HELP! Ich after 14 day cupramine treatment

ClarkesReef

New Member
recently my DT had an outbreak of Ich. I had set up a QT tank to treat my fish with cupramine. I treated for 14 days as per the bottles instructions ( 0.5
Mg/l ), I lost two fish ( lawn mower Blenny, and my royal dotty back) during this treatment . I have removed all the copper out of my tank. One of my fish had stopped eating and isolated itself (a yellow tang), but thought it was due to an ammonia spike I was having. It was at a 3.0 and I now have it down to a 1.0 ppm. Yellow tang is now eating with garlic guard. I’m thinking that the copper has killed all my good bacteria in the QT and caused the spike. I am doing regular water changes trying to lower because the fish must stay in this tank for the remainder of my fallow period for my DT. HOWEVER, my fish are still scratching, and my hippo tang has spots on her. You can only see them at a certain angle, when before in my 1st break out, you could see them on the hippo tang at any angle. What could this be? Air bubbles ? Flukes ? Could the ammonia spike cause them to scratch ? Or another ich break out . How is this possible after the 14 day treatment in my QT tank. I posted a picture of these white dots on the hippo tang . I had a hard time getting a picture of the dots at the right angle so Pictures are not the best
 

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Uncle99

Well-Known Member
It's not velvet or he would be dead by now.
Recent outbreak, highly subseptible fish for Ick.
Looks like Ick to me, many small dimple like "dots" on fish, spread out, across the body and fins.
It's hard to see in the photo but that's my guess.

Copper kills everything usually, sometimes fish too, so a tank with copper is bacterially dead. Compensate with daily water changes, suck up poop and uneaten foods daily.

If you think is Ick again, I would not start the copper again, it's a bit hard on some fish.

With tangs, I would consider HYPO-Salinity of 1.009 constant, in normal and consistent temp water, 10-15 % water change daily. Once ALL spots drop off fish, (4-8 days) go a further week maintaining 1.009. Remember, you can lower salinity quick, but real slow when increasing.

Feed high protein 2x daily, he might only take a bite or two at the start....just suck out what he don't eat. Healthy, well fed fish don't get Ick, they are immune. This is key.

My understanding is that the parasite cannot regulate its intake of water when salinity is very low,and they literally "blow themselves up"

An extra benefit of lower salinity is its easier for your fish to respirate, a common symptom of Ick infested fish.

If still no spots, raise salinity slowly, about .002 a day until salinity is back to whatever you keep it at in DT.

So, a bucket, your QT, heater, cheap light, salt and RODI, and refractometer, that's basically it.

Research this site stickies for Hypo, (only works on Ick) to see if this is right for you.

As an alternative, also review stickies for the TTM method, I have not used it but many do and tons of good reports on this method. it's very easy to do also.

Good luck...
image.jpeg
 
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Humblefish

Active Member
Two observations:
  1. 14 days worth of copper is not long enough to eradicate ich. If using just one QT, treating for 30 consecutive days will give you a higher likelihood of successful treatment.
  2. Testing for ammonia while copper is present in the water will yield false positives. You have to rely upon a Seachem ammonia alert badge whilst using copper.
 

Uncle99

Well-Known Member
My shortest time to clear Ick with cupramine was two weeks but this could easily double, each tank of water is somewhat different in chemistry, temp and species of fish.

For me, running at 80 degrees, ocellaris. Using cupramine.
4 days....spots significantly reduced.
7 days......gone
+ 7 days....observation, maintain cupramine.
14 days total in this case.
Removed cupramine and went another 7 days.
 
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