Current Quarantine Protocol

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

@Jay Hemdal @winxp_man hello just an update
I still haven't seen the clown eat, he refuses pellets flakes or frozen. I have been loading his tank with baby brine shrimp live but not sure if hes eating those.
The last time I saw him eat was probably 16 days ago in my DT. He's been in quarantine for 9 days now with 4 rounds of metro and 2 round of prazi but still refusing to eat. He hasn't pooped anything at all. Swimming around though a tiny but lazy but he'll have random twitches from time to time.
Honestly im not sure whats wrong anymore im thinking I just move him back to my DT tomorrow and see how he does there, maybe he'll be happier with the other paired clownfish? What are your guys thoughts? Below video from today

I would NOT move the fish back to the DT. It's stiff body swimming tells me that it has some active disease, possibly Brooklynella, but more likely coccidia (which coincides with it not eating). The latter is not treatable though....

You might consider euthanasia, given the length of time it has gone without food - sorry!

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/fish-euthanasia.979258/

 

[winxp_man]

I would NOT move the fish back to the DT. It's stiff body swimming tells me that it has some active disease, possibly Brooklynella, but more likely coccidia (which coincides with it not eating). The latter is not treatable though....

You might consider euthanasia, given the length of time it has gone without food - sorry!

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/fish-euthanasia.979258/

Jay I don’t think it’s anything brook related. The two of the three maroons have tried to help all did this sadly and they never had a record of brook. The third one I thought was Brook, being it had slim coming off of it. BUT turned out to not be Brook under the microscope. The slim was odd, long strings, but the fishes body was okay not that brook powder. I decided to still do 2-3 Ruby rally pro dips with her at 3ml per gal. She then got over that, and was still not eating, I was going to start tube feeding, but decided to give her one last try with a different life food type. When she started her no eating mode, she ended up going after brine shrimp, then stopped eating even brine. So after the baths, I tried black worms. And that slowly did the trick.

If black worms, or brine don’t work, the fish is sadly a goner at this point. And as you said euthanasia is the best way.

Clove with a few drops to start. The fish slowly goes to sleep. Keep adding drops I until it’s gone for good. Once there is a good concentration give it 15-20 mintues and you can bury the fish.

 

[Bronco765]

2026 Quarantine Procedures

Jay Hemdal
David Scarborough

Introduction
Protozoans (Cryptocaryon/ich, Amyloodinium/velvet) and Metazoan trematodes/flukes are by far the most common parasites found on newly acquired marine fish. A carefully managed, proactive quarantine process can effectively eliminate these parasites before adding the fish to your display tank. This process may not fully control Brooklynella, Uronema, viruses or internal parasites. Those issues however, make up a proportionally much smaller number of disease cases in marine fish.

Options

1) Full quarantine process. 64 days including a 14-day observation period.

2) Two weeks copper (for velvet) followed by 30 days hyposalinity (for ich, flukes, Brooklynella and black ich). 45 days, with 5 days at the end to return from hyposalinity.

3) Combining copper and prazi to reduce the treatment time from 64 days to around 35 days. There is increased stress on the fish for doing this in some cases.


Quarantine tank Requirements:
Tank must be large enough to comfortably handle the number and size of fish for up to 9 weeks.

Tank should have a filtration system that has completed the nitrogen cycle. Canisters, HOB overflow filters, or appropriately sized sponge filters are acceptable.

• The tank should offer clear lateral viewing of the fish, bins and opaque containers that only allow for "top down" viewing are not a good idea to use, since careful observation of the fish is very important.
• The filtration system must not use carbon or other absorbing/adsorbing filtrants (e.g. Polyfilter) that might absorb copper or medication. NO calcareous rock LIVE or DEAD.
• Bare bottom should be used. A saucer with non-calcareous sand can be utilized for wrasses, gobies, blennies or other species which are overly stressed by the bare bottom. Painting the underside of the tank black can also help
• Heater/thermometer
• Removable structure, e.g. PVC pipe may be used to provide hiding places for the fish.
• Ambient light will often be adequate for the QT tank. Avoid using bright reef lights.
• A means to maintain oxygen levels should be available. Air stones and sponge filters are usually adequate. Powerheads may create too much current and they do not aerate well.
• A lid should be used to prevent the fish from jumping out of the tank.
• Set salinity level and temperature to the same levels as in your Display Tank.

1) Full Quarantine Process

Days 1 – 2: Observation - let the fish settle in and determine proper diet.

• Set QT temperature to 78 - 79 degrees F.
• Adjust the salinity to match the value that the fish will be arriving in (if known).
• Acclimate the new fish to the QT:
  • If not done in step above, measure salinity of the water in which the fish arrived.
  • Adjust salinity in QT to within 2 ppt of the salinity of the water in which the fish arrived.
  • Acclimate the fish to the QT gradually over 45 minutes Use aeration. Additonal acclimation information is here: https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/acclimation-methods.903/
• Observe the fish for any symptoms which might influence the treatment(s) you should administer.
• Determine if the fish are eating adequately to proceed.

Day 2: Begin Copper Treatment

• Add Coppersafe or copper power to the QT to achieve a concentration of 2.25 ppm over the course of 24 hours. This can be done in two doses 12 hours apart or multiple smaller doses if you prefer. Coppersafe will not be effective until a concentration over 2.0 ppm is present. A target of 2.25 ppm will allow for fluctuations without the risk of falling below the 2.0 ppm threshold. Hanna Copper checker is the most accurate test to use.
• Never use ammonia removing products or other reducing agents (dechlorinator) when dosing copper. Most products bind copper with an amine to reduce toxicity to the fish. Reducing agents risk breaking that bond, releasing free copper that can harm the fish.
• Feed and top off tank water normally.

Days 3 – 32: Continue Copper Treatment

• Monitor copper ppm regularly. If the copper level remains steady day to day, you can test less often, but if the concentration falls below 2.0 ppm, you may need to extend the 30-day count for the copper treatment.
• Monitor water quality parameters as you would for your display tank.
• If the copper or ammonia levels ever exceed guidelines, be prepared to administer water changes (pre dosed with copper) to correct the problem.

Day 34: Copper Done

• Begin copper removal through water changes.
• Binding agents Cuprisorb may be used to hasten the removal process, but work best with ionic copper.
• Carbon is usually too slow or ineffective at removing copper and should not be relied upon without adequate monitoring.

