To extend QT period or not?

[PacsAdmin77]

Hi All,

I’m new to the marine aquarist hobby, but I’ve set up a 20 gallon quarantine tank with a harlequin tusk and a Niger trigger fish in it. It’s a bare bottom tank with no substrate or rock and I only have a hang in the back filter, a heater, and a powerhead for circulation. I’ve planned on a four week quarantine and both fish have been doing fine up until last week, when the tusk started scratching itself on the tank bottom. During this quarantine, I’ve been medicating with chelated copper (CopperSafe) and Prazipro so I don’t know why the tusk is suddenly becoming symptomatic. Other than the scratching, the tusk and the triggerfish are both swimming fine and eating fine. My question is, should I keep it at four-week quarantine or should I extend the quarantine for a longer period of time now that the tusk is showing symptoms of possible parasitic infestation (ich)?

 

[Crabs McJones]

Welcome to R2R!

#WelcometoR2R
Can you provide us with more info please? For your CopperSafe, what level were you keeping it at and what were you using to test to determine that level?

 

[Mr. Limpid]

You should not use Prazipro with other meds. Prazipro is only a week long treatment that you can repeat. Make sure you do the recommended what changes. As for the scratching do you see any raised white spots? What are your tanks prams, need to post a picture of the tusk. If you are still dosing copper you need to post the reading on that as well.

 

[PacsAdmin77]

Welcome to R2R!

#WelcometoR2R
Can you provide us with more info please? For your CopperSafe, what level were you keeping it at and what were you using to test to determine that level?

I’ve been keeping copper levels between 0.6 and 0.7. I’m using the SeaChem copper test kit.

 

[Humblefish]

I’ve been keeping copper levels between 0.6 and 0.7. I’m using the SeaChem copper test kit.

Therapeutic range for Coppersafe is 1.5 - 2.0ppm. And I'd highly recommend using one of these to accurately test: https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/coppe...truments-high-range-copper-checker-hi702.454/

 

[PacsAdmin77]

Therapeutic range for Coppersafe is 1.5 - 2.0ppm. And I'd highly recommend using one of these to accurately test: https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/coppe...truments-high-range-copper-checker-hi702.454/

The Hanna kit might be something I’ll try later on but for now, what’s 0.6-0.7 mg/L converted to ppm? My LFS suggested that I keep copper levels between 0.4 - 0.7.

 

[brwaldbaum]

mg/L = ppm.

Different forms of copper have different therapeutic ranges.

 

[Humblefish]

My LFS suggested that I keep copper levels between 0.4 - 0.7.

That range would be suitable for ionic copper (e.g. Cupramine). Although I personally don't like to exceed 0.5ppm w/Cupramine.

Coppersafe is chelated copper, and thus the higher 1.5 - 2.0ppm range.

 

[PacsAdmin77]

That range would be suitable for ionic copper (e.g. Cupramine). Although I personally don't like to exceed 0.5ppm w/Cupramine.

Coppersafe is chelated copper, and thus the higher 1.5 - 2.0ppm range.

Ah dang it, seems like I need to get that Hanna meter then.

 

[PacsAdmin77]

You should not use Prazipro with other meds. Prazipro is only a week long treatment that you can repeat. Make sure you do the recommended what changes. As for the scratching do you see any raised white spots? What are your tanks prams, need to post a picture of the tusk. If you are still dosing copper you need to post the reading on that as well.

Ok I’ll stop using the Prazipro. I think 4 weeks of Prazipro is enough. I’ve been doing 50% water changes every week and my ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates are very close to zero, pH 8.0, temp 78, and salinity 1.022. I don’t see any visible raised white spots this week but last week, I noticed a few on its tail. I’ve attached some pics of the tusk.

 

[drstardust]

Yeah, I would say you're dealing with ich, and sounds like the copper level was subtherapeutic so far. As such, get it up to the desired level (slowly) and start the clock from there. If you have more than one QT, you can use a method that a lot of us have adopted: keep fish in therapeutic copper x 14 days and then transfer (only the fish, nothing else) to the new tank. Then observe for 2 weeks to see if anything else pops up. If all is well, fish go to DT.