So I have been having a lot of thought into a tank transfer method that could catch many of the common fish diseases early. While we know that the TTM works for ich it has been advised that it doesn't work for velvet and Brookynella. We also know it for sure doesn't work for Uronema, flukes and worms. The transfer method I'm proposing couples copper, prazipro, metroplex, Kanaplex and furan 2 with the TTM to outrun ich with a safety net for velvet and brooks. I have run copper and prazipro before without any interaction. I know of others that have run triple antibiotics with copper as well. The first thing that is going to be said I'm sure is the stress on the fish. I am not overly concerned with this I have taken leopard wrasses through TTM with no ill effects and the other medications listed below individually without incident. The stress of any one item was not enough to display any noticeable negative effects. I however have not combined it all into one shot. With that being said if it's a new fish and you're going to jump into this method I feel that you should be on top of your game and make sure the fish are actively eating though out the entire process. I have found that TTM in general is also harder for me to do well on larger fish, 6+" so traditional methods may be a better approach.
Why combine the Approaches;
#1 - Limit a fish's exposure to copper. Instead of 30 days the fish is only exposed to copper for 11 days which is almost a 3rd of the time. Of those 11 days 96 hours are ramp up with only 168 hours at a therapeutic 1.7ppm dose.
#2 - Transfers every 48 hrs to outrun ammonia buildup since ammonia reducers can't be used with copper.
#3 - A one and done method. An observation method is still strongly encouraged but this procedure pretty much catches all the diseases that I can see.
#4 - In the last 18 months I have seen some very dirty fish from different wholesalers that are coming in with a list of diseases. Sometimes multiple diseases at the same time.
#5 - Not use formalin which is a know carcinogen.
#6 - Maintains good water quality to prevent HLLE.
#7 - At the end of 15 days you have clean fish.
The proposed products being used here are:
Mardel Copper Safe (Chelated Copper)
Seachem Metroplex (metronidazole)
Seachem Kanaplex (kanamycin sulfate)
Hikari Prazipro (Praziquantel)
API Furan 2 (nitrofuzazone)
Dosages are based on the above manufactures recommendations and my vary from manufacture to manufacture.
For arguments sake all transfer take place at 8pm. Therapeutic level of chelated copper of 1.7ppm to be achieved with 1.8ml/g. Therapeutic levels of metroplex to be achieved with 2 level spoons per 10 gallons every 48 hrs (i.e. once per 48 hr transfer). Kanaplex as an antibiotic preventive at 2 level spoons per 5 gallons every 48 hrs (i.e. once per 48 hr transfer). Prazipro is dosed 3 times at the rate of 5ml per 20 gallons . Heavy aeration during the full TTM method is needed.
Cons;
#1 - It requires a lot of effort to transfer every 48 hours at the same time each transfer.
#2 - for the transfer process assuming 15g of water per transfer you will use 105 gallons of salt water.
#3 - increased chelated copper cost.
#4 - ammonia can't be reduced with amquel or prime. If you have an ammonia problem the only solution is to move earlier. For this reason light bioload in the transfer tanks should be observed.
#5 - You really should use 3 sets of equipment to ensure proper dry time. This is added expense in equipment.
TTM = Ich, 12 days moves maximum every 72 hrs.
TTM + chelated copper = velvet, from what I've read velvet will fall off a fish in 4 days. This allots for 6 days of full strength copper. Between the 48 hrs transfer and 6 full days of copper I believe this can eradicate velvet.
Metroplex = Brookynella, Uronema, some intestinal worms. - 14 days
Kanaplex = General Antibiotic - 14 days
Prazipro = some intestinal worms, black ich, flukes, gill flukes, 3 treatments of prazipro over 15 days.
