after introduceing my baby picassos approx. 3 months old, my kole tang started to show sign of ich, now its spreading. i am in the process of cycleing my hospital tank and planned on using cupramine for treatment, is it safe for my little works of art, if not what is a safe alternative. this ich has me worried sick. please help, thank you
how safe is cupramine on juv. fish?
- Thread starter ras
- Start date
Copper is a poison to any fish. If used as directed and you test and maintain your copper level as directed you will be just fine. On a second note. Cycling a hospital tank is a waste of time. The QT is used for the addministration of medication, many of which will kill just about all of the bacteria you just colonalized in the tank. That is why we dont use medications in our displays. Any thing you use in a QT should never be put into the DT (filters, rock, sand) If you have rock in your QT and you are treating for ich, The copper you used to treat the fish will soak into the raock and will then leach out of it later if put back in the DT. Same goes with parasites to. What you use in your QT stays with the QT and NEVER touches the DT.
ModernReef
New Member
+1
Basically your making the water toxic enough to kill lower life forms, but not higher life forms.
Its like treating a cut on your hand with terpintine, it will kill bacteria, but unmonitered, or in too high of doses, It will kill you too!! Its about one step more advanced than say "Leaching"
I understand you want to treat them because there expensive, but its better to find out what is causing the problem, rather than throw meds at it.
IMHO, Chances are it was a stress related outbreak, and when you re introduce them, it will probably re surface.
I have never had to treat my juveniles but if they became infested with ICH, I would treat them using Cupramine for sure. With my strict QT'ing procedures and the fact that I previously treated all my fish for ICH, I have successfully avoided that disease.
I disagree with the above opinion that 'cycling a QT is a waste of time'. While it is true that treatments may have an adverse affect on the nitrifying bacteria, having the QT fully cycled will definately help keep the ammon/nitrItes down. With that said, always be ready to perform daily (or twice daily) water changes if necessary. When my reef fish were in the hospital tank getting treated, I purchased several buckets of salt just for that reason.
I disagree with the above opinion that 'cycling a QT is a waste of time'. While it is true that treatments may have an adverse affect on the nitrifying bacteria, having the QT fully cycled will definately help keep the ammon/nitrItes down. With that said, always be ready to perform daily (or twice daily) water changes if necessary. When my reef fish were in the hospital tank getting treated, I purchased several buckets of salt just for that reason.
To clarify my post above regarding possible daily or twice daily water changes:
I stipulated "as needed". It is always best to be prepared.
Stocking levels, medication used, feeding amounts and testing results (ammoni/nitrite/PH/nitrAte) ALL play a part in determining water quality and how often water changes are needed.
A single damsel in a 20 gal vs 6 large fish in the same tank will require different maintenance regimen.
I hear of WAY too many fish dieing in a QT/hospital tank because the person didn't know or thought they did not have to perform water changes needed to keep the water quality high.
Cycling the tank will help a LOT but always, always be prepared to do daily water changes or even twice daily if needed.
Stocking levels, medication used, feeding amounts and testing results (ammoni/nitrite/PH/nitrAte) ALL play a part in determining water quality and how often water changes are needed.
A single damsel in a 20 gal vs 6 large fish in the same tank will require different maintenance regimen.
I hear of WAY too many fish dieing in a QT/hospital tank because the person didn't know or thought they did not have to perform water changes needed to keep the water quality high.
Cycling the tank will help a LOT but always, always be prepared to do daily water changes or even twice daily if needed.