How to Quarantine

[raultsu]

I have 5 fish in quarantine right now, il be ending the 30 days of copper soon. Should I treat the 2 clowns for brook? They don't show any signs of illness

 

[Humblefish]

I have 5 fish in quarantine right now, il be ending the 30 days of copper soon. Should I treat the 2 clowns for brook? They don't show any signs of illness

I would observe for at least a couple of weeks after copper treatment ends. Brook will show itself with obvious physical symptoms, but since copper can suppress these symptoms you want to allow some time post treatment just to be sure.

 

[Mbnym74]

Do you keep this tank running all the time or only when you get fish?

 

[Paranoiattack91]

@Humblefish , thanks for all of your help. I just finished my 72 days of having my fish in qt, they went back in the DT 3 days ago and seem to be doing great. My next question is about my qt tank. Since I now have no fish in the qt (I want to keep it up because I plan on adding a few more fish next month), should I drop a bit of food in every few days to keep the bacteria fed? Also, since I used prazipro and copper in the qt, should I completely drain the water and start with new water so I don't risk over dosing copper when I add copper to the next fish.

 

[Humblefish]

Do you keep this tank running all the time or only when you get fish?

Just when I get fish in. I always keep a sponge (or multiples) going down in my sump so I am ready to QT at any time.

@Humblefish , thanks for all of your help. I just finished my 72 days of having my fish in qt, they went back in the DT 3 days ago and seem to be doing great. My next question is about my qt tank. Since I now have no fish in the qt (I want to keep it up because I plan on adding a few more fish next month), should I drop a bit of food in every few days to keep the bacteria fed? Also, since I used prazipro and copper in the qt, should I completely drain the water and start with new water so I don't risk over dosing copper when I add copper to the next fish.

It would be best to do a large WC before QT'ing more fish. You should also pickup a copper test kit so you can measure the amount of copper in the water. If you use Cupramine, then Seachem or Salifert copper test kit is what you want. Dropping a pinch of flake in every few days will maintain bacteria levels for your QT bio-filter.

 

[mandylv23]

Using Cupermine at what range do you risk killing your fish. I know you want to shoot for 0.5 but at what range is too high in case you accidentally add too much? These tests are very hard to read. They need to come up with easier tests.....perhaps digital....lol

 

[Humblefish]

Using Cupermine at what range do you risk killing your fish. I know you want to shoot for 0.5 but at what range is too high in case you accidentally add too much? These tests are very hard to read. They need to come up with easier tests.....perhaps digital....lol

As per Seachem, 0.8 mg/L is considered toxic. I know @4FordFamily has treated using Cupramine at higher dosages, so let's wait for him to chime in.

In the meantime, check this thread out: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/cupramine-and-angels-my-log.200465/

 

[omykiss001]

Using Cupermine at what range do you risk killing your fish. I know you want to shoot for 0.5 but at what range is too high in case you accidentally add too much? These tests are very hard to read. They need to come up with easier tests.....perhaps digital....lol

+1

I hate the test kit trying to read shades of blue on a continuous scale out of a white plate. I often use the reference to give me a color in the plate to shoot for.

I also find their dosing guideline to be pretty right on, but it does mean you need to know your system volume. I have marks on my QT tank so I know how much water I've removed or added to keep the dosing of copper and other drugs spot on once I get the dose correct.

Wish Hanna would made a SW version of their copper tester [emoji852]

 

[mandylv23]

Second question....we have been going fallow and are almost done with this period. We haven't added anything during this time but I have found this beautiful favia coral I would like to add....how do I go about doing this without risking my DT? how do you ensure that you don't add ich when you add corals to your display

 

[4FordFamily]

As per Seachem, 0.8 mg/L is considered toxic. I know @4FordFamily has treated using Cupramine at higher dosages, so let's wait for him to chime in.

In the meantime, check this thread out: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/cupramine-and-angels-my-log.200465/

I've used cupramine as high as .8 and .9 ppm if I recall. Definitely .8. My fish experienced no ill effects as a result of this.

 

[huskerreefatl]

Does it depend on the type of fish?

