Lilnoelle80
Community Member
Help!
I have four qt tanks with fish being treated with Cupramine for ich. I recently switched from treating with Ich X to Cupramine.
Last night I found my previously healthy appearing (other than a few ich spots on fins) Copperband butterflyfish dead in one of the tanks.
I checked levels and Copper was a bit high at 0.81. Ammonia was 1 (can I trust that value since Copper is in the tank?). I did a 25% water change to bring the copper level into goal range. Somehow the heater was unplugged and the temp was 72.... lots of reasons for the fish to be stressed (and I feel bad about that, but can’t change it). I turned the heat back on to increase gradually today. There’s a purple tang left in that tank that seemed to be doing ok.
The tank that concerns me is a 20g that has a Niger triggerfish and a falco hawkish in it. Copper level 0.67, ammonia 0.5 (again, can I trust that value?) temp 82, salinity 32.
The niger seems stressed. He’s not eating and hasn’t left his hiding spot when I’ve been in the room. He typically swims around and eager to eat, even since being put in quarantine (less so since adding copper).
I’m second guessing my choice to switch to copper treatment. Everyone seemed happier with the IchX.
Maybe I should make a large reservoir of saltwater with Copper level of 0.55 so I can make water changes easier with a more constant level I can be confident about?
I have a Hanna instruments level checker but I don’t feel real confident I’m getting accurate levels. I was out of reagant the day before and this didn’t catch the elevated level in the above tank. I definitely don’t feel like the number of drops I put in corresponds with the value I received when checking the level last night. (I had another tank that tested at 0.28 in spite of putting in the 40 drops per 10g recommended to get to 0.5).
Anyway, I’m frustrated. Tempted to just go with daily 100% water changes and not dose meds at all.
I have four qt tanks with fish being treated with Cupramine for ich. I recently switched from treating with Ich X to Cupramine.
Last night I found my previously healthy appearing (other than a few ich spots on fins) Copperband butterflyfish dead in one of the tanks.
I checked levels and Copper was a bit high at 0.81. Ammonia was 1 (can I trust that value since Copper is in the tank?). I did a 25% water change to bring the copper level into goal range. Somehow the heater was unplugged and the temp was 72.... lots of reasons for the fish to be stressed (and I feel bad about that, but can’t change it). I turned the heat back on to increase gradually today. There’s a purple tang left in that tank that seemed to be doing ok.
The tank that concerns me is a 20g that has a Niger triggerfish and a falco hawkish in it. Copper level 0.67, ammonia 0.5 (again, can I trust that value?) temp 82, salinity 32.
The niger seems stressed. He’s not eating and hasn’t left his hiding spot when I’ve been in the room. He typically swims around and eager to eat, even since being put in quarantine (less so since adding copper).
I’m second guessing my choice to switch to copper treatment. Everyone seemed happier with the IchX.
Maybe I should make a large reservoir of saltwater with Copper level of 0.55 so I can make water changes easier with a more constant level I can be confident about?
I have a Hanna instruments level checker but I don’t feel real confident I’m getting accurate levels. I was out of reagant the day before and this didn’t catch the elevated level in the above tank. I definitely don’t feel like the number of drops I put in corresponds with the value I received when checking the level last night. (I had another tank that tested at 0.28 in spite of putting in the 40 drops per 10g recommended to get to 0.5).
Anyway, I’m frustrated. Tempted to just go with daily 100% water changes and not dose meds at all.
