Wrasse Quarantine

[FreddyFrags]

I just realized that there is a separate forum for disease and treatment, so this will probably be better asked here.

I still can’t believe it, but I have an isosceles, Jordani, and iridis coming in a week or two. I have been saving and waiting for these fish for quite some time so I want to make sure that I do things right and give them the best chance at being as healthy as possible.

I have a QT setup and cycled with cupramine, metro, prazi, focus, selcon, all on hand and ready to go. I’d like some opinions on proactively treating/medicating these fish before they go into the display tank. I’ve heard that these wrasses are particularly sensitive, so I want to make sure that I do this right. I’m torn between proactively treating for velvet/ich and just doing prazi and food soaked metro with focus.

I’d like to hear from the experts on this to help me choose the best path going forward to give these precious fish a good healthy start.

Thanks again!

 

[Big G]

Here's my usual treatment for all incoming fish that show no injury or disease.

Prophylactic Treatment: No observed symptoms of disease or injury

20 gal QT cycled: HOB with foam pad & BioMax treated with Bio Spira/Dr Tims, foam bubble filter with foam soaked for at least 2 weeks in DT sump, heater, powerhead, Seachem Ammonia Alert Badge.
Tank lights off. Ambient room lighting only.
Feed fish with white/black worms, vitamin & fiber packed frozen food with Selcon/Zoecon for at least 3 days
S-l-o-w-l-y (8-10 days) bring up copper to therapeutic levels for prophylactic treatment for 30 days: Tank lights off until therapeutic level is reached. Best to dose several times a day (AM, lunch, PM) rather than one large dose.
Carbon & Cuprisorb to remove copper. Water changes. Observe.
General Cure 2 doses 5-7 days apart. Turn up bubbler and turn on powerhead aimed at surface to increase O2. Like GC over Prazipro. GC has Metro + Praziquantel, so you are getting the Praziquantel which kills flukes and "some" internal parasites and Metro that kills all internal parasites/worms. And the dose of Praziquantel is lower but does the job and is easier on sensitive fish.
Carbon & water changes.
Observe 10-14 days.

 

[Humblefish]

For most wrasses, I treat with chelated copper (Copper Power), and then 2 rounds of API General Cure either before or after.

It’s very important to ramp your Cu level up slowly (5-7 days) with wrasses.

 

[HotRocks]

I just realized that there is a separate forum for disease and treatment, so this will probably be better asked here.

I still can’t believe it, but I have an isosceles, Jordani, and iridis coming in a week or two. I have been saving and waiting for these fish for quite some time so I want to make sure that I do things right and give them the best chance at being as healthy as possible.

I have a QT setup and cycled with cupramine, metro, prazi, focus, selcon, all on hand and ready to go. I’d like some opinions on proactively treating/medicating these fish before they go into the display tank. I’ve heard that these wrasses are particularly sensitive, so I want to make sure that I do this right. I’m torn between proactively treating for velvet/ich and just doing prazi and food soaked metro with focus.

I’d like to hear from the experts on this to help me choose the best path going forward to give these precious fish a good healthy start.

Thanks again!

One thing I would highly recommend is to consider the use of chelated copper such as copper power instead of cupramine which is ionic copper and tends to buy much more harsh on Wrasse.

Also a 5-7 day ramp up period seems to work pretty well with them. I currently have 5 wrasse, 3 of which are leopards that are known to be "sensitive" in copper.

I can tell you the use of copper power and the Hanna checker have made this so much easier for me. I raise the tank .25ppm per day until reaching my target of 1.75ppm. All of the current Wrasse are eating as if copper is non-existent.

 

[FreddyFrags]

Sorry, had a bit of a crisis at work today. Thanks so much for the responses and information. I’ve searched and cannot seem to find copper power locally, I’ll have to keep looking. I will definitely try my best to get that instead of the cupramine. As far as API GC goes, i already have prazipro, metro, focus, would that still work just as good as the General Cure?

I also have the seachem copper test kit, will that work well enough with the copper power? Or if I can’t find that, the cupramine?

Thanks again guys, I appreciate the help.

 

[HotRocks]

Sorry, had a bit of a crisis at work today. Thanks so much for the responses and information. I’ve searched and cannot seem to find copper power locally, I’ll have to keep looking. I will definitely try my best to get that instead of the cupramine. As far as API GC goes, i already have prazipro, metro, focus, would that still work just as good as the General Cure?