 

[Humblefish]

Second question....we have been going fallow and are almost done with this period. We haven't added anything during this time but I have found this beautiful favia coral I would like to add....how do I go about doing this without risking my DT? how do you ensure that you don't add ich when you add corals to your display

You can just add it to the DT and restart the 76 day clock. However, this only applies to fish diseases (i.e. encysted ich tomonts) and not coral pests which the favia could also have. Or you can isolate it to a fishless frag tank for 76 days (this is what I do with all new corals/inverts.)

 

[4FordFamily]

Does it depend on the type of fish?

I had tons of Angels that are supposed to be very sensitive to copper and I had no issue. Hypo with Angels, especially dwarf, is a different story however.

 

[VJV]

My experience with flame Angels in particular is not so good. In one case it died when the concentration of cupramine reached 0,5 (and I did raise it slowly, through the course of two weeks). I currently have all my fish in QT with copper and again the flame angel is struggling. I raised the concentration to 0,4 over two weeks and while all other fish are doing great the Flame Angel stopped eating once concentration reached 0,25. I only started adding copper 1,5 months into the QT process and monitor Amonia with a seneye sensor that gives me constant toxic ammonia readings down to 0,001 so I know I do not have Amonia. The flame Angel seems to smell the food, and chases it, but it almost seems like it went blind because it does not seem to find it.

Of course, this is just my experience with two Flames, not hundreds or even dosens of them. It could have been bad luck.

 

[Humblefish]

@VJV One problem with copper treatment is you need to have a backup plan just in case you encounter a copper intolerant fish (i.e. stops eating). This can be an angel or any fish really, it's sort of an individual thing. You can have a pair of flame angels in QT with copper, and one is doing fine while the other refuses to eat. o_O

If treating for ich, hyposalinity, tank transfer method and chloroquine phosphate are your other options. Or sometimes all that is needed is switching from ionic copper (Cupramine) to chelated copper (exs. Coppersafe, Copper Power). Or vice versa.

 

[VJV]

Is, I am treating for ich. Unfortunately I can not do any of the other methods. TTM is not feasible because I am not around during the week and I do not know any places that sell other copper treatments, nor I can get chloroquine over here.

Actually I could perhaps try hypo, though I was under the impression that it is now where near as effective as copper...?

 

[Humblefish]

Actually I could perhaps try hypo, though I was under the impression that it is now where near as effective as copper...?

It can be difficult to execute properly - the SG cannot tick up even slightly past 1.009. For this reason, it is advised to use a perfectly calibrated refractometer and auto top off when doing hypo.

Also, hypo resistant strains of ich have been proven to exist (study done by Yambot in 2003.) :(

 

[FireEMT]

It can be difficult to execute properly - the SG cannot tick up even slightly past 1.009. For this reason, it is advised to use a perfectly calibrated refractometer and auto top off when doing hypo.

Also, hypo resistant strains of ich have been proven to exist (study done by Yambot in 2003.) :(

How long do you treat with hyposalinity, I haven't heard much about this method until now? It seems like a good method for not using chemicals when someone isn't able to do TTM. Sometimes I would love to not use chemicals because they just seem harsh. Does hypo work as a replacement for prazipro too?

 

[Humblefish]

How long do you treat with hyposalinity, I haven't heard much about this method until now? It seems like a good method for not using chemicals when someone isn't able to do TTM. Sometimes I would love to not use chemicals because they just seem harsh. Does hypo work as a replacement for prazipro too?

30 days and it does actually eliminate some flukes (trematodes, I believe).

More info here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_4/V4I4/hyposalinity/OST.htm

 

[FireEMT]

30 days and it does actually eliminate some flukes (trematodes, I believe).

More info here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_4/V4I4/hyposalinity/OST.htm

I just read the article and from what I just read it seems like a great method. From the results in the Kollman study I don't understand why all LFS don't keep all there fish only systems at a Hyposalinity. It seems like the best option for the fish and the store since it is easy and cheap.
Have you had good experiences with this? Seems like all you would need is the basic QT setup and a cheap ATO for the QT tank. If it really replaces both prazi and copper/CP, why would I not want to try it on the next batch of fish? If you know something I don't feel free to chime in. Thanks again for all the great info.