Day 35: Praziquantel Treatment #1

• Confirm copper has been removed adequately to drop the concentration to less than 1 ppm. Copper and Prazi should not be administered simultaneously unless there is suspicion of a severe fluke infection.
• Add Praziquantel to the QT per the dose on the label.
• Ensure the additional oxygenation source is working. This treatment will potentially reduce the oxygen levels within the QT to critical levels without additional air flow.
• Remove carbon or other chemical filtrants. Continuing running any protein skimmers, but don't collect the skimmate, let it run back into the tank. Additional information about dosing praziquantel is found in this file: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dosing-praziquantel-pzq.1105700/

Day 42, Day 49: Praziquantel Treatment #2, #3

• Add Prazi to the QT per the instructions on the label, 8 days apart. Spacing needed for these treatments is based on killing new flukes hatching from previously laid eggs. The time interval is not well known. A range of 7 to 9 days seems to give the best results.

Day 64: New Fish QT complete

Observe fish for 2 weeks after last prazi dose. Note: many public aquariums do not move fish out of quarantine unless they are in the middle of a full copper treatment. This vastly reduces the risk from Cryptocaryon or Amyloodinium. To use that method, substitute a copper treatment for this 2 week observation period, and move the fish out around day 10.

• Optional - conduct a 5-minute freshwater dip if the fish is of a species particularly susceptible to Neobenedenia flukes. If flukes are detected, reduce QT salinity to 50% and hold for an additional 35 days.
• Confirm salinity and temperature of QT and DT are the same, add fish to DT. No acclimation is required if the two tanks match in these parameters.

2) Modified Quarantine Process with Hyposalinity

This method is faster than the full process, but hyposalinity is less forgiving and some fish are sensitive to it. It does have the added benefit of helping to control Brooklynella in clownfish and black ich turbellarians in tangs.

Days 1 – 2: Observation - let the fish settle in and determine proper diet.

• Set QT temperature to 78 - 79 degrees F.
• Adjust the salinity to match the value that the fish will be arriving in (if known).
• Acclimate the new fish to the QT:
  • If not done in step above, measure salinity of the water in which the fish arrived.
  • Adjust salinity in QT to within 2 ppt of the salinity of the water in which the fish arrived.
  • Acclimate the fish to the QT gradually over 45 minutes Use aeration. Additonal acclimation information is here: https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/acclimation-methods.903/
• Observe the fish for any symptoms which might influence the treatment(s) you should administer.
• Determine if the fish are eating adequately to proceed.

Day 2: Begin Copper Treatment

• Add Coppersafe or copper power to the QT to achieve a concentration of 2.25 ppm over the course of 24 hours. This can be done in two doses 12 hours apart or multiple smaller doses if you prefer. Coppersafe will not be effective until a concentration over 2.0 ppm is present. A target of 2.25 ppm will allow for fluctuations without the risk of falling below the 2.0 ppm threshold. Hanna Copper checker is the most accurate test to use.
• Never use ammonia removing products or other reducing agents (dechlorinator) when dosing copper. Most products bind copper with an amine to reduce toxicity to the fish. Reducing agents risk breaking that bond, releasing free copper that can harm the fish.
• Feed and top off tank water normally.

Days 3 – 16: Continue Copper Treatment

• Monitor copper ppm regularly. If the copper level remains steady day to day, you can test less often, but if the concentration falls below 2.0 ppm, you may need to extend the 14-day count for the copper treatment.
• Monitor water quality parameters as you would for your display tank.
• If the copper or ammonia levels ever exceed guidelines, be prepared to administer water changes (pre dosed with copper) to correct the problem.

Day 16: Copper Done, begin hyposalinity. Hold fish at a specific gravity of 1.009 for 30 days and then return to normal salinity over 3 to 5 days. Refer to this file for complete instructions:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/hyposalinity.880546/

Day 47: Begin returning tank to normal salinity.

Day 50: Quarantine process completed.



3) Modified Quarantine Process with Overlapping Copper and Prazi

Note: Pure powdered prazi should be used as liquid Prazi products may cause more stress to the fish that is important to minimize since the fish are concurrently being dosed with copper.

Days 1 – 2: Observation - let the fish settle in and determine proper diet.

• Set QT temperature to 78 - 79 degrees F.
• Adjust the salinity to match the value that the fish will be arriving in (if known).
• Acclimate the new fish to the QT:
  • If not done in step above, measure salinity of the water in which the fish arrived.
  • Adjust salinity in QT to within 2 ppt of the salinity of the water in which the fish arrived.
  • Acclimate the fish to the QT gradually over 45 minutes Use aeration. Additonal acclimation information is here: https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/acclimation-methods.903/
• Observe the fish for any symptoms which might influence the treatment(s) you should administer.
• Determine if the fish are eating adequately to proceed.

Day 2: Begin Copper Treatment

• Add Coppersafe or copper power to the QT to achieve a concentration of 2.25 ppm over the course of 24 hours. This can be done in two doses 12 hours apart or multiple smaller doses if you prefer. Coppersafe will not be effective until a concentration over 2.0 ppm is present. A target of 2.25 ppm will allow for fluctuations without the risk of falling below the 2.0 ppm threshold. Hanna Copper checker is the most accurate test to use.
• Never use ammonia removing products or other reducing agents (dechlorinator) when dosing copper. Most products bind copper with an amine to reduce toxicity to the fish. Reducing agents risk breaking that bond, releasing free copper that can harm the fish.
• Feed and top off tank water normally.

Days 3 – 32: Continue Copper Treatment and start prazi treatment

• Monitor copper ppm regularly. If the copper level remains steady day to day, you can test less often, but if the concentration falls below 2.0 ppm, you may need to extend the 30-day count for the copper treatment.
• Monitor water quality parameters as you would for your display tank.
• If the copper or ammonia levels ever exceed guidelines, be prepared to administer water changes (pre dosed with copper) to correct the problem.
• On day 7: Add Praziquantel to the QT per the dose on the label.
• Ensure the additional oxygenation source is working. This treatment will potentially reduce the oxygen levels within the QT to critical levels without additional air flow.
• Remove carbon or other chemical filtrants. Continuing running any protein skimmers, but don't collect the skimmate, let it run back into the tank. Additional information about dosing praziquantel is found in this file: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dosing-praziquantel-pzq.1105700/
• Second prazi dose on day 14 and a third dose on day 23. A 25% water change (treated with copper) should be made prior to each prazi dose.

Day 34: Treatments Done

• Begin copper removal through water changes.
• Binding agents Cuprisorb may be used to hasten the removal process, but work best with ionic copper.
• Carbon is usually too slow or ineffective at removing copper and should not be relied upon without adequate monitoring.
• Confirm salinity and temperature of QT and DT are the same, add fish to DT. No acclimation is required if the two tanks match in these parameters.

***********************************************

General Notes:

Do not use copper or hyposalinity on sharks, rays, some eels or flashlight fish.

Do not use ionic copper products, as these are harsher than amine-chelated products such as Copper Power of Coppersafe.

