Should I Use Copper?

sundog101 · Dec 29, 2014

Hi, I need some advice on whether I should use copper to treat my fish with ich. Basically, I had an ich outbreak in my biocube 29 and moved my fish to a 20g QT. I'm planning on treating them but i cant seem to get my ammonia levels under control in the QT. I dont know why, but for some reason the tank has not cycled. My ammonia is at around 0.5 and the nitrates are 0. Also, it been set up for about 1 month. I used water, a sponge, and bioballs from my display, so i dont know why its taking so long. Anyway, I have a clownfish pair that were showing mild signs of ich, but now that the ammonia has crept up, they don't look too good (lots of spots and showing signs of stress). I dont know if I should go ahead and add copper or wait until I get the ammonia under control. Also, I have been using AmmoLock, but i know i would have to stop if I added copper. Any info would be helpful. Thanks!!

TJ's Reef · Dec 29, 2014

Personally I would not add any type of copper medication with Ammonia present. So, how long have they (fish) been in the said 20g QT... the full 30 days ? and what and how much are being fed ? You are right in thinking with the addition of some of the original tank water, bio-balls and sponge there should not be a ammonia issue still. I'd do a large 50% or more water change, rinsing sponge and bio-balls in removed water, controled feedings meaning minimal feedings with quality frozen or pellet only no flake and if fish are in serious need of relief from parasites do a PH adjusted FW dip to alleviate further gill damage. Best of luck and keep us posted.

Cheers, Todd

sundog101 · Dec 29, 2014

Thanks for the reply. I just finished a 50% water change and the ammonia still read close to 0.5, maybe 0.4. I dont know, maybe my test kit is bad. I'm using the api, do you think they're accurate? Also, the fish have been in the QT for 3 weeks. I'm feeding Rod's original blend and frozen mysis shrimp once a day (very little). I alternate between the two each day. I didn't rinse the sponge and bioballs, but i will next water change. If the ich gets to bad, I'll think about the FW dip. By the way, I'll be going the my lfs tomorrow and I'll bring a water sample in for them to test.

Humblefish · Dec 29, 2014

Sounds to me like you may be using a bad test kit. It happens more often than people think. I agree with Todd; don't start using copper until you get the ammonia situation under control.

How many fish are you needing to QT? There are other (better) options for ich than using copper.

sundog101 · Dec 30, 2014

Just the two clowns are being quarantined.

sundog101 · Dec 30, 2014

Well, one of the clownfish died this morning. I was planning on doing the FW dip today, but I guess the Ich got to bad. Also, I went to my lfs and got a new test kit. With the new test, ammonia read at 1.0! I have not even fed since the last water change. So, I moved the clownfish back into the display where the ammonia is 0. There's definitely a problem, but I have no idea where this ammonia is coming from. How can one fish raise the ammonia from 0.5 to 1.0 in less than a day? So, now that the clown is back in the dt im planning on figuring out the ammonia problem first and then go from there.

Humblefish · Dec 30, 2014

Sounds like your QT is not completely cycled. You've also transferred ich to it (from the clown). How long has it been since you first noticed white spots on the clownfish? I was going to recommend tank transfer to you; it is a chemical-less solution to eradicating ich. And you don't need a cycled tank to do it, as the fish is moved into a new tank (or bucket) every 3 days.

Humblefish · Dec 30, 2014

Are these new clownfish or have you had them awhile? Any other recent fish purchases? I am just trying to be sure you are, in fact, dealing with ich and not velvet. The latter can look like ich, but the fish is usually more covered in spots and does not survive past 72 hrs.

blacktippr · Dec 30, 2014

Did you add any copper before? I had an issue of false positive amonia before, can't remember if it was with cuppramine or with coppersafe. You could use the little tester that you attach to the glass made by seachem, that will work with copper. Copper will give you a false amonia reading.

sundog101 · Jan 2, 2015

I've had the clownfish for about 2 months. What happened was I also had a royal gramma (not a new fish) who got ich amonth ago. The clownfish had it, but not very bad. When I moved them to the QT, that's when it got bad which was about 2 weeks ago. Unfortunately, the ich got really bad on the royal gramma and he also died. I have not made any recent fish purchases and I have not added any copper. My lfs thought that I could have been doing too many water changes and prohibiting bacterial growth, which was not allowing the tank to cycle. With the clownfish out, I think I'm going to let the tank sit for a week or two and see if it cycles.