Copper has to be a gradual increase. So dosing it to therapeutic levels (copper power 2.0 ppm) in one shot would be harmful. I’d say try some sort of bath (ruby reef rally). Do you have surface agitation with a powerhead pointed at the water surface? Is the fish eating and has it been eating?
Lights came on and he is now in one of his pvc homes. I have no powerheads small enough (I tried my smallest and turned everything into a tornado so removed). The airstone is quite powerful with descent surface agitation. Fish was eating very well up until the dose and happy to report I just put some food in and he came out and ate like he's always done, very well! And he's staying out looking for more bits in the water to eat. So thinking maybe just a rough adjustment to the copper and I panicked. Going to have to go slow getting to therapeutic level, thanks for your help!
I have a 20 gallon long tank with approximately 18 gallons of water in it. I added the initial 1.0 ppm in one shot (10 ml copper power) then I added 1.3 ml in am and another 1.3 ml in pm over the course of several days to get up to 2.0 ppm. Now I test every other day on my Hanna checker to make sure it stays at therapeutic levels. I’m currently at day 14 of 30.
Good to know the doses your having success with. Are you treating wrasses as well or something else? Either way best of luck!
I was supposed to be quarantining a bunch of anthias, however I ordered from LA and 3 were DOA and 2 more died over the next 24 hours. I went and bought a kole tang at my local store the next day. So I’m only quarantining the 1 anthia that survived and the kole tang I purchased the next day. Wrasses will be in my next batch. If you’re treating a wrasse and have a container of sand keep in mind the sand may absorb copper from the water. That’s why testing daily is suggested. I just did a water change and had to test 3 times to get my levels right.
Make sure you match bag salinity to QT. I usually grab them with my hand and place them in the tank afterwards. With a glove on just to be safe
I am almost wondering if the 1.0 ppm copper was too much for him to begin.
Everything I’ve read showed people starting at 1.0 ppm to begin with then ramping up from there. I lost 5 of 6 fish from LA recently. Could be anything really.
I would get the Hanna High Range Copper checker.
I agree with what Mfinn said. I’d also split up the doses and do a gradual increase. Are there fish in the QT already? Ramping up to 2.0 PPM all at once might harm the fish or cause diet suppression. Dosing the first 1.0 ppm is fine, then 2 doses a day over the course of 3-5 days to reach 2.0 ppm. Some fish are delicate and might need a longer ramp up period.