Wild caught clownfish are prone to Brooklynella, and may need metronidazole or formalin treatments. Other sensitivities towards medications are listed in this file:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/fish-treatment-variations-by-species-and-medication.1078949/

All wild caught fish have a potentially high mortality rate from a variety of other reasons, just be aware that losing fish during this quarantine time can happen.

If the fish appear ill during any quarantine process, the issue needs to be diagnosed in case additional treatment is required. The Fish Medics on Reef2Reef can help you with that, or refer to this file for self-diagnosis:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/self-diagnosis-of-common-marine-fish-diseases.1141555/

Will the Fritzzyme 9 help setting up the QT tank bio filter along with a seeded sponge filter?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Will the Fritzzyme 9 help setting up the QT tank bio filter along with a seeded sponge filter?

Yes - if the sponge is well seeded and you add enough Fritzyme and the tank isn’t overcrowded - always keep an eye on the ammonia levels.

 

[Bronco765]

2026 Quarantine Procedures

Jay Hemdal
David Scarborough

Introduction
Protozoans (Cryptocaryon/ich, Amyloodinium/velvet) and Metazoan trematodes/flukes are by far the most common parasites found on newly acquired marine fish. A carefully managed, proactive quarantine process can effectively eliminate these parasites before adding the fish to your display tank. This process may not fully control Brooklynella, Uronema, viruses or internal parasites. Those issues however, make up a proportionally much smaller number of disease cases in marine fish.

Options

1) Full quarantine process. 64 days including a 14-day observation period.

2) Two weeks copper (for velvet) followed by 30 days hyposalinity (for ich, flukes, Brooklynella and black ich). 45 days, with 5 days at the end to return from hyposalinity.

3) Combining copper and prazi to reduce the treatment time from 64 days to around 35 days. There is increased stress on the fish for doing this in some cases.


Quarantine tank Requirements:
Tank must be large enough to comfortably handle the number and size of fish for up to 9 weeks.

Tank should have a filtration system that has completed the nitrogen cycle. Canisters, HOB overflow filters, or appropriately sized sponge filters are acceptable.

• The tank should offer clear lateral viewing of the fish, bins and opaque containers that only allow for "top down" viewing are not a good idea to use, since careful observation of the fish is very important.
• The filtration system must not use carbon or other absorbing/adsorbing filtrants (e.g. Polyfilter) that might absorb copper or medication. NO calcareous rock LIVE or DEAD.
• Bare bottom should be used. A saucer with non-calcareous sand can be utilized for wrasses, gobies, blennies or other species which are overly stressed by the bare bottom. Painting the underside of the tank black can also help
• Heater/thermometer
• Removable structure, e.g. PVC pipe may be used to provide hiding places for the fish.
• Ambient light will often be adequate for the QT tank. Avoid using bright reef lights.
• A means to maintain oxygen levels should be available. Air stones and sponge filters are usually adequate. Powerheads may create too much current and they do not aerate well.
• A lid should be used to prevent the fish from jumping out of the tank.
• Set salinity level and temperature to the same levels as in your Display Tank.

1) Full Quarantine Process

Days 1 – 2: Observation - let the fish settle in and determine proper diet.

• Set QT temperature to 78 - 79 degrees F.
• Adjust the salinity to match the value that the fish will be arriving in (if known).
• Acclimate the new fish to the QT:
  • If not done in step above, measure salinity of the water in which the fish arrived.
  • Adjust salinity in QT to within 2 ppt of the salinity of the water in which the fish arrived.
  • Acclimate the fish to the QT gradually over 45 minutes Use aeration. Additonal acclimation information is here: https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/acclimation-methods.903/
• Observe the fish for any symptoms which might influence the treatment(s) you should administer.
• Determine if the fish are eating adequately to proceed.

Day 2: Begin Copper Treatment

• Add Coppersafe or copper power to the QT to achieve a concentration of 2.25 ppm over the course of 24 hours. This can be done in two doses 12 hours apart or multiple smaller doses if you prefer. Coppersafe will not be effective until a concentration over 2.0 ppm is present. A target of 2.25 ppm will allow for fluctuations without the risk of falling below the 2.0 ppm threshold. Hanna Copper checker is the most accurate test to use.
• Never use ammonia removing products or other reducing agents (dechlorinator) when dosing copper. Most products bind copper with an amine to reduce toxicity to the fish. Reducing agents risk breaking that bond, releasing free copper that can harm the fish.
• Feed and top off tank water normally.

Days 3 – 32: Continue Copper Treatment

• Monitor copper ppm regularly. If the copper level remains steady day to day, you can test less often, but if the concentration falls below 2.0 ppm, you may need to extend the 30-day count for the copper treatment.
• Monitor water quality parameters as you would for your display tank.
• If the copper or ammonia levels ever exceed guidelines, be prepared to administer water changes (pre dosed with copper) to correct the problem.

Day 34: Copper Done

• Begin copper removal through water changes.
• Binding agents Cuprisorb may be used to hasten the removal process, but work best with ionic copper.
• Carbon is usually too slow or ineffective at removing copper and should not be relied upon without adequate monitoring.

Day 35: Praziquantel Treatment #1

• Confirm copper has been removed adequately to drop the concentration to less than 1 ppm. Copper and Prazi should not be administered simultaneously unless there is suspicion of a severe fluke infection.
• Add Praziquantel to the QT per the dose on the label.
• Ensure the additional oxygenation source is working. This treatment will potentially reduce the oxygen levels within the QT to critical levels without additional air flow.
• Remove carbon or other chemical filtrants. Continuing running any protein skimmers, but don't collect the skimmate, let it run back into the tank. Additional information about dosing praziquantel is found in this file: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dosing-praziquantel-pzq.1105700/

Day 42, Day 49: Praziquantel Treatment #2, #3

• Add Prazi to the QT per the instructions on the label, 8 days apart. Spacing needed for these treatments is based on killing new flukes hatching from previously laid eggs. The time interval is not well known. A range of 7 to 9 days seems to give the best results.

Day 64: New Fish QT complete

Observe fish for 2 weeks after last prazi dose. Note: many public aquariums do not move fish out of quarantine unless they are in the middle of a full copper treatment. This vastly reduces the risk from Cryptocaryon or Amyloodinium. To use that method, substitute a copper treatment for this 2 week observation period, and move the fish out around day 10.

• Optional - conduct a 5-minute freshwater dip if the fish is of a species particularly susceptible to Neobenedenia flukes. If flukes are detected, reduce QT salinity to 50% and hold for an additional 35 days.
• Confirm salinity and temperature of QT and DT are the same, add fish to DT. No acclimation is required if the two tanks match in these parameters.

2) Modified Quarantine Process with Hyposalinity

This method is faster than the full process, but hyposalinity is less forgiving and some fish are sensitive to it. It does have the added benefit of helping to control Brooklynella in clownfish and black ich turbellarians in tangs.

