Gem tang issues with copper

Peng1606

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Hi, just got a gorgeous gem tang 9 days ago. Almost 5 inches, fat and looks great. I quarantine everything wet before they go into display system so he goes into my quarantine tank that I usually have set up.

My process is as follows:
- all new fish go through a 60 min formalin and acriflavine bath, heavily aerated water
- in that time I change 65-70% of my quarantine tank water so the copper level (copper power measured with Hanna) comes down to around 1.0 as I usually go to 2.3 when quarantining fish. I leave the water and sponge filter in there from the last set of fish if no signs of disease.
- fish go in QT and copper ramped up to 2.3 over 3-5 days depending on fish.
- fish kept in quarantine for 14-21 days and go to display

Now the gem tang is eating great, but when I ramp up the copper to above 1.75 he starts hiding and is lethargic... I then do massive water change back down to 1 and he’s ok. Twice this has happened which likely means this one is copper sensitive. Have done more than a dozen different tangs and they usually behave as if the copper is not there.
Going to go with tank transfer in 5 gallon buckets but changing water every 48 hours with 5 day acriflavine treatment in water and formalin dip in middle and end of treatment.
Any further suggestions etc? @Jay Hemdal would appreciated your input
 

Jay Hemdal

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Hi, just got a gorgeous gem tang 9 days ago. Almost 5 inches, fat and looks great. I quarantine everything wet before they go into display system so he goes into my quarantine tank that I usually have set up.

My process is as follows:
- all new fish go through a 60 min formalin and acriflavine bath, heavily aerated water
- in that time I change 65-70% of my quarantine tank water so the copper level (copper power measured with Hanna) comes down to around 1.0 as I usually go to 2.3 when quarantining fish. I leave the water and sponge filter in there from the last set of fish if no signs of disease.
- fish go in QT and copper ramped up to 2.3 over 3-5 days depending on fish.
- fish kept in quarantine for 14-21 days and go to display

Now the gem tang is eating great, but when I ramp up the copper to above 1.75 he starts hiding and is lethargic... I then do massive water change back down to 1 and he’s ok. Twice this has happened which likely means this one is copper sensitive. Have done more than a dozen different tangs and they usually behave as if the copper is not there.
Going to go with tank transfer in 5 gallon buckets but changing water every 48 hours with 5 day acriflavine treatment in water and formalin dip in middle and end of treatment.
Any further suggestions etc? @Jay Hemdal would appreciated your input
Not sure what to tell you. In general, smaller fish have more issues with copper than larger ones do (some surface to volume ratio thing). I’ve not worked with gem tangs, but I’ve never had an issue with other zebrasoma before.
Keep a close eye on it during TTM, that is a good sized fish to run through in a 5 gallon bucket.
Jay
 
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Peng1606

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Not sure what to tell you. In general, smaller fish have more issues with copper than larger ones do (some surface to volume ratio thing). I’ve not worked with gem tangs, but I’ve never had an issue with other zebrasoma before.
Keep a close eye on it during TTM, that is a good sized fish to run through in a 5 gallon bucket.
Jay
Hi Jay, I agree usually the smaller fish are the ones that give trouble during copper but that’s why I’m surprised with this fish. I’ve put 10 zebrasoma through copper without issues but this one just not happy with how he’s behaving. Maybe I’ll do TTM change every 24hours then for 12 days due to size of fish and bucket.
Hopefully the acriflavine treated water and formalin bath will manage any velvet/uronema/brook/flukes and TTM will manage ich.
 

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