I also have the seachem copper test kit, will that work well enough with the copper power? Or if I can’t find that, the cupramine?

Thanks again guys, I appreciate the help.

You can use prazipro and metro instead of general cure. You just won't want to use them together at the same time.

General Cure contains praziquantel which is same as prazipro, it is a slightly lesser dose which tends to be less harsh on Wrasse. It also contains metronidazole, which is same as metroplex. So for QT purposes it's nice being able to use GC due to the fact that the meds are both powder form and can be used together.

The seachem test kit may read copper power at the low levels. But the test only reads up to 1.0ppm. So you will need the API kit to monitor the level once you are at the therapeutic level of 1.5ppm-2.0ppm.

 

[FreddyFrags]

You can use prazipro and metro instead of general cure. You just won't want to use them together at the same time.

General Cure contains praziquantel which is same as prazipro, it is a slightly lesser dose which tends to be less harsh on Wrasse. It also contains metronidazole, which is same as metroplex. So for QT purposes it's nice being able to use GC due to the fact that the meds are both powder form and can be used together.

The seachem test kit may read copper power at the low levels. But the test only reads up to 1.0ppm. So you will need the API kit to monitor the level once you are at the therapeutic level of 1.5ppm-2.0ppm.

Ok sounds good, I’ll have to order a few things tomorrow.

Thanks for the info, nervous with these fish because I’ve wanted them for so long but I think I’m ready for them and looking forward to getting them!

 

[HotRocks]

Definitely! Good luck!

 

[4FordFamily]

Amazon is where I buy my copper power. CopperUnSafe is available everywhere, however.

 

[Humblefish]

Best price on Copper Power: https://www.petmountain.com/product...wer-copper-power-marine-copper-treatment.html

 

[FreddyFrags]

Awesome, thanks !

 

[FreddyFrags]

I am unable to get copper power this time, but can get copper safe and I already have cupramine.

Which of the two would you guys recommend? I also already have the seachem test and Hanna checker is on backorder so can’t get that. API would be the only test I could get for the copper safe.

Best route for my precious wrasses that are coming?

Thanks so much

 

[HotRocks]

Personally I wouldn't use cupramine on wrasse if you can avoid it. I also wouldn't use API with coppersafe.

The Hanna checker would be must for me with copper safe. Which I highly recommend a chelated copper for your wrasse. Either copper power or copper safe. The Hanna checker is available readily on SW Aquarium, BRS, etc. I'd recommend that route if you have to use copper safe.

 

[Mfreddy]

For most wrasses, I treat with chelated copper (Copper Power), and then 2 rounds of API General Cure either before or after.

It’s very important to ramp your Cu level up slowly (5-7 days) with wrasses.

Same for a harlequin tusk?

 

[Humblefish]

Same for a harlequin tusk?

IME; Harlequin Tusks handle Chloroquine just fine. So, that would probably be a better choice for them than chelated copper.

FWIW; I don't have a lot of firsthand experience using copper on a Tuskfish, but I've read/been told they typically handle copper just fine. Pretty tough fish.

 

[Dr. Reef Verified Sponsor]

harlequin tusk can handle copper just fine. Go slow. Most manufacturers recommend dosage in 1 shot. I have seen better survival rate by breaking the dose over many days.

 

[Mfreddy]

IME; Harlequin Tusks handle Chloroquine just fine. So, that would probably be a better choice for them than chelated copper.

FWIW; I don't have a lot of firsthand experience using copper on a Tuskfish, but I've read/been told they typically handle copper just fine. Pretty tough fish.

Good to hear from you Humble. I hope all is well.

I sure wish I could find some Chloroquine. My vet's eyes just glazed over when I started explaining why I need a prescription for it. I did order some copper power.

 

[Mfreddy]

harlequin tusk can handle copper just fine. Go slow. Most manufacturers recommend dosage in 1 shot. I have seen better survival rate by breaking the dose over many days.

Good to hear. He seems to be in really good shape. He was destroying clam for dinner last night less than 4 hours after entering QT. This morning he tore up some Hikari krill.

 

[steveb]

I hope I'm not derailing this thread..but my question is along the same line.. wrasse compatibility in QT.

I have a Cirrhilabrus laboutei and a Cirrhilabrus lineatus arriving next week. I am wondering if I can QT them together?

 

[HotRocks]

Should be fine, I have one of each supermale in QT together currently.