Furan 2 = General Antibiotic - 14 days
Day 1 - fish in 8pm - 0 hours
Dose - 2 spoons of Kanaplex per 10g, 2 spoons of metroplex per 10g, 1 tea spoon of Furan 2 per 20g
Day 2 - Dose chelated copper at 0.36ml/g - 24 hours
Prazipro - 5ml per 20 gallons
Day 3 - Dose chelated copper at 0.72ml/g into new transfer tank and move fish - 48 hours, 0 hours.
Dose - 2 spoons of Kanaplex per 10g, 2 spoons of metroplex per 10g, 1 tea spoon of Furan 2 per 20g into the new transfer tank
Day 4 chelated copper at 0.36ml/g which raises levels to 1.08ml/g - 24 hours
Day 5 chelated copper at 1.44ml/g into new transfer tank and move fish - 48 hours, 0 hours.
Dose - 2 spoons of Kanaplex per 10g, 2 spoons of metroplex per 10g, 1 tea spoon of Furan 2 per 20g into the new transfer tank
Day 6 chelated copper at 0.36ml/g to reach Final therapeutic dose of 1.8ml/g = 1.7ppm - 24 hours.
Day 7 - chelated copper at 1.8ml/g into new transfer tank and move fish - 48 hours, 0 hours.
Dose - 2 spoons of Kanaplex per 10g, 2 spoons of metroplex per 10g, 1 tea spoon of Furan 2 per 20g into the new transfer tank
Day 8 - 24 hours
Prazipro - 5ml per 20 gallons
Day 9 - chelated copper at 1.8ml/g into new transfer tank and fish move - 48 hours, 0 hours.
Dose - 2 spoons of Kanaplex per 10g, 2 spoons of metroplex per 10g, 1 tea spoon of Furan 2 per 20g into the new transfer tank
Day 10 - 24 hrs
Day 11- chelated copper at 1.8ml/g into new transfer tank and move fish - 48 hours, 0 hours.
This is the last dose of copper and Velvet and Ich TTM is complete.
Dose - 2 spoons of Kanaplex per 10g, 2 spoons of metroplex per 10g, 1 tea spoon of Furan 2 per 20g into the new transfer tank
Day 12 - 24 hours
Day 13 - Move Fish- 48 hours, 0 hours.
Dose - 2 spoons of Kanaplex per 10g, 2 spoons of metroplex per 10g, 1 tea spoon of Furan 2 per 20g into the new transfer tank
Day 14 - Metroplex and Kanaplex complete - 24 hrs
Prazipro - 5ml per 20 gallons
Day 15 - Move into observation tank - 48 hours, 0 hours.
Why combine the Approaches;
#1 - Limit a fish's exposure to copper. Instead of 30 days the fish is only exposed to copper for 11 days which is almost a 3rd of the time. Of those 11 days 96 hours are ramp up with only 168 hours at a therapeutic 1.7ppm dose.
#2 - Transfers every 48 hrs to outrun ammonia buildup since ammonia reducers can't be used with copper.
#3 - A one and done method. An observation method is still strongly encouraged but this procedure pretty much catches all the diseases that I can see.
#4 - In the last 18 months I have seen some very dirty fish from different wholesalers that are coming in with a list of diseases. Sometimes multiple diseases at the same time.
#5 - Not use formalin which is a know carcinogen.
#6 - Maintains good water quality to prevent HLLE.
#7 - At the end of 15 days you have clean fish.
The proposed products being used here are:
Mardel Copper Safe (Chelated Copper)
Seachem Metroplex (metronidazole)
Seachem Kanaplex (kanamycin sulfate)
Hikari Prazipro (Praziquantel)
API Furan 2 (nitrofuzazone)
Dosages are based on the above manufactures recommendations and my vary from manufacture to manufacture.
For arguments sake all transfer take place at 8pm. Therapeutic level of chelated copper of 1.7ppm to be achieved with 1.8ml/g. Therapeutic levels of metroplex to be achieved with 2 level spoons per 10 gallons every 48 hrs (i.e. once per 48 hr transfer). Kanaplex as an antibiotic preventive at 2 level spoons per 5 gallons every 48 hrs (i.e. once per 48 hr transfer). Prazipro is dosed 3 times at the rate of 5ml per 20 gallons . Heavy aeration during the full TTM method is needed.