Days 1 – 2: Observation - let the fish settle in and determine proper diet.

• Set QT temperature to 78 - 79 degrees F.
• Adjust the salinity to match the value that the fish will be arriving in (if known).
• Acclimate the new fish to the QT:
  • If not done in step above, measure salinity of the water in which the fish arrived.
  • Adjust salinity in QT to within 2 ppt of the salinity of the water in which the fish arrived.
  • Acclimate the fish to the QT gradually over 45 minutes Use aeration. Additonal acclimation information is here: https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/acclimation-methods.903/
• Observe the fish for any symptoms which might influence the treatment(s) you should administer.
• Determine if the fish are eating adequately to proceed.

Day 2: Begin Copper Treatment

• Add Coppersafe or copper power to the QT to achieve a concentration of 2.25 ppm over the course of 24 hours. This can be done in two doses 12 hours apart or multiple smaller doses if you prefer. Coppersafe will not be effective until a concentration over 2.0 ppm is present. A target of 2.25 ppm will allow for fluctuations without the risk of falling below the 2.0 ppm threshold. Hanna Copper checker is the most accurate test to use.
• Never use ammonia removing products or other reducing agents (dechlorinator) when dosing copper. Most products bind copper with an amine to reduce toxicity to the fish. Reducing agents risk breaking that bond, releasing free copper that can harm the fish.
• Feed and top off tank water normally.

Days 3 – 16: Continue Copper Treatment

• Monitor copper ppm regularly. If the copper level remains steady day to day, you can test less often, but if the concentration falls below 2.0 ppm, you may need to extend the 14-day count for the copper treatment.
• Monitor water quality parameters as you would for your display tank.
• If the copper or ammonia levels ever exceed guidelines, be prepared to administer water changes (pre dosed with copper) to correct the problem.

Day 16: Copper Done, begin hyposalinity. Hold fish at a specific gravity of 1.009 for 30 days and then return to normal salinity over 3 to 5 days. Refer to this file for complete instructions:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/hyposalinity.880546/

Day 47: Begin returning tank to normal salinity.

Day 50: Quarantine process completed.



3) Modified Quarantine Process with Overlapping Copper and Prazi

Note: Pure powdered prazi should be used as liquid Prazi products may cause more stress to the fish that is important to minimize since the fish are concurrently being dosed with copper.

Days 1 – 2: Observation - let the fish settle in and determine proper diet.

• Set QT temperature to 78 - 79 degrees F.
• Adjust the salinity to match the value that the fish will be arriving in (if known).
• Acclimate the new fish to the QT:
  • If not done in step above, measure salinity of the water in which the fish arrived.
  • Adjust salinity in QT to within 2 ppt of the salinity of the water in which the fish arrived.
  • Acclimate the fish to the QT gradually over 45 minutes Use aeration. Additonal acclimation information is here: https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/acclimation-methods.903/
• Observe the fish for any symptoms which might influence the treatment(s) you should administer.
• Determine if the fish are eating adequately to proceed.

Day 2: Begin Copper Treatment

• Add Coppersafe or copper power to the QT to achieve a concentration of 2.25 ppm over the course of 24 hours. This can be done in two doses 12 hours apart or multiple smaller doses if you prefer. Coppersafe will not be effective until a concentration over 2.0 ppm is present. A target of 2.25 ppm will allow for fluctuations without the risk of falling below the 2.0 ppm threshold. Hanna Copper checker is the most accurate test to use.
• Never use ammonia removing products or other reducing agents (dechlorinator) when dosing copper. Most products bind copper with an amine to reduce toxicity to the fish. Reducing agents risk breaking that bond, releasing free copper that can harm the fish.
• Feed and top off tank water normally.

Days 3 – 32: Continue Copper Treatment and start prazi treatment

• Monitor copper ppm regularly. If the copper level remains steady day to day, you can test less often, but if the concentration falls below 2.0 ppm, you may need to extend the 30-day count for the copper treatment.
• Monitor water quality parameters as you would for your display tank.
• If the copper or ammonia levels ever exceed guidelines, be prepared to administer water changes (pre dosed with copper) to correct the problem.
• On day 7: Add Praziquantel to the QT per the dose on the label.
• Ensure the additional oxygenation source is working. This treatment will potentially reduce the oxygen levels within the QT to critical levels without additional air flow.
• Remove carbon or other chemical filtrants. Continuing running any protein skimmers, but don't collect the skimmate, let it run back into the tank. Additional information about dosing praziquantel is found in this file: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dosing-praziquantel-pzq.1105700/
• Second prazi dose on day 14 and a third dose on day 23. A 25% water change (treated with copper) should be made prior to each prazi dose.

Day 34: Treatments Done

• Begin copper removal through water changes.
• Binding agents Cuprisorb may be used to hasten the removal process, but work best with ionic copper.
• Carbon is usually too slow or ineffective at removing copper and should not be relied upon without adequate monitoring.
• Confirm salinity and temperature of QT and DT are the same, add fish to DT. No acclimation is required if the two tanks match in these parameters.

***********************************************

General Notes:

Do not use copper or hyposalinity on sharks, rays, some eels or flashlight fish.

Do not use ionic copper products, as these are harsher than amine-chelated products such as Copper Power of Coppersafe.

Wild caught clownfish are prone to Brooklynella, and may need metronidazole or formalin treatments. Other sensitivities towards medications are listed in this file:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/fish-treatment-variations-by-species-and-medication.1078949/

All wild caught fish have a potentially high mortality rate from a variety of other reasons, just be aware that losing fish during this quarantine time can happen.

If the fish appear ill during any quarantine process, the issue needs to be diagnosed in case additional treatment is required. The Fish Medics on Reef2Reef can help you with that, or refer to this file for self-diagnosis:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/self-diagnosis-of-common-marine-fish-diseases.1141555/

Without a seeded sponge filter is there a way to determine how much water needs to be changed to keep the ammonia at a safe level? For example a 10 gallon tank with one 3 inch butterfly.

 

[kboogie]

Without a seeded sponge filter is there a way to determine how much water needs to be changed to keep the ammonia at a safe level? For example a 10 gallon tank with one 3 inch butterfly.

That is a great question. I just want to add a little bit of my personal experience from dealing with an almost identical situation. I used a 5.5-gallon aquarium with a 5" and 3" Maroon Clownfish. I used the Seachem Ammonia Badge to monitor the ammonia. When levels got outside of the safe range, I would do 90% water change. I kept a five-gallon bucket on hand with fresh saltwater dosed with CopperSafe at 2.4 ppm and at the rate I was feeding, it required a water change every 5 to 7 days. I made the mistake of using Dr Tim's One and Only, which is much slower than Fritz and Microbacter Start XLM, at least in my experience, so I was doing that process for over two weeks. When I did a similar process with Fritz Turbo 900, the biological filtration was established in three days.

