QT Question

Duke4Life · Jan 4, 2016

dochow said:
Follow up:

Happy I have QT'd...

Big thumbs up! Reason I liked this post!

dochow · Jan 4, 2016

6 line wrasse is not happy with Cupramine dosing at 0.5. Wrasse is hiding in PVC and heavier breathing, has not come out for dinner, however I see him swimming in PVC without problem. Royal Gramma is doing fine, no issues.

Going to hold on the Furan-2 antibiotic for now.

dochow · Jan 5, 2016

What is the lowest acceptable level of copper in order to eradicate ich? I want to drop my copper a little for the 6 line wrasse. It is still unhappy with copper at 0.5.

Duke4Life · Jan 5, 2016

dochow said:
What is the lowest acceptable level of copper in order to eradicate ich? I want to drop my copper a little for the 6 line wrasse. It is still unhappy with copper at 0.5.

Wrasses don't really do that great in copper, they can be somewhat sensitive to it. IMO they are just above sharks/rays/eels that should never be dosed with copper. @Humblefish @melypr1985

Humblefish · Jan 5, 2016

dochow said:
What is the lowest acceptable level of copper in order to eradicate ich? I want to drop my copper a little for the 6 line wrasse. It is still unhappy with copper at 0.5.

0.35 ppm when using Cupramine. Problem is, how do you measure that low? With Seachem or Salifert it's hard enough to be sure it's 0.5.

melypr1985 · Jan 5, 2016

Duke4Life said:
Wrasses don't really do that great in copper, they can be somewhat sensitive to it. IMO they are just above sharks/rays/eels that should never be dosed with copper. @Humblefish @melypr1985

Wrasses can be sensitive to the copper, but if your gentle with them and raise it slowly they should be ok. You can also use copper power instead which is chealated (my spelling sucks) and said to be gentler on fish.

Humblefish · Jan 5, 2016

melypr1985 said:
Wrasses can be sensitive to the copper, but if your gentle with them and raise it slowly they should be ok. You can also use copper power instead which is chealated (my spelling sucks) and said to be gentler on fish.

+1 Guy from my local club has used Copper Power on several Leopard Wrasses; doesn't get much more copper sensitive than that.

dochow · Jan 6, 2016

Since I'm already doing Cupramine I guess I'll just have to tough it out. Dropped the copper a little last night with small water change. Re-dosed praziquantel. Will check copper level today.

dochow · Jan 9, 2016

Just an update for you all that contributed to helping me:

Both the six-line wrasse and Royal gramma are doing great. I dropped Copper dosing to about 0.45 and Wrasse coming out and doing better/eating.

Tail fin growing back on Royal Gramma. No signs of ich or worms on either fish.

Have done two doses of Prazipro and Copper at 0.45 after 5 gallon WC in 20 gallon QT.

All is going well. Will share before and after photos of two fish at day 14 of treatment for everyone.

Thanks again to all for help!

Humblefish · Jan 9, 2016

@dochow Good to hear!

dochow · Jan 11, 2016

Hey all, as the story unfolds in the QT tank, my Royal Gramma is having some bulky red-looking poop. Sometimes with a waft of red when it comes out.

The tank conditions are 0.45 copper and just did 3rd dose of Prazipro, but he was having red poop before this dose.

They do get Formula 1 flakes sometimes which are red...

Any thoughts?

Humblefish · Jan 11, 2016

It's probably just undigested flake food.

mcarroll · Jan 12, 2016

Just curious...

Was this elective QT (i.e. fish were acquired apparently healthy) or was there something to indicate QT like flashing or white spots, or they came from a tank full of sick fish, et al?

Sounds like things are heading in a better direction the last few posts, thankfully.

A few thoughts you are welcome to take, leave or question:

These are relatively small fish thankfully, but even assuming the tank size is not a stress both the Gramma and Wrasse have cave- or crevice-intensive personalities...they are going to be stressed in a stark QT environment. (Most reef fish will be.)
Copper also causes stress and compromises the immune system.
Stresses are cumulative and cause a compromised immune system.
Being the cause of additional stresses and/or an (even more) compormised immune system is not what you want to be about unless necessary IMO.

dochow · Jan 16, 2016

Hey, things not going great all of a sudden. Six line wrasse this morning unable to maintain balance. Swimming upside down, flipping over etc. Was feeding well last night. Did 25% water change this AM.

Dosed Furan 2 in hope that maybe this is bacterial and I can beat it. Copper still at 0.45.

In response to above, I electively QT'd and both fish appeared healthy when I bought them.

Sadly I think the wrasse is not going to make it...should I try dropping copper? I don't want to repeat copper dosing. I am 14 days into copper now, 3 doses of prazipro done and now first dose of Furan 2.

What to do????

Humblefish · Jan 16, 2016

Can you pull the sixline out and put him in another QT with no meds in the water?

dochow · Jan 16, 2016

I don't have another tank set up to do that. I can try and set up a 7.5 gallon, but it doesn't have necessary life support stuff

dochow · Jan 16, 2016

Could put him into DT....

Humblefish · Jan 16, 2016

dochow said:
Could put him into DT....

Then you risk infecting your entire DT if he has a disease.

dochow · Jan 16, 2016

I know, it's a crappy situation, I absolutely would not put him in DT, I just don't have a back up QT set up right now. Dosing the Furan I am hoping will help, but I'm not so sure.

Humblefish · Jan 16, 2016

dochow said:
Dosing the Furan I am hoping will help, but I'm not so sure.

Unless you are seeing symptoms of a bacterial infection, dosing Furan is just going to make matters worse for your sixline. More meds in the water = further appetite suppression. I think it's entirely possible that your sixline just happens to be a copper sensitive fish, based on the symptoms you described.