Cons;
#1 - It requires a lot of effort to transfer every 48 hours at the same time each transfer.
#2 - for the transfer process assuming 15g of water per transfer you will use 105 gallons of salt water.
#3 - increased chelated copper cost.
#4 - ammonia can't be reduced with amquel or prime. If you have an ammonia problem the only solution is to move earlier. For this reason light bioload in the transfer tanks should be observed.
#5 - You really should use 3 sets of equipment to ensure proper dry time. This is added expense in equipment.
TTM = Ich, 12 days moves maximum every 72 hrs.
TTM + chelated copper = velvet, from what I've read velvet will fall off a fish in 4 days. This allots for 6 days of full strength copper. Between the 48 hrs transfer and 6 full days of copper I believe this can eradicate velvet.
Metroplex = Brookynella, Uronema, some intestinal worms. - 14 days
Kanaplex = General Antibiotic - 14 days
Prazipro = some intestinal worms, black ich, flukes, gill flukes, 3 treatments of prazipro over 15 days.
Furan 2 = General Antibiotic - 14 days
Day 1 - fish in 8pm - 0 hours
Dose - 2 spoons of Kanaplex per 10g, 2 spoons of metroplex per 10g, 1 tea spoon of Furan 2 per 20g
Day 2 - Dose chelated copper at 0.36ml/g - 24 hours
Prazipro - 5ml per 20 gallons
Day 3 - Dose chelated copper at 0.72ml/g into new transfer tank and move fish - 48 hours, 0 hours.
Dose - 2 spoons of Kanaplex per 10g, 2 spoons of metroplex per 10g, 1 tea spoon of Furan 2 per 20g into the new transfer tank
Day 4 chelated copper at 0.36ml/g which raises levels to 1.08ml/g - 24 hours
Day 5 chelated copper at 1.44ml/g into new transfer tank and move fish - 48 hours, 0 hours.
Dose - 2 spoons of Kanaplex per 10g, 2 spoons of metroplex per 10g, 1 tea spoon of Furan 2 per 20g into the new transfer tank
Day 6 chelated copper at 0.36ml/g to reach Final therapeutic dose of 1.8ml/g = 1.7ppm - 24 hours.
Day 7 - chelated copper at 1.8ml/g into new transfer tank and move fish - 48 hours, 0 hours.
Dose - 2 spoons of Kanaplex per 10g, 2 spoons of metroplex per 10g, 1 tea spoon of Furan 2 per 20g into the new transfer tank
Day 8 - 24 hours
Prazipro - 5ml per 20 gallons
Day 9 - chelated copper at 1.8ml/g into new transfer tank and fish move - 48 hours, 0 hours.
Dose - 2 spoons of Kanaplex per 10g, 2 spoons of metroplex per 10g, 1 tea spoon of Furan 2 per 20g into the new transfer tank
Day 10 - 24 hrs
Day 11- chelated copper at 1.8ml/g into new transfer tank and move fish - 48 hours, 0 hours.
This is the last dose of copper and Velvet and Ich TTM is complete.
Dose - 2 spoons of Kanaplex per 10g, 2 spoons of metroplex per 10g, 1 tea spoon of Furan 2 per 20g into the new transfer tank
Day 12 - 24 hours
Day 13 - Move Fish- 48 hours, 0 hours.
Dose - 2 spoons of Kanaplex per 10g, 2 spoons of metroplex per 10g, 1 tea spoon of Furan 2 per 20g into the new transfer tank
Day 14 - Metroplex and Kanaplex complete - 24 hrs
Prazipro - 5ml per 20 gallons
Day 15 - Move into observation tank - 48 hours, 0 hours.