Looking for anyone experienced with treating a Majestic angel with copper. I posted awhile back about having one die while going through my QT process which I do use copper power at 2.5 for 30 days. I suspected Cyanide poisoning to be the culprit but it was recently mentioned to me that copper may destroy the liver. It was eating and doing fine until 2 weeks after I started the copper treatment. Literally stopped eating one day and died 2 days later. Water parameters where fine. I have treated many other Angel's with copper without issues before. Only problem I had was with a coral beauty that suffered from HLLE after treatment but I'm not sure it was related to the copper. I have a majestic in QT now for 2 weeks with a prazipro treatment which will be complete this week. Not one issue or any signs of disease so far but now I'm not to confident to start a copper treatment after my last experience.
Majestic angel with copper
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vetteguy53081
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IF cyanide caught , it takes literally 2 weeks for the fish to start shutting down. Best practice is to request to see fish eating. If mail order- ask for a video of fish eating which reduces possibility of cyanide capture.
have you tried feeding this fish yet?
For copper, if no signs of disease, you can run at 2.0 to 2.25 or a FULL 30 days (do not interrupt this 30 day period) monitored by a reliable Copper Test kit such as Hanna Brand- No API brand. Also monitor Ammonia levels while in quarantine with a reliable test kit and add aeration during treatment using an air stone.
That's why I suspected Cyanide poisoning. Exactly 2 weeks before the first Majestic died. This one is eating like a pig for 2 weeks now even with the prazi treatment going on. I have all the testing equipment and medicines on hand. I have been in this hobby for 35 years now but have no experience with the Majestic. I have had my up's and downs believe me. Ha. I have learned a lot along the way though. I was just wondering about the liver problems with certain Angelfish and copper. Or any other fish as well. It was mentioned by a fellow aquariest how a Regal suffered liver failure during copper exposure. Maybe coincidence but now I have thoughts about moving on to my usual copper treatment. No signs of ich at all on the Majestic but it's only been 2 weeks in QT.
Jay Hemdal
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I’ve never had problems with Coppersafe on any angelfish species, including majestics. Copper Power is essentially the same product. Ionic copper/citric acid solutions have been shown to be toxic to centropyge angels.
Cyanide is still a very real issue with some fish, including this species. It is very difficult to confirm death from this cause though.
Jay
Interesting. I did stop using cupramine a few years ago. I did however use copper power with many centropyge Angel's with no issues at all. Maybe The Regal I mentioned was exposed to copper power for a prolonged period which caused liver degeneration. It had a necropsy performed which concluded liver degeneration. I still not sure if I want to try a second time with copper but I don't want to take chances either and infect my display. Any other thoughts about alternative treatments other then copper? Can't get my hands on chloroquine phosphate.
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There are other issues that cause liver damage (including cyanide). Just looking at a fish liver grossly won't tell you anything other than if the liver is normal or abnormal. If they sent tissue out for histopathology, then microscopic damage can be detected and quantified, but the histopathologist will never say "it was caused by this..." They always just say "caused by environmental conditions". So - to say that copper caused the liver damage requires them to make a guess.
Alternatives are limited. Chloroquine is good because it covers so many diseases. Hyposalinity is great for Cryptocaryon (ich) and flukes, but does nothing for Amyloodinium (velvet). There is also the tank transfer method, but that is an "also ran" IMO - the handling stress is too high for a shy species like this, and it really only controls marine ich, it does not control egg laying flukes or parasites that have a direct life cycle.
Jay
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