Now I have four large sponge filters that I keep established and use across up to four QT setups, and it has worked out very well. I maintain QT setups in 5.5-gallon, 10-gallon, and 20-gallon sizes depending on need.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Without a seeded sponge filter is there a way to determine how much water needs to be changed to keep the ammonia at a safe level? For example a 10 gallon tank with one 3 inch butterfly.

No - too many variables. I always tell people that ammonia will increase a lot faster than you would expect. With no bacterial seeding, and a moderately stocked tank, 1 ppm daily is pretty common

 

[mainquesthobbies]

2026 Quarantine Procedures

Jay Hemdal
David Scarborough

Introduction
Protozoans (Cryptocaryon/ich, Amyloodinium/velvet) and Metazoan trematodes/flukes are by far the most common parasites found on newly acquired marine fish. A carefully managed, proactive quarantine process can effectively eliminate these parasites before adding the fish to your display tank. This process may not fully control Brooklynella, Uronema, viruses or internal parasites. Those issues however, make up a proportionally much smaller number of disease cases in marine fish.

Options

1) Full quarantine process. 64 days including a 14-day observation period.

2) Two weeks copper (for velvet) followed by 30 days hyposalinity (for ich, flukes, Brooklynella and black ich). 45 days, with 5 days at the end to return from hyposalinity.

3) Combining copper and prazi to reduce the treatment time from 64 days to around 35 days. There is increased stress on the fish for doing this in some cases.


Quarantine tank Requirements:
Tank must be large enough to comfortably handle the number and size of fish for up to 9 weeks.

Tank should have a filtration system that has completed the nitrogen cycle. Canisters, HOB overflow filters, or appropriately sized sponge filters are acceptable.

• The tank should offer clear lateral viewing of the fish, bins and opaque containers that only allow for "top down" viewing are not a good idea to use, since careful observation of the fish is very important.
• The filtration system must not use carbon or other absorbing/adsorbing filtrants (e.g. Polyfilter) that might absorb copper or medication. NO calcareous rock LIVE or DEAD.
• Bare bottom should be used. A saucer with non-calcareous sand can be utilized for wrasses, gobies, blennies or other species which are overly stressed by the bare bottom. Painting the underside of the tank black can also help
• Heater/thermometer
• Removable structure, e.g. PVC pipe may be used to provide hiding places for the fish.
• Ambient light will often be adequate for the QT tank. Avoid using bright reef lights.
• A means to maintain oxygen levels should be available. Air stones and sponge filters are usually adequate. Powerheads may create too much current and they do not aerate well.
• A lid should be used to prevent the fish from jumping out of the tank.
• Set salinity level and temperature to the same levels as in your Display Tank.

1) Full Quarantine Process

Days 1 – 2: Observation - let the fish settle in and determine proper diet.

• Set QT temperature to 78 - 79 degrees F.
• Adjust the salinity to match the value that the fish will be arriving in (if known).
• Acclimate the new fish to the QT:
  • If not done in step above, measure salinity of the water in which the fish arrived.
  • Adjust salinity in QT to within 2 ppt of the salinity of the water in which the fish arrived.
  • Acclimate the fish to the QT gradually over 45 minutes Use aeration. Additonal acclimation information is here: https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/acclimation-methods.903/
• Observe the fish for any symptoms which might influence the treatment(s) you should administer.
• Determine if the fish are eating adequately to proceed.

Day 2: Begin Copper Treatment

• Add Coppersafe or copper power to the QT to achieve a concentration of 2.25 ppm over the course of 24 hours. This can be done in two doses 12 hours apart or multiple smaller doses if you prefer. Coppersafe will not be effective until a concentration over 2.0 ppm is present. A target of 2.25 ppm will allow for fluctuations without the risk of falling below the 2.0 ppm threshold. Hanna Copper checker is the most accurate test to use.
• Never use ammonia removing products or other reducing agents (dechlorinator) when dosing copper. Most products bind copper with an amine to reduce toxicity to the fish. Reducing agents risk breaking that bond, releasing free copper that can harm the fish.
• Feed and top off tank water normally.

Days 3 – 32: Continue Copper Treatment

• Monitor copper ppm regularly. If the copper level remains steady day to day, you can test less often, but if the concentration falls below 2.0 ppm, you may need to extend the 30-day count for the copper treatment.
• Monitor water quality parameters as you would for your display tank.
• If the copper or ammonia levels ever exceed guidelines, be prepared to administer water changes (pre dosed with copper) to correct the problem.

Day 34: Copper Done

• Begin copper removal through water changes.
• Binding agents Cuprisorb may be used to hasten the removal process, but work best with ionic copper.
• Carbon is usually too slow or ineffective at removing copper and should not be relied upon without adequate monitoring.

Day 35: Praziquantel Treatment #1

• Confirm copper has been removed adequately to drop the concentration to less than 1 ppm. Copper and Prazi should not be administered simultaneously unless there is suspicion of a severe fluke infection.
• Add Praziquantel to the QT per the dose on the label.
• Ensure the additional oxygenation source is working. This treatment will potentially reduce the oxygen levels within the QT to critical levels without additional air flow.
• Remove carbon or other chemical filtrants. Continuing running any protein skimmers, but don't collect the skimmate, let it run back into the tank. Additional information about dosing praziquantel is found in this file: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dosing-praziquantel-pzq.1105700/

Day 42, Day 49: Praziquantel Treatment #2, #3

• Add Prazi to the QT per the instructions on the label, 8 days apart. Spacing needed for these treatments is based on killing new flukes hatching from previously laid eggs. The time interval is not well known. A range of 7 to 9 days seems to give the best results.

Day 64: New Fish QT complete

Observe fish for 2 weeks after last prazi dose. Note: many public aquariums do not move fish out of quarantine unless they are in the middle of a full copper treatment. This vastly reduces the risk from Cryptocaryon or Amyloodinium. To use that method, substitute a copper treatment for this 2 week observation period, and move the fish out around day 10.

• Optional - conduct a 5-minute freshwater dip if the fish is of a species particularly susceptible to Neobenedenia flukes. If flukes are detected, reduce QT salinity to 50% and hold for an additional 35 days.
• Confirm salinity and temperature of QT and DT are the same, add fish to DT. No acclimation is required if the two tanks match in these parameters.

2) Modified Quarantine Process with Hyposalinity

This method is faster than the full process, but hyposalinity is less forgiving and some fish are sensitive to it. It does have the added benefit of helping to control Brooklynella in clownfish and black ich turbellarians in tangs.

Days 1 – 2: Observation - let the fish settle in and determine proper diet.

