I have the worst luck with Chromis...

[JBKReef]

I'm about at my wits end with the "easy" beginner fish. I dont believe I have an issue with my quarantine process because I have successfully passed two clowns, two blennies, and a firefish through with no issues. However I'm now on my second batch of Chromis that are not looking great.

In the past I had a group of 5 Blue Reef Chromis get wiped out by Ich/Velvet before I was able to get the cuppramine up to therapeutic levels. The tank powerheads and AquaClear were bleached, let dry for 2 weeks, all media and PVC was pitched and replaced with new. New foam air filter. New PVC.

I filled the tank with fresh salt water, used prime just in case there was anything hanging around. Did 2 100% water changes then began the process of QT'ing new fish. I seeded with BioSpira and added 6 Blue Green Chromis.

One of the Chromis died within 48 hours, when I was only about 1/2 way up to therapeutic levels of cuppramine. That was over a week ago. Since then I'm on day 7 of therapeutic levels of cuppramine.

All the fish are eating, and swimming actively through the whole QT (a 20 gallon tall) Initially my copper was high using a Hanna Copper checker it was up around .76, I did a water change and got it back down to .55. That has been a week ago and no water changes or shifts in salinity since.

I'm observing what appears to be a growth/spots/beard growing on one of the chromis. I've attached two photos below. I took a video however right now Youtube is being difficult for me. In the video, and what I have observed once before during a feeding, the Chromis "yawned" which I believe is a symptom of flukes?

Suggestions? Should I ride out the Cuppramine for the next 3 weeks then treat for additional symptoms. ( I normally do two rounds of Prazi once cuppramine has been removed from water with carbon and a water change.) Should I remove the copper now and treat for another disease then begin the copper process all over again once that is complete?

 

[Billldg]

Don't feel bad, was on my 3rd day of cuprion, left for work and they were great, get home from work and they r all dead, 5 blue green chromis, this is after 2 weeks of prazi pro, questioning the whole QT process. I am also using a hanna copper checker and I question it also, can't get consistant readings.

 

[JBKReef]

Don't feel bad, was on my 3rd day of cuprion, left for work and they were great, get home from work and they r all dead, 5 blue green chromis, this is after 2 weeks of prazi pro, questioning the whole QT process.

I believe its completely necessary, I would have been heartbroken if my DT fish would have been knocked out by the round of Ich/Velvet that took down my last batch. It's just so difficult sometimes to know what to treat for first, whats the more pressing need. Why there isnt an all in one, feed your fish this delicious treat and it will be good as new.

 

[Billldg]

I have 1 clown on its 3 week of cuprion and another on its 2nd, don't know if I am going to start to remove the copper early or ride it out another week, this is after I lost one in the 1st week of cuprion which is why their is a diff in time in tank.

 

[JBKReef]

I have 1 clown on its 3 week of cuprion and another on its 2nd, don't know if I am going to start to remove the copper early or ride it out another week, this is after I lost one in the 1st week of cuprion which is why their is a diff in time in tank.

I know if you're treating in the same tank you would want to bump up the time 1 week for the clown that survived the first week. With introducing a new fish you could have brought in different creatures and the clock starts over again for both.

 

[JBKReef]

Finally got the youtube video up... the yawn is around 2:20

 

[Billldg]

I know if you're treating in the same tank you would want to bump up the time 1 week for the clown that survived the first week. With introducing a new fish you could have brought in different creatures and the clock starts over again for both.

I treated the clowns in the same and probably will do at least 1 week of prazi pro on top, both r doing great, but yup agree, need to find something a little easier in them cause these r my cheaper fish, when I start to treat tangs I can't afford to go they several, not do I want to

 

[JBKReef]

Any other points of view out there? Opinions?

 

[Brew12]

Any other points of view out there? Opinions?

I would stick with the copper over treating the flukes. I would at least consider doing a fresh water dip to release as many flukes as possible (and confirm that is the issue). That should give the fish plenty of relief until you have time for a more proper treatment.

 

[JBKReef]

I would stick with the copper over treating the flukes. I would at least consider doing a fresh water dip to release as many flukes as possible (and confirm that is the issue). That should give the fish plenty of relief until you have time for a more proper treatment.

Thank you.

 

[USMC 4 LIFE]

I would stop dosing Prime before adding copper. Even if you’re doing 100% water changes which would then make dosing prime unnecessary. All it takes is some residual amount to make the mixing of those two chemicals toxic.

