Carpenter Wrasse not doing well

[Bitflip]

I added a carpenter fairy wrasse, yellow watchman and purple firefish to QT yesterday evening.

QT is 10G pre dosed at 1ppm copper power tested with Hanna.

The fish was swimming at the store and last night. This morning it's laying at the bottom with heavy breathing with the light still off.

Other fish are eating.

Aquarium is cycled, has a filter and air stone.

Other tank available, if I needed to move it
I have pre cycled 5 gallon (that I used after the 14 days) without copper.
I also have a 17g which just have invert and live rock left in it. I am almost done transfering form it to my new tank.

I was planning to raise copper by 33ppm until I reach 2ppm. But i'm not sure what to do now.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I added a carpenter fairy wrasse, yellow watchman and purple firefish to QT yesterday evening.

QT is 10G pre dosed at 1ppm copper power tested with Hanna.

The fish was swimming at the store and last night. This morning it's laying at the bottom with heavy breathing with the light still off.

Other fish are eating.

Aquarium is cycled, has a filter and air stone.

Other tank available, if I needed to move it
I have pre cycled 5 gallon (that I used after the 14 days) without copper.
I also have a 17g which just have invert and live rock left in it. I am almost done transfering form it to my new tank.

I was planning to raise copper by 33ppm until I reach 2ppm. But i'm not sure what to do now.

Not abnormal for a wrasse to behave in this manner when first introduced. Leave lights low intensity first 48 hours and the air stone mentioned. Were fish acclimated to tank?
Also, do not ramp up coppersafe levels but get to 2.25pp, within 24 hours. Ramping allows potential disease to gain hold of a fish and coppersafe starts to work at 2ppm. Go to level 2.25ppm and monitor with hanna brand copper test kit

 

[Bitflip]

Thanks,

I am using copper power (not copper safe), for acclimation I matched the salinity to the store ( 1.021) and temperature, but I did not mix the water.

I will increase copper power to 2ppm right away.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks,

I am using copper power (not copper safe), for acclimation I matched the salinity to the store ( 1.021) and temperature, but I did not mix the water.

I will increase copper power to 2ppm right away.

Copperpower works same as coppersafe and slowly raise the salinity to 1.024. Stores keep it low to reduce risk of parasites amongst multiple fish but not low enough

 

[ScottJ]

FWIW, my Carpenter Fairy Wrasse is a drama queen. He jumped out of the tank when I was working on it once. I scooped him right up and got him back in immediately. He laid on the bottom and acted all put out for two or three days. Then got up and was perfectly fine.

He did the same thing after a Flatworm Exit treatment. Other fish were fine after, but not him. He will also just float on his side bouncing on the bottom for a couple hours once in a while.

They are great fish, though. I hope you have a good luck with him.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Thanks,

I am using copper power (not copper safe), for acclimation I matched the salinity to the store ( 1.021) and temperature, but I did not mix the water.

I will increase copper power to 2ppm right away.

I agree, this issue isn’t from the copper, the wrasse might have gotten banged up during capture or transport.

 

[Bitflip]

Raised copper to 2.0 before leaving home, will be doing the last 0.25 after-work. Hopefully it's doing better then.

 

[Bitflip]

Unfortunately he didn't make it though the day.
Thanks for the help.

Edit: I raised copper to 2.5 for the two other fish.