QT tank up and running; clownfish questions

dr_vinnie_boombatz

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Hi everyone,

I picked up two clownfish yesterday. Both are very active and have eaten. They're in a 10g QT. The smaller of the two today I noticed has long, clear (not white) poop. This was after a heavy meal (I overfed today with the dry food and saw him go for many). I'm going to cutback on the food.

Hanna DKH is 9.8
Salinity 1.026
Started Seachem Cupramine today; Salifert Copper is ~0.25
I plan to run this for 14 days then do API General Cure

1. Do I run Carbon/CupriSorb and remove the Cupramine before adding API general cure (from reading the answer I believe is Yes). Any recommendations on Carbon vs CupriSorb?
2. Should I soak food with any medication? They're active and by all accounts healthy looking. If so, would I pair this during API GC application?

Thanks!!
 
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Jay Hemdal

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The clear feces is probably from lack of feeding during the transition to your tank.
I just do a 50% water change at the end of the copper treatment. You should run copper for at least 21 days (I go 30).
Do not soak food in medication, that simply doesn’t work - you’ll have
no idea how much medication the fish are getting. GC in the water is the way to go.
Jay
 
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dr_vinnie_boombatz

dr_vinnie_boombatz

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Thanks Jay! That makes sense, LFS stated they feed once a daily and they were not fed yesterday.
Do you have any recommendation on water quality for that long? 21 days or even 30 days without a water change seems like a long time (for this novice). The QT tank looks cycled, ammonia is near zero and nitrates looked good (Salifert tests). I had added some Fluval Quick Cycle a week ago (have more available if needed)
 

Jay Hemdal

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Thanks Jay! That makes sense, LFS stated they feed once a daily and they were not fed yesterday.
Do you have any recommendation on water quality for that long? 21 days or even 30 days without a water change seems like a long time (for this novice). The QT tank looks cycled, ammonia is near zero and nitrates looked good (Salifert tests). I had added some Fluval Quick Cycle a week ago (have more available if needed)
You do need to manage the water quality - ensure the ammonia stays below 0.5 ppm and the pH is above 7.8
If you need to do a water change, just dose the replacement water with 0.50 ppm Cupramine.
Jay
 

exnisstech

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I like to run a seachem ammonia alert badge in QT, well I run 2 for redundancy. I don't know your experience level so pardon me if its advanced. I would recommended a hanna high range copper kit for testing. I used cupramine in QT once and the copper levels were going down almost daily and once your below therapeutic levels you have to start over so daily testing was a must. I'm no chemist or even an expert reefer so I cant explain why cupramine dissipates. I have since switched to copper power for QT. Once the levels are where you need them they stay there. Just bring new water being added up to the level needed.
Depending on what you have in the QT that can absorb copper it may be easier to remove it with water changes since its a small tank. That is how I am finishing up my current treatment in QT.
 
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dr_vinnie_boombatz

dr_vinnie_boombatz

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Thanks again Jay and exnisstech for the replies. The fish are happy and eating. Parameters look good and will bump up to 0.50 tomorrow and will keep for 21 days with constant ≥ 40 reading. I do run an Ammonia badge and it's been great thus far. Thankfully the QT is a bare tank with PVC connectors only so I'm hoping it stays steady. Today's reading was constant 0.25

Question: human safety wise how is Cupramine? I wear gloves but otherwise, breathing it anything in? The tank has a lid. Or API general cure?

Being the tank is an EVO 13.5 I'll [hopefully] only need to do this once for the pair or clowns then QT a cleaner shrimp!

Thanks again!!
 
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dr_vinnie_boombatz

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I also had a panic this morning, when I saw the little guy swimming but no sign of the bigger clown. Had turned the lights on and no fish... spotted him on his side on the upper corner of the tank they prefer to hang. Looks like he was sleeping per my research - soon as I went to see if he was alive he awoke; moving non-stop and eating a lot - what a clown!
 

Jay Hemdal

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Thanks again Jay and exnisstech for the replies. The fish are happy and eating. Parameters look good and will bump up to 0.50 tomorrow and will keep for 21 days with constant ≥ 40 reading. I do run an Ammonia badge and it's been great thus far. Thankfully the QT is a bare tank with PVC connectors only so I'm hoping it stays steady. Today's reading was constant 0.25

Question: human safety wise how is Cupramine? I wear gloves but otherwise, breathing it anything in? The tank has a lid. Or API general cure?