• Set QT temperature to 78 - 79 degrees F.
• Adjust the salinity to match the value that the fish will be arriving in (if known).
• Acclimate the new fish to the QT:
  • If not done in step above, measure salinity of the water in which the fish arrived.
  • Adjust salinity in QT to within 2 ppt of the salinity of the water in which the fish arrived.
  • Acclimate the fish to the QT gradually over 45 minutes Use aeration. Additonal acclimation information is here: https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/acclimation-methods.903/
• Observe the fish for any symptoms which might influence the treatment(s) you should administer.
• Determine if the fish are eating adequately to proceed.

Day 2: Begin Copper Treatment

• Add Coppersafe or copper power to the QT to achieve a concentration of 2.25 ppm over the course of 24 hours. This can be done in two doses 12 hours apart or multiple smaller doses if you prefer. Coppersafe will not be effective until a concentration over 2.0 ppm is present. A target of 2.25 ppm will allow for fluctuations without the risk of falling below the 2.0 ppm threshold. Hanna Copper checker is the most accurate test to use.
• Never use ammonia removing products or other reducing agents (dechlorinator) when dosing copper. Most products bind copper with an amine to reduce toxicity to the fish. Reducing agents risk breaking that bond, releasing free copper that can harm the fish.
• Feed and top off tank water normally.

Days 3 – 16: Continue Copper Treatment

• Monitor copper ppm regularly. If the copper level remains steady day to day, you can test less often, but if the concentration falls below 2.0 ppm, you may need to extend the 14-day count for the copper treatment.
• Monitor water quality parameters as you would for your display tank.
• If the copper or ammonia levels ever exceed guidelines, be prepared to administer water changes (pre dosed with copper) to correct the problem.

Day 16: Copper Done, begin hyposalinity. Hold fish at a specific gravity of 1.009 for 30 days and then return to normal salinity over 3 to 5 days. Refer to this file for complete instructions:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/hyposalinity.880546/

Day 47: Begin returning tank to normal salinity.

Day 50: Quarantine process completed.



3) Modified Quarantine Process with Overlapping Copper and Prazi

Note: Pure powdered prazi should be used as liquid Prazi products may cause more stress to the fish that is important to minimize since the fish are concurrently being dosed with copper.

Days 1 – 2: Observation - let the fish settle in and determine proper diet.

• Set QT temperature to 78 - 79 degrees F.
• Adjust the salinity to match the value that the fish will be arriving in (if known).
• Acclimate the new fish to the QT:
  • If not done in step above, measure salinity of the water in which the fish arrived.
  • Adjust salinity in QT to within 2 ppt of the salinity of the water in which the fish arrived.
  • Acclimate the fish to the QT gradually over 45 minutes Use aeration. Additonal acclimation information is here: https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/acclimation-methods.903/
• Observe the fish for any symptoms which might influence the treatment(s) you should administer.
• Determine if the fish are eating adequately to proceed.

Day 2: Begin Copper Treatment

• Add Coppersafe or copper power to the QT to achieve a concentration of 2.25 ppm over the course of 24 hours. This can be done in two doses 12 hours apart or multiple smaller doses if you prefer. Coppersafe will not be effective until a concentration over 2.0 ppm is present. A target of 2.25 ppm will allow for fluctuations without the risk of falling below the 2.0 ppm threshold. Hanna Copper checker is the most accurate test to use.
• Never use ammonia removing products or other reducing agents (dechlorinator) when dosing copper. Most products bind copper with an amine to reduce toxicity to the fish. Reducing agents risk breaking that bond, releasing free copper that can harm the fish.
• Feed and top off tank water normally.

Days 3 – 32: Continue Copper Treatment and start prazi treatment

• Monitor copper ppm regularly. If the copper level remains steady day to day, you can test less often, but if the concentration falls below 2.0 ppm, you may need to extend the 30-day count for the copper treatment.
• Monitor water quality parameters as you would for your display tank.
• If the copper or ammonia levels ever exceed guidelines, be prepared to administer water changes (pre dosed with copper) to correct the problem.
• On day 7: Add Praziquantel to the QT per the dose on the label.
• Ensure the additional oxygenation source is working. This treatment will potentially reduce the oxygen levels within the QT to critical levels without additional air flow.
• Remove carbon or other chemical filtrants. Continuing running any protein skimmers, but don't collect the skimmate, let it run back into the tank. Additional information about dosing praziquantel is found in this file: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dosing-praziquantel-pzq.1105700/
• Second prazi dose on day 14 and a third dose on day 23. A 25% water change (treated with copper) should be made prior to each prazi dose.

Day 34: Treatments Done

• Begin copper removal through water changes.
• Binding agents Cuprisorb may be used to hasten the removal process, but work best with ionic copper.
• Carbon is usually too slow or ineffective at removing copper and should not be relied upon without adequate monitoring.
• Confirm salinity and temperature of QT and DT are the same, add fish to DT. No acclimation is required if the two tanks match in these parameters.

***********************************************

General Notes:

Do not use copper or hyposalinity on sharks, rays, some eels or flashlight fish.

Do not use ionic copper products, as these are harsher than amine-chelated products such as Copper Power of Coppersafe.

Wild caught clownfish are prone to Brooklynella, and may need metronidazole or formalin treatments. Other sensitivities towards medications are listed in this file:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/fish-treatment-variations-by-species-and-medication.1078949/

All wild caught fish have a potentially high mortality rate from a variety of other reasons, just be aware that losing fish during this quarantine time can happen.

If the fish appear ill during any quarantine process, the issue needs to be diagnosed in case additional treatment is required. The Fish Medics on Reef2Reef can help you with that, or refer to this file for self-diagnosis:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/self-diagnosis-of-common-marine-fish-diseases.1141555/

Thank you for this awesome writeup.

I'm brand new to Quarantining and fairly new to reefing. I had a AIO 20g Nano tank for 1.5 yrs, mostly corals and 2 Clowns + PJ Cardinal + Gobie. That's it. No quarantining, never any issues but I want to learn how to do QT moving forward for my new tank.

My new DT is 110g, and I'm thinking to re-use my 20G as a QT tank.

My question is this. Since I now have a lot more space in the new tank I want to add new fish. I'm thinking a Tomini Tangs, maybe some wrasses, maybe another gobie etc. But how does QT work in terms of timing.

Like let's say my store finally gets a Tomini Tang in, and I go buy it, and I start the QT protocol. Does that mean I can't buy any other fish for 65 days? If I add in another fish, I have to start all over right?

My store doesn't always have the fish I want, they show up and then they're gone at random times, so I don't really know how to time this. Like maybe they might get the Tomini and then 2 weeks later they might get the wrasse I want or whatever.

Or if they have multiple fish at the same time, is it better to buy them together and QT together?


