Copper Safe Acceptable Therapeutic Levels

[LAReefer4Life]

The infamous copper power question... What is the acceptable therapeutic levels for copper power? I know @HotRocks doses 1.75ppm, @Humblefish in the past has said 1.5-2ppm is acceptable but as of late @Humblefish has advised 2.5ppm due to copper resistant strains of velvet and ich?

I have always used cupramine in the past but have read great feedback on copper power from the disease experts on R2R. I am currently QTing a regal angelfish with copper power and my hanna checker reading is 2.05ppm. The regal wasn't showing any signs of parasites but I put all my fish through copper and General Cure as best practice before adding to my DT.

Am I safe holding therapeutic levels at 2ppm for the remainder of the 14 days or is it imperative that I increase it 2.5ppm? If this wasn't a regal I wouldn't hesitate to hold at 2.5ppm but since copper is an appetite suppressant, and I just got him eating a few days ago, I don't want to risk it.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

 

[bevo5]

Following along - I have always just gone to 2.0 with copper power for 30days.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

The infamous copper power question... What is the acceptable therapeutic levels for copper power? I know @HotRocks doses 1.75ppm, @Humblefish in the past has said 1.5-2ppm is acceptable but as of late @Humblefish has advised 2.5ppm due to copper resistant strains of velvet and ich?

I have always used cupramine in the past but have read great feedback on copper power from the disease experts on R2R. I am currently QTing a regal angelfish with copper power and my hanna checker reading is 2.05ppm. The regal wasn't showing any signs of parasites but I put all my fish through copper and General Cure as best practice before adding to my DT.

Am I safe holding therapeutic levels at 2ppm for the remainder of the 14 days or is it imperative that I increase it 2.5ppm? If this wasn't a regal I wouldn't hesitate to hold at 2.5ppm but since copper is an appetite suppressant, and I just got him eating a few days ago, I don't want to risk it.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

I learned just yesterday that the new bottles of Copper Power indicate that a full dose is 2.5 mg/l (used to be 2 mg/l, and I tested a full dose at 2.1). They say it can be used at a lower dose, but IMO, given how slow copper power and coppersafe are to work, and how non-toxic they are, best to go with a full 2.5 dose.

Now - is there such a thing as copper resistant strains of protozoans? That has not been documented, only inferred from failed lower dose treatments.

What are you using to test with? If the Hanna HR kit, I would little reservation going to 2.5 with it, certainly would be fine for coppersafe. I also treat for 30, not 14 days.

Jay

 

[LAReefer4Life]

I learned just yesterday that the new bottles of Copper Power indicate that a full dose is 2.5 mg/l (used to be 2 mg/l, and I tested a full dose at 2.1). They say it can be used at a lower dose, but IMO, given how slow copper power and coppersafe are to work, and how non-toxic they are, best to go with a full 2.5 dose.

Now - is there such a thing as copper resistant strains of protozoans? That has not been documented, only inferred from failed lower dose treatments.

What are you using to test with? If the Hanna HR kit, I would little reservation going to 2.5 with it, certainly would be fine for coppersafe. I also treat for 30, not 14 days.

Jay

Thanks @Jay Hemdal. I am using the hanna HR checker to test my copper levels. I am only treating for 14 days since I am transferring to sterile QT afterwards for observation. Do you advise against that method?

My main hesitation with increasing copper levels is the appetite suppression for my regal. He just started eating as few days ago and that was a process, let me tell you.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Thanks @Jay Hemdal. I am using the hanna HR checker to test my copper levels. I am only treating for 14 days since I am transferring to sterile QT afterwards for observation. Do you advise against that method?

My main hesitation with increasing copper levels is the appetite suppression for my regal. He just started eating as few days ago and that was a process, let me tell you.

Well, as long as the regal didn't have any observable protozoan parasites on it, and then you observe it for a good two weeks, that isn't a bad plan. If you saw ich or velvet, you should go for 30 days. You might consider treating with prazipro at some point, you can do that during the two week observation period.

Jay

 

[LAReefer4Life]

Well, as long as the regal didn't have any observable protozoan parasites on it, and then you observe it for a good two weeks, that isn't a bad plan. If you saw ich or velvet, you should go for 30 days. You might consider treating with prazipro at some point, you can do that during the two week observation period.

Jay

Thank you Jay

 

[bevo5]

Ich can attach in places you won’t always see. I’d feel more comfortable with going for the full 30 days myself.