Being the tank is an EVO 13.5 I'll [hopefully] only need to do this once for the pair or clowns then QT a cleaner shrimp!

Thanks again!!
Keep the Cupramine out of reach of children, once diluted it is no human health issue. Prior to dilution it is mostly an eye issue. I wear goggles when dispensing large amounts of ant medication (I wear glasses so I get partial protection that way). Gloves are ok. Does the packaging give any special instructions?
General cure is a bit different, I would wear a dust mask…..
Jay
 
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dr_vinnie_boombatz

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Keep the Cupramine out of reach of children, once diluted it is no human health issue. Prior to dilution it is mostly an eye issue. I wear goggles when dispensing large amounts of ant medication (I wear glasses so I get partial protection that way). Gloves are ok. Does the packaging give any special instructions?
General cure is a bit different, I would wear a dust mask…..
Jay
Awesome, thanks Jay! The packaging doesn't have anything specific except keep away from children; but I did read gloves are recommended on their forum (not even on the bottle label). Few more (noob) questions. Regarding equipment I have QT specific items like net, bucket, feeder, gloves, etc. with the exception of my Tropic Marin hydrometer. I rinse all of these after use. If I rinse the hydrometer in hot water afterwards is that sufficient or would I need to run this in Cuprisorb as well at the end? I'm using a Polypropylene cylinder with it and plan to use it on my DT afterwards.

I decided to order a Hanna Copper checker, will keep at 0.25 until it arrives then move up to 0.50. This will make life easier and allow for water changes for the next month. I don't know if I will add more fish in the future so worth the up front investment. Little guys are eating a lot!
 

Jay Hemdal

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Awesome, thanks Jay! The packaging doesn't have anything specific except keep away from children; but I did read gloves are recommended on their forum (not even on the bottle label). Few more (noob) questions. Regarding equipment I have QT specific items like net, bucket, feeder, gloves, etc. with the exception of my Tropic Marin hydrometer. I rinse all of these after use. If I rinse the hydrometer in hot water afterwards is that sufficient or would I need to run this in Cuprisorb as well at the end? I'm using a Polypropylene cylinder with it and plan to use it on my DT afterwards.

I decided to order a Hanna Copper checker, will keep at 0.25 until it arrives then move up to 0.50. This will make life easier and allow for water changes for the next month. I don't know if I will add more fish in the future so worth the up front investment. Little guys are eating a lot!

Rinsing in warm tap water and then wiping dry if fine of the hydrometer since it is a glass model. I do worry a bit more about poly cylinders (because of scratches that might hold more copper water), but if you have a bottle brush or something similar, that will work with hot water to rinse it out. Remember - copper is a trace element, small amounts are not a problem. Except when it bonds with calcareous material (rock and gravel) the amount remaining on a surface after rinsing isn't really all that much.

Jay
 
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dr_vinnie_boombatz

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Wanted to provide a quick update; got the Hanna checker and its amazing. Did a 50% water change yesterday. Added some more Cupramine today and got back-to-back readings of 0.47 and 0.46. Will add little more to get to 0.50. 30 day countdown officially begins! Fish are doing great, always hungry!
 
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dr_vinnie_boombatz

dr_vinnie_boombatz

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@Jay Hemdal would you recommend proactive treatment of brook during new fish QT? Debating if I should do a Ruby Reef Rally 90 minute bath before I start GC and/or after before going into DT? Getting conflicting posts online that GC treats brook since it contains Metro so might not be needed? From everything I see the two fish are very healthy and was bought from a reputable LFS. Thanks!!
 
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Jay Hemdal

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@Jay Hemdal would you recommend proactive treatment of brook during new fish QT? Debating if I should do a Ruby Reef Rally 90 minute bath before I start GC and/or after before going into DT? Getting conflicting posts online that GC treats brook since it contains Metro so might not be needed? From everything I see the two fish are very healthy and was bought from a reputable LFS. Thanks!!

I see Brooklynella mostly in clownfish, especially wild caught ones. When I see it in other species, it is often fish that were housed with infected clownfish at some point.

I don't see any harm in a Ruby Reef Bath, (keep the bath heated and aerated) and GC might also help due to the metro in it.

Jay
 

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