 

[USMC 4 LIFE]

I would continue copper treatment and then perform two rounds of prazi treatment. Yawning in and of itself is not a 100% indicator of flukes. I quarantine all my fish and they all occasionally yawn. Shoot, I yawn all the time lol.

 

[Ryan Friman]

I would stop dosing Prime before adding copper. Even if you’re doing 100% water changes which would then make dosing prime unnecessary. All it takes is some residual amount to make the mixing of those two chemicals toxic.

I agree with this.

 

[JBKReef]

I would stop dosing Prime before adding copper. Even if you’re doing 100% water changes which would then make dosing prime unnecessary. All it takes is some residual amount to make the mixing of those two chemicals toxic.

I agree with this.

I should clarify. The Prime was only in the system immediately after the tank was refilled just to pick up any residue from bleach after it was left to dry. I did 2 100% water changes after the prime was used, and before the seeded media was introduced. I had heard copper and prime do not interact well. Thanks for the heads up!

I was curious to see if anyone though this could be Lymphocystis.

 

[4FordFamily]

Don't feel bad, was on my 3rd day of cuprion, left for work and they were great, get home from work and they r all dead, 5 blue green chromis, this is after 2 weeks of prazi pro, questioning the whole QT process. I am also using a hanna copper checker and I question it also, can't get consistant readings.

My Hanna checker is phenomenal. So is most that I know — what we have found though is that if you don’t clean the vial out well, don’t follow the instructions right, don’t measure precisely the amount of water tested in the vial — you can get some variances. Definitely though if you compare to the color charts it’s night and day better. We’ve used several checkers (we being @HotRocks and I who live 5 mins from each other and have run this successfully on several batches with daily testing) and they’ve performed phenomenally.

That said, depending on your quarantine’s inhabitants, things can cause you to slowly lose copper. In fact, this is pretty common requiring occasional small doses added to stay therapeutic. Rock, sand, media, even some sponge/pads can remove it.

 

[4FordFamily]

I would stick with the copper over treating the flukes. I would at least consider doing a fresh water dip to release as many flukes as possible (and confirm that is the issue). That should give the fish plenty of relief until you have time for a more proper treatment.

This is exactly my thoughts on the matter.

 

[JBKReef]

My Hanna checker is phenomenal. So is most that I know — what we have found though is that if you don’t clean the vial out well, don’t follow the instructions right, don’t measure precisely the amount of water tested in the vial — you can get some variances. Definitely though if you compare to the color charts it’s night and day better. We’ve used several checkers (we being @HotRocks and I who live 5 mins from each other and have run this successfully on several batches with daily testing) and they’ve performed phenomenally.

That said, depending on your quarantine’s inhabitants, things can cause you to slowly lose copper. In fact, this is pretty common requiring occasional small doses added to stay therapeutic. Rock, sand, media, even some sponge/pads can remove it.

I had never considered fish themselves absorbing the copper but for treatment that makes complete sense they would take in the medication. I as well am a Hanna checker convert, I had wanted them from the start but couldnt justify spending the extra dough. That being said I was not confident in my copper test kit's reliability and saw the reviews and articles on the hanna copper checker working for saltwater. Saltwater Aquatics had a 10% off Hanna sale a week or two ago and I sprung for DKH, Phosphate, and Copper. Have made testing so much easier.

 

[4FordFamily]

I had never considered fish themselves absorbing the copper but for treatment that makes complete sense they would take in the medication. I as well am a Hanna checker convert, I had wanted them from the start but couldnt justify spending the extra dough. That being said I was not confident in my copper test kit's reliability and saw the reviews and articles on the hanna copper checker working for saltwater. Saltwater Aquatics had a 10% off Hanna sale a week or two ago and I sprung for DKH, Phosphate, and Copper. Have made testing so much easier.

Sorry, by inhabitants I meant rock and sand and the like — perhaps fish can absorb a bit but I imagine it’s not marginal

 

[Billldg]

It was because of the testing done by you all that I purchased it, I have found out that the vials do need to be cleaned which is why I wipe them down during testing and when I'm done I rinse them with ro/di water and then store them with ro/di water in them, just wasn't sure why the inconsistantcy, wasn't sure if it was the cuprion and maybe I need to switch to cupramine or something.

 

[Montiman]

One thing I recommend with chromis in particular is to start with some kind of aldehyde treatment. Chromis are notoriously prone to uronema. I am unable to tell exactly what was wrong with the fish from the picture but I will say that starting with an aldehyde to guard against uronema may make a difference. I have always treated with a freshwater bath and Kordon ridich and have found this can make a big difference. Even one bath the day after you receive the fish can help significantly.