Based on my beginner understanding with this protocol we are limited to adding 1 fish per 65 days (assuming QT goes well)???

What's the practical way people handle this?

-Paul

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Thank you for this awesome writeup.

I'm brand new to Quarantining and fairly new to reefing. I had a AIO 20g Nano tank for 1.5 yrs, mostly corals and 2 Clowns + PJ Cardinal + Gobie. That's it. No quarantining, never any issues but I want to learn how to do QT moving forward for my new tank.

My new DT is 110g, and I'm thinking to re-use my 20G as a QT tank.

My question is this. Since I now have a lot more space in the new tank I want to add new fish. I'm thinking a Tomini Tangs, maybe some wrasses, maybe another gobie etc. But how does QT work in terms of timing.

Like let's say my store finally gets a Tomini Tang in, and I go buy it, and I start the QT protocol. Does that mean I can't buy any other fish for 65 days? If I add in another fish, I have to start all over right?

My store doesn't always have the fish I want, they show up and then they're gone at random times, so I don't really know how to time this. Like maybe they might get the Tomini and then 2 weeks later they might get the wrasse I want or whatever.

Or if they have multiple fish at the same time, is it better to buy them together and QT together?


Based on my beginner understanding with this protocol we are limited to adding 1 fish per 65 days (assuming QT goes well)???

What's the practical way people handle this?

-Paul

There's not a good way to coordinate fish coming into quarantine in different patches. Each new addition would require you to start over on day with with all of the fish. You can sort of "fudge" things a bit, by getting some fish, then don't start quarantine, but then add more fish the next week, and then start the full cycle on all of the fish. The trouble is that holding new fish untreated for more than a week runs the risk of them developing a disease.

A safer option would be to start the 30 days copper when you get the first fish, but then restart the counter to day one when you add new fish. You can run up to 45 days of copper for the first fish, so that give you two weeks to fill your QT.

 

[mfinn]

Thank you for this awesome writeup.

I'm brand new to Quarantining and fairly new to reefing. I had a AIO 20g Nano tank for 1.5 yrs, mostly corals and 2 Clowns + PJ Cardinal + Gobie. That's it. No quarantining, never any issues but I want to learn how to do QT moving forward for my new tank.

My new DT is 110g, and I'm thinking to re-use my 20G as a QT tank.

My question is this. Since I now have a lot more space in the new tank I want to add new fish. I'm thinking a Tomini Tangs, maybe some wrasses, maybe another gobie etc. But how does QT work in terms of timing.

Like let's say my store finally gets a Tomini Tang in, and I go buy it, and I start the QT protocol. Does that mean I can't buy any other fish for 65 days? If I add in another fish, I have to start all over right?

My store doesn't always have the fish I want, they show up and then they're gone at random times, so I don't really know how to time this. Like maybe they might get the Tomini and then 2 weeks later they might get the wrasse I want or whatever.

Or if they have multiple fish at the same time, is it better to buy them together and QT together?


Based on my beginner understanding with this protocol we are limited to adding 1 fish per 65 days (assuming QT goes well)???

What's the practical way people handle this?

-Paul

I know Jay will get back to you, but in the meantime, my go to quarantine procedure has always been Jay's line #3

3) Combining copper and prazi to reduce the treatment time from 64 days to around 35 days. There is increased stress on the fish for doing this in some cases.

It's better to go slow with just a few fish at the most in quarantine.
You also need to follow a plan on which fish to add first, and stick to it.

 

[mainquesthobbies]

There's not a good way to coordinate fish coming into quarantine in different patches. Each new addition would require you to start over on day with with all of the fish. You can sort of "fudge" things a bit, by getting some fish, then don't start quarantine, but then add more fish the next week, and then start the full cycle on all of the fish. The trouble is that holding new fish untreated for more than a week runs the risk of them developing a disease.

A safer option would be to start the 30 days copper when you get the first fish, but then restart the counter to day one when you add new fish. You can run up to 45 days of copper for the first fish, so that give you two weeks to fill your QT.

Thanks! I'll factor this into the equation.

 

[mainquesthobbies]

I know Jay will get back to you, but in the meantime, my go to quarantine procedure has always been Jay's line #3

3) Combining copper and prazi to reduce the treatment time from 64 days to around 35 days. There is increased stress on the fish for doing this in some cases.

It's better to go slow with just a few fish at the most in quarantine.
You also need to follow a plan on which fish to add first, and stick to it.

Yes, I'm leaning towards this protocol/process with like one fish at a time, max 2. That may be better than trying to QT a bunch at once.

 

[mainquesthobbies]

There's not a good way to coordinate fish coming into quarantine in different patches. Each new addition would require you to start over on day with with all of the fish. You can sort of "fudge" things a bit, by getting some fish, then don't start quarantine, but then add more fish the next week, and then start the full cycle on all of the fish. The trouble is that holding new fish untreated for more than a week runs the risk of them developing a disease.

A safer option would be to start the 30 days copper when you get the first fish, but then restart the counter to day one when you add new fish. You can run up to 45 days of copper for the first fish, so that give you two weeks to fill your QT.

So here in Canada I was able to find Copper Power Blue and Prazi-Met ( Praziquantel + Metronidazole in Powder Format). Also found Ruby Reef Rally Pro but that's more for Clowns, and I'm not planning on getting any of those right now. I'm also looking to get some MetroPlex + Focus if I can to add to food.

I used your framework as a starting point added a bit more detail so I can eventually turn this into a day by day checklist as it's my first time doing QT. I plan on getting a Tomini Tang. Do you see any issues with this protocol for my QT?

VERSION 0.1 - Starting Point

SETUP:
- 20-gallon nano QT (bare bottom, no sand, no rock — copper absorbs into both)
- Heater — match display tank temp
- Airstone — running at all times, especially during Prazi dosing
- PVC hiding spot for fish comfort
- Hanna Copper Checker HI702 — mandatory, test daily (less often if stable later)
- Hanna Ammonia checker — test every 2–3 days

ARRIVAL — DAY 1:
- 3-minute freshwater dip (matched pH and temp) — fluke detection and removal
- Observe fish closely — note breathing rate, behavior, any visible spots or slime
- Add fish to QT
- Begin Copper Power — target 2.25 ppm (per Hemdal; therapeutic floor is 2.0, ceiling is 2.5)
- Get nori clip in tank immediately — eating is the #1 health indicator for tangs
- NO ammonia removers or dechlorinators — will break copper bond

DAYS 1–6:
- Test copper daily — redose to maintain 2.25 ppm (copper binds to organics and drops)
- Test ammonia every 2–3 days
- Observe fish behavior and appetite closely
- Feed nori + metro food soak (MetroPlex + Focus) for internal parasite coverage

