HumbleFish's QT procedure question...

[Joe31415]

I'm looking at this thread, specifically this section:
Option A - Fish is floated in the bag for 20-30 minutes (to temperature acclimate) and then released into QT with matching salinity. QT is predosed with one of the following:

1. Copper Power at 1.0 ppm, verified using the Hanna Instruments High Range Copper Colorimeter (HI702). Over the next 48 hours, slowly raise your copper level to 1.5 ppm in gradual increments. Then take another 48 hours to raise it to 2.0 ppm. And another 48 hours in order to achieve 2.5 ppm. (So 6-7 days total to raise the copper level from the initial 1.0 to full therapeutic 2.5.) You are now at a safe therapeutic copper level. Add to this metronidazole. If using 100% metronidazole powder, dose 25 mg per gallon. Otherwise follow the maximum dosing instructions for whatever product (e.g. Seachem Metroplex) you are using.


I've had two clowns in QT for just shy of a week and the copper in the tank is at 2.08ppm (copper power), after I top off and add a bit more copper power, I should be right at the 2.5ppm goal. I'm also going to add Metroplex.
My main question right now is, do I continue to dose Metroplex every other day and if so, for how long?
Also, am I correct in my understanding that the copper only needs to remain above 1.5ppm for 30 days? Just want to double check that one, because it'll make water changes a whole lot easier.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I take huge exception with his advice to ramp up copper power over five days, that simply isn’t needed, and causes undue fish loss when people follow that advice when fish have active disease. Amyloodinium can kill fish in three days. Think about all the dealers and importers who move fish straight into copper with no issues. I also don’t treat with metronidazole and copper at the same time, too much overlap in their effectiveness. My basic quarantine is 30 days of copper, 3x praziquantel over two weeks, then two weeks of just observation. Then, I do a diagnostic dip for Neobenedenia. If that is found, the fish get hyposalinity for 35 days.
Jay

 

[puffy127]

I take huge exception with his advice to ramp up copper power over five days, that simply isn’t needed, and causes undue fish loss when people follow that advice when fish have active disease. Amyloodinium can kill fish in three days. Think about all the dealers and importers who move fish straight into copper with no issues. I also don’t treat with metronidazole and copper at the same time, too much overlap in their effectiveness. My basic quarantine is 30 days of copper, 3x praziquantel over two weeks, then two weeks of just observation. Then, I do a diagnostic dip for Neobenedenia. If that is found, the fish get hyposalinity for 35 days.
Jay

What about this article from Roy Yanong at University of Florida IFAS Extension?

FA165/FA165: Use of Copper in Marine Aquaculture and Aquarium Systems

FA165 discusses the use of “bluestone” or “blue copperas” copper sulfate — basic copper chemistry, chelated copper, toxicity to target and non-target organisms, determining dose, reaching and maintaining desired concentrations, and removing copper from the system. Includes references.

edis.ifas.ufl.edu

It mentions several times to slowly increase copper concentrations:

"Other considerations that will affect survival include acclimation period (exposing fish to slowly increasing concentrations of free copper over the course of several days until the treatment target concentration is reached)..."

"The recommended dose range of 0.15–0.20 mg/L free copper (Cu2+) should be reached gradually, over 2–3 days. This approach allows fish time to increase internal substances and physiological mechanisms that protect their bodies against toxicity, including the production of copper-binding proteins, such as metallothioneins (De Boeck et al. 2003)."

"When dosing a system, therapeutic levels (0.15–0.20 mg/L) should be reached gradually over 2–3 days to allow fish to acclimate. Copper levels should be measured at least twice a day."