Lost my sailfin

JMM744 · Feb 8, 2017

so after putting off copper treatments for my fish for several months it was time. I changed water Sunday afternoon and fed the fish. Monday I fed them again making sure everyone was doing well. Monday evening after another feeding I started adding cuprimine. I added the dose instructed and turned the lights out. The next afternoon I checked everything and the fish seemed fine. Later towards evening I Had a chance to feed them and observe. The sailfin would not eat. It swan around ok but seemed a bit shy. The wrasse and other tang along with the clowns ate very well. Late afternoon today I finally got down stairs to check it out and found it dead on the tank floor. The other fish seem quite well and active with good appetites.
I know things just happen and it won't be the last fish I lose. It was just kind of supprising how a health fish can go so quickly. I have to be honest though, it gives pause as to qting my fish. I will wait a couple days before going forward, but will complete the qt process.

melypr1985 · Feb 8, 2017

JMM744 said:
so after putting off copper treatments for my fish for several months it was time. I changed water Sunday afternoon and fed the fish. Monday I fed them again making sure everyone was doing well. Monday evening after another feeding I started adding coppersafe. I added the dose instructed and turned the lights out. The next afternoon I checked everything and the fish seemed fine. Later towards evening I Had a chance to feed them and observe. The sailfin would not eat. It swan around ok but seemed a bit shy. The wrasse and other tang along with the clowns ate very well. Late afternoon today I finally got down stairs to check it out and found it dead on the tank floor. The other fish seem quite well and active with good appetites.
I know things just happen and it won't be the last fish I lose. It was just kind of supprising how a health fish can go so quickly. I have to be honest though, it gives pause as to qting my fish. I will wait a couple days before going forward, but will complete the qt process.

What is your copper level at? What test kit are you using? You have to be careful when raising the copper level in your QT and go slowly if you aren't dealing with an emergency. I'm very sorry for your loss

JMM744 · Feb 9, 2017

I use the Seachem test kit. Never got to the point of testing before the fish died. Last night I would have checked it but from experience on my 10 gallon qt tank the copper builds slowly as you dose half doses twice and then fine tune to get where you need to be. If memory serves me, you dose 20 drops per 10.5 gallon, wait 48 hrs. And dose the same again.
Thanks, Jim

JMM744 · Feb 9, 2017

Sorry, it's cuprimine I am dosing.

Humblefish · Feb 9, 2017

It feels like I'm missing something here. Are you using copper in a QT or DT (with rocks/sand) environment?

JMM744 · Feb 9, 2017

Qt. I have two qt tanks going. A 40 breeder with the bigger fish and a 10 with a firefish, yellow watchman gobby and two cleaner gobbies. The 40 is where I lost the sailfin. I think it just died for unknown reasons.

redfishbluefish · Feb 9, 2017

@Humblefish , in post #3 the OP does mention a 10 gallon QT.

My "just to be clear" is that I believe you mean cupramine, and in that case the Seachem test kit will work. Note that your target dose is 0.35 to 0.5 ppm with ionic copper.

JMM744 · Feb 9, 2017

Correct. I stated the wrong medicine at the first post. Keeping the 10 at .5 or very close. Those guys only have a couple weeks to go till they get to swim in a nice big tank with lots of nice hiding places. I apologize for the error. I went ahead and edited the type of med being dosed.