DAY 7:
- First Prazi dose (copper still running — concurrent)
- Ensure airstone is running — Prazi suppresses dissolved oxygen
- Continue copper testing and redosing

DAYS 7–13:
- Continue copper at 2.25 ppm
- Continue MetroPlex + Focus food soaks
- Monitor breathing (Prazi can affect gill function temporarily)

DAY 14:
- 25% water change — pre-dose replacement water with copper to maintain 2.25 ppm
- Second Prazi dose
- Continue food soaks

DAYS 14–22:
- Continue copper maintenance
- Continue food soaks
- Watch for any signs of bacterial infection (open sores, mouth rot, frayed fins) — if present, consider API E.M. Erythromycin

DAY 23:
- 25% water change — pre-dose replacement water with copper
- Third Prazi dose
- Continue food soaks

DAYS 23–34:
- Continue copper maintenance
- Wind down food soaks toward end of this period
- Begin planning display tank parameter matching

DAY 34:
- Treatments complete
- Begin copper removal (water changes)
- Monitor fish closely during copper removal phase

MOVE TO DISPLAY:
- Only after copper is fully cleared
- Parameters match display tank (temp, salinity, pH)
- Fish has been eating consistently and shows no symptoms

DISEASE COVERAGE (v0.1):
- Ich: Copper Power 2.25 ppm for 35 days
- Velvet: Copper Power (preventative — velvet kills in 24–72 hrs so copper is a filter, not a cure)
- Flukes: FW dip on arrival + 3x Prazi doses Days 7/14/23
- Brooklynella: Ruby Reef Rally Pro on hand as emergency — low priority for tangs
- Internal parasites: MetroPlex + Focus food soak throughout
- Bacterial infections: Situational — API E.M. Erythromycin if symptoms appear
- Uronema: Metro food soak covers this

MEDICATIONS USED:
- Copper Power Blue (front-line)
- Prazi-Met (Prazi doses — format TBC)
- Seachem MetroPlex + Focus (food soak)
- Ruby Reef Rally Pro (emergency Brook)
- API E.M. Erythromycin (situational bacterial)

REFERENCE PROTOCOLS:
- Hemdal-Scarborough Protocol 3 — Overlapping Copper + Prazi (primary reference)

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

So here in Canada I was able to find Copper Power Blue and Prazi-Met ( Praziquantel + Metronidazole in Powder Format). Also found Ruby Reef Rally Pro but that's more for Clowns, and I'm not planning on getting any of those right now. I'm also looking to get some MetroPlex + Focus if I can to add to food.

I used your framework as a starting point added a bit more detail so I can eventually turn this into a day by day checklist as it's my first time doing QT. I plan on getting a Tomini Tang. Do you see any issues with this protocol for my QT?

VERSION 0.1 - Starting Point

SETUP:
- 20-gallon nano QT (bare bottom, no sand, no rock — copper absorbs into both)
- Heater — match display tank temp
- Airstone — running at all times, especially during Prazi dosing
- PVC hiding spot for fish comfort
- Hanna Copper Checker HI702 — mandatory, test daily (less often if stable later)
- Hanna Ammonia checker — test every 2–3 days

ARRIVAL — DAY 1:
- 3-minute freshwater dip (matched pH and temp) — fluke detection and removal
- Observe fish closely — note breathing rate, behavior, any visible spots or slime
- Add fish to QT
- Begin Copper Power — target 2.25 ppm (per Hemdal; therapeutic floor is 2.0, ceiling is 2.5)
- Get nori clip in tank immediately — eating is the #1 health indicator for tangs
- NO ammonia removers or dechlorinators — will break copper bond

DAYS 1–6:
- Test copper daily — redose to maintain 2.25 ppm (copper binds to organics and drops)
- Test ammonia every 2–3 days
- Observe fish behavior and appetite closely
- Feed nori + metro food soak (MetroPlex + Focus) for internal parasite coverage

DAY 7:
- First Prazi dose (copper still running — concurrent)
- Ensure airstone is running — Prazi suppresses dissolved oxygen
- Continue copper testing and redosing

DAYS 7–13:
- Continue copper at 2.25 ppm
- Continue MetroPlex + Focus food soaks
- Monitor breathing (Prazi can affect gill function temporarily)

DAY 14:
- 25% water change — pre-dose replacement water with copper to maintain 2.25 ppm
- Second Prazi dose
- Continue food soaks

DAYS 14–22:
- Continue copper maintenance
- Continue food soaks
- Watch for any signs of bacterial infection (open sores, mouth rot, frayed fins) — if present, consider API E.M. Erythromycin

DAY 23:
- 25% water change — pre-dose replacement water with copper
- Third Prazi dose
- Continue food soaks

DAYS 23–34:
- Continue copper maintenance
- Wind down food soaks toward end of this period
- Begin planning display tank parameter matching

DAY 34:
- Treatments complete
- Begin copper removal (water changes)
- Monitor fish closely during copper removal phase

MOVE TO DISPLAY:
- Only after copper is fully cleared
- Parameters match display tank (temp, salinity, pH)
- Fish has been eating consistently and shows no symptoms

DISEASE COVERAGE (v0.1):
- Ich: Copper Power 2.25 ppm for 35 days
- Velvet: Copper Power (preventative — velvet kills in 24–72 hrs so copper is a filter, not a cure)
- Flukes: FW dip on arrival + 3x Prazi doses Days 7/14/23
- Brooklynella: Ruby Reef Rally Pro on hand as emergency — low priority for tangs
- Internal parasites: MetroPlex + Focus food soak throughout
- Bacterial infections: Situational — API E.M. Erythromycin if symptoms appear
- Uronema: Metro food soak covers this

MEDICATIONS USED:
- Copper Power Blue (front-line)
- Prazi-Met (Prazi doses — format TBC)
- Seachem MetroPlex + Focus (food soak)
- Ruby Reef Rally Pro (emergency Brook)
- API E.M. Erythromycin (situational bacterial)

REFERENCE PROTOCOLS:
- Hemdal-Scarborough Protocol 3 — Overlapping Copper + Prazi (primary reference)

Looks o.k. - if the fish is purchased locally, you can give it a FW dip upon entry, but if it is shipped to you, avoid that, as it is too stressful to an already stressed fish. You really need a microscope to evaluate a FW dip, only one type of fluke is large enough to see without one. I don't rely on FW dips providing much control of flukes.

Skip the "metro+focus" - that doesn't work unless you calculate the dose properly. Too little and it doesn't do anything, too much and it is too bitter and the fish avoid it. The proper dose is 1 to 2% metro by weight in the food, then feed that to the fish daily for 3 to 5 days. It really only works against gut flagellates like Hexamita and Spironucleus. Don't forget, Prazi-Met has metronidazole in it, so you run the risk of dosing too high. I would just rely on the Prazi-Met.