Using cuppramine to treat Ich - Help!!

Powderbluetang · Mar 22, 2016

So I'm trying to treat ich in my tank. I have all my fish in a 50 gallon QT tank with live rocks that will never be used again. I was trying to make the 50 gallon QT as stress free as possible. Today after 1 week of cupramine treatment, I notice that the blue tangs (small and a medium one) both have white spots on them. Usually in the past when I put fishes in QT with cupramine, the white spots dissappears but yesterday and today, I notice a whole lot of white spots which i think is ich. Am I wrong... I thought the ich was suppose to die in cupramine set to .5

Can someone shed some light on this. I'm confused now. The blue tang was the hardiest fish in the tank and would eat everything. Now that its in the QT thank, it sleeps all the time... or doesn't move much. What should I do guys?

Greenstreet.1 · Mar 22, 2016

Remember the rock sucks up the copper what was your level when you tested. Also there's a big thread on treating fish with copper

Powderbluetang · Mar 22, 2016

coppermine level has been steady. Just tested today.

hybridazn · Mar 22, 2016

I'm guessing the copper levels are depleting quickly because it's being absorbed by the rock. Pull the rock and replace with larger pvc fittings to provide hiding and comfort spots.

Greenstreet.1 · Mar 22, 2016

You should tag the big homie @Humblefish. Just did it for you

hybridazn · Mar 22, 2016

Powderbluetang said:
coppermine level has been steady. Just tested today.

What test kit are you using?

Humblefish · Mar 22, 2016

hybridazn said:
What test kit are you using?

^^This. And how often are you testing? You may need to test multiple times daily to ensure therapeutic levels are being maintained due to absorption by the rock.

ERIC1975 · Mar 23, 2016

I hope you add Cupramine in small increments over a few days instead of all at once. Even when you do so some fishes just won't make it.

Powderbluetang · Mar 23, 2016

Just took the rocks out and put in pvc pipes. I think the problem is when I add in the water from the DT tank which is were they were all at. I'm sure the DT tank has some ich floating around right now. I didnt add copper till I put the water in the QT from the DT tank. Thats probably how they are being introduced back into the tank. They are probably staying alive long enough to find a host because the copper level would have been lower when I add in the DT water.

I'm using the API test it. I know it's not the best but it seems reading just fine for me.

Powderbluetang · Mar 23, 2016

Thanks greenstreet.1

jetmaker · Mar 23, 2016

@Humblefish what is the therapudic level

Greenstreet.1 · Mar 23, 2016

0.5 is what I stay at when I use it.

Powderbluetang · Mar 23, 2016

That's where I'm at as well. .5
What do you guys think about a fresh water dip and then put the fish back in the QT tank. Is that too much for the fish?

jetmaker · Mar 23, 2016

Powderbluetang said:
That's where I'm at as well. .5
What do you guys think about a fresh water dip and then put the fish back in the QT tank. Is that too much for the fish?

With no more than that just give it time and feed garlic and selcon should be fine

Greenstreet.1 · Mar 23, 2016

I never did the fresh water dip nothing against it just never had a fish that badly off that it needed a FW dip.

Humblefish · Mar 23, 2016

jetmaker said:
@Humblefish what is the therapudic level

0.35 - 0.5 mg/L in the range; but practically speaking 0.5 is more attainable using a hobbyist grade test kit, so that's what people should shoot for when using Cupramine.

Powderbluetang said:
I'm using the API test it. I know it's not the best but it seems reading just fine for me.

Speaking from experience, 0.5 is very hard to distinguish from 0.25 using the API copper test kit. It is better for measuring high range chelated copper. For ionic copper like Cupramine, you really need to use a Seachem or Salifert copper test kit as both are designed to read in the low range.

Powderbluetang · Mar 23, 2016

jetmaker said:
With no more than that just give it time and feed garlic and selcon should be fine

I will add some garlic since I have that.

jetmaker · Mar 23, 2016

Humblefish said:
0.35 - 0.5 mg/L in the range; but practically speaking 0.5 is more attainable using a hobbyist grade test kit, so that's what people should shoot for when using Cupramine.

Speaking from experience, 0.5 is very hard to distinguish from 0.25 using the API copper test kit. It is better for measuring high range chelated copper. For ionic copper like Cupramine, you really need to use a Seachem or Salifert copper test kit as both are designed to read in the low range.

What's the best way to clean pumps and power heads to rid them of copper after