 2020

My tank had it and tank transfer with no fish in the display for the recommended period

Robertellis30 · Feb 8, 2020

I used polylab medic. Also increase the heat to 83-84f. Then I added a uv sterilizer that I run 12hrs a day. Helped a ton.

EmdeReef · Feb 8, 2020

If the dose was accurately at 0.5 for 30 days then it’s likely not ich or the dose dropped below therapeutic.

piranhaman00 · Feb 8, 2020

Did you dose the display? Are there rocks? Concentration dipped below 0.5 most likely by absorbing into rocks

Lucyintheseawithdiamonds · Feb 8, 2020

Try ruby reef kick ich and ruby reef rally its worked well for me. It's reef safe, I see you said its fish only but maybe using something different will help? Hope you get things better in your tank. Also I agree with the raising of the temperature and adding aquarium salt. Also selcon and garlic extract are important with helping your fish build up their immune system. And last but not least follow the instructions 100% a lot of people stop dosing when they see improvement. If your trying to get rid of the ich completely you need to treat the tank entirely not just the fish. Hope this helps.

Justin101714 · Feb 8, 2020

Well that’s why I treated the entire tank. I watched the dosage over the first week or so until I got it up to 0.8ppm, it’s never dipped below 0.5ppm. It’s never gotten better since I started cupramine. I thought I might have had velvet because my tangs will randomly swim into the power head there’s more spots than you can count, but the spots can now be counted, the powered blue swims into the power head randomly. My regal tang had flukes so I FW dipped and saw them all come off of his skin, don’t know if they all came out of his gills. Kick ich has never done anything. Wondering if I should try copper sulfate instead of the chelated copper.

Justin101714 · Feb 8, 2020

I should also add that I was testing copper levels with the API kit. I’ve read some things about them being inaccurate.

vetteguy53081 · Feb 8, 2020

Please post pictures and as close and clear as possible.
If youre treating for Ich and its not going away. . . . May not be ich as it is similar to what you have being either Cryptocaryon is often confused with another common saltwater disease called Amyloodinium (velvet).

Redfoxtang · Feb 8, 2020

If using any type of copper medication I highly recommend using Hanna copper checker as this insures accuracy. With color copper test kits things can get a little off, with what to you looks .8 could look .4 to me.

Justin101714 · Feb 8, 2020

As long as they had this going on, I figure velvet would’ve killed some of my fish by now or would’ve had my tank wiped out. I’ve had that happen in the past.

Justin101714 · Feb 16, 2020

Got my Hanna Copper Tester yesterday. Running 0.5-0.6ppm. I’ll do it for 30 days at this concentration, the ill lower it over the course of 18-20 days using cuprazorb and carbon. I’ll be checking the copper concentration twice daily as this is in my DT with live rock and sand. All hermits still in the tank. I’ll update as I go.

artieg1 · Feb 17, 2020

Therapeutic levels of copper should kill all inverts in the DT. If the hermits are ok, your copper is not at therapeutic levels. But I believe that, in theory, your new protocol should work. Unless it doesn't, in which case I would remove the fish and let the DT go fallow per recommended guidelines for eradication.

Justin101714 · Feb 17, 2020

Today, I measured 0.52ppm at 7am. Added a slight amount of cupramine, came home and measured 0.56ppm at 7pm. Added slight amount of cupramine. Will measure at 7am tomorrow, all hermits still alive. Fish show no signs of stress and eat well, all spots on the fish have fallen off of them, I’m sure awaiting hatching on the sand.

Justin101714 · Feb 17, 2020

Quick video I my inhabitants.

Mmun · Feb 17, 2020

Justin101714 said:
I’ve had a fish only tank running 0.8ppm of cupramine for three months. My fish still randomly have outbreaks. At least once a week. I am now using cuprazorb to remove the cupramine, it is currently at 0.5ppm. What else can I do? Hypo?

try copper power and run it for a month over 2.5. 2.5-3.0 range

Lucyintheseawithdiamonds · Feb 18, 2020

Have you ruled out flukes? I recently believe I had an outbreak of that in my tank recently. Thought it was ich, treated the tank, did research then more research. I did the ruby reef as i previously mentioned, along with a fresh water dip mixed with melafix. I literally came out with my yellow tang loosing an eye so sad. And my sailfin tang almost lost an eye but was able to not have to deal with it falling out. Anyways worth looking into, was pretty awful to watch my guys go through that. Have you tried the uv sterilizer? I hear that helps also with fighting bacteria. Just a thought, cheers

Kzang · Feb 18, 2020

Justin101714 said:
Today, I measured 0.52ppm at 7am. Added a slight amount of cupramine, came home and measured 0.56ppm at 7pm. Added slight amount of cupramine. Will measure at 7am tomorrow, all hermits still alive. Fish show no signs of stress and eat well, all spots on the fish have fallen off of them, I’m sure awaiting hatching on the sand.

Please take out all inverts when dosing copper. You will kill a living creature for nothing.

Justin101714 · Feb 18, 2020

0.56ppm - 7am added slight cupramine
0.67ppm - 6:30pm. Will aim to maintain 6-7ppm. All hermits still alive and foraging for food like they normally do. This tank has had copper in it for months. I’ve run other tanks at a higher copper concentration and never once lost a hermit crab.