Treating my chalk bass (Chucky)...

[Congaken]

After almost 2 weeks of QT and noticing nothing, I put Chucky in a holding area in my 10 gal.DT...While he was in there and more visible, I noticed a small spot below his mouth...thinking it may be ich, I returned him to his QT and began to treat him with Cupramine...only then did I realize that nitrates had gone to 20ppm in the QT...so...I changed water, about 30% and now I'm not sure what to do since I had started the copper and than took most of it out...this is my first experience using copper...I'd love some advise here...what to do...what to do...come on R2R people...lets help Chucky...

 

[Duke4Life]

After almost 2 weeks of QT and noticing nothing, I put Chucky in a holding area in my 10 gal.DT...While he was in there and more visible, I noticed a small spot below his mouth...thinking it may be ich, I returned him to his QT and began to treat him with Cupramine...only then did I realize that nitrates had gone to 20ppm in the QT...so...I changed water, about 30% and now I'm not sure what to do since I had started the copper and than took most of it out...this is my first experience using copper...I'd love some advise here...what to do...what to do...come on R2R people...lets help Chucky...

Chucky has had an adventure my friend. Have a copper test kit? If not get 1 and test before adding anymore.

 

[Duke4Life]

Btw nitrates up that high shouldn't have been a problem, could even go higher with fish. Corals don't like the higher nitrates.

 

[Congaken]

Chucky has had an adventure my friend. Have a copper test kit? If not get 1 and test before adding anymore.

I have one and I'll use it...should I bring it up to .5 ml all at once or wait another day and bring up the balance than...Thanks for your concern about Chucky's great adventure...

 

[Humblefish]

Can you post a pic of Chucky and this small spot below his mouth?

 

[melypr1985]

only then did I realize that nitrates had gone to 20ppm in the QT...so...I changed water, about 30% and now I'm not sure what to do since I had started the copper and than took most of it out...this is my first experience using copper...I'd love some advise here...what to do...what to do...come on R2R people...lets help Chucky...

to answer this question.... the nitrates arn't something you need to worry about. It's the ammonia you need to monitor closely. The second part..... when you change the water in the QT you should dose the new water with copper before adding it to the QT so that the copper level never drops below .5 ppm


I'm with humble.... Let's see some pictures please

 

[Congaken]

Can you post a pic of Chucky and this small spot below his mouth?

I don't think so...the boy is only about 1 1/2" long and the spot is like "." this...I have done fresh water for many years, so I think I can ID it...it is white and appears to be under the skin...

 

[Duke4Life]

I don't think so...the boy is only about 1 1/2" long and the spot is like "." this...I have done fresh water for many years, so I think I can ID it...it is white and appears to be under the skin...

Pic time my friend these reefers are pretty good with pics.

 

[Congaken]

to answer this question.... the nitrates arn't something you need to worry about. It's the ammonia you need to monitor closely. The second part..... when you change the water in the QT you should dose the new water with copper before adding it to the QT so that the copper level never drops below .5 ppm


I'm with humble.... Let's see some pictures please

As I said to Humble...I'm sure that you won't be able to see it...tomorrow I will test the copper levels and add what's needed...its probably already too low but since I did what I did, its like starting over...Thanks...

 

[jetmaker]

After almost 2 weeks of QT and noticing nothing, I put Chucky in a holding area in my 10 gal.DT...While he was in there and more visible, I noticed a small spot below his mouth...thinking it may be ich, I returned him to his QT and began to treat him with Cupramine...only then did I realize that nitrates had gone to 20ppm in the QT...so...I changed water, about 30% and now I'm not sure what to do since I had started the copper and than took most of it out...this is my first experience using copper...I'd love some advise here...what to do...what to do...come on R2R people...lets help Chucky...

Yeah that nitrate is not anything to a fish.

 

[Congaken]

Pic time my friend these reefers are pretty good with pics.

Don't have a smart phone...camera is a few years old...sure that you won't see anything...

 

[Duke4Life]

Totally understand! My phone is my demise sometimes hahaha

 

[Humblefish]

I don't think so...the boy is only about 1 1/2" long and the spot is like "." this...I have done fresh water for many years, so I think I can ID it...it is white and appears to be under the skin...

I would hate to see you expose a fish to copper over 1 white spot that might turn out to be a grain of sand or possibly just Lympho (a harmless virus).

Do this: Watch the "." and see how long it remains on the fish. If 3-7 days, most likely it is indeed ich. <3 days is most likely just sand stuck to his slime coat; >7 days is probably Lympho or possibly a bacterial infection.

 

[Congaken]

Good idea...there's already some copper in it but I'll measure it and follow your idea...thanks...

 

[Congaken]

Good idea...there's already some copper in it but I'll measure it and follow your idea...thanks...

 

[Congaken]

Friday morning...Chuck is back in QT...I can see nothing even with a magnifying glass...could have been sand or an ich T. that I hadn't noticed...copper is .2ppm after yesterday's water change...Humble: do you think that I should bring it up to .5 or just keep as is and watch...if something did fall off of him, I probably should kill it...I'm thinking of the ick cycle...it takes a long time...hate to keep him in QT for weeks...Ken

 

[Congaken]

Friday morning...Chuck is back in QT...I can see nothing even with a magnifying glass...could have been sand or an ich T. that I hadn't noticed...copper is .2ppm after yesterday's water change...Humble: do you think that I should bring it up to .5 or just keep as is and watch...if something did fall off of him, I probably should kill it...I'm thinking of the ick cycle...it takes a long time...hate to keep him in QT for weeks...Ken

 

[Congaken]

Humble...just looked through all your posts and realize that you are the main treatment guy on R2R...I read your post on ich ...very enlightening...my problem with your advice to me is that I think that i missed (ignored) that spot before putting him in the QT...partly because it was hard to see in the QT...now I don't know where things are at so I tested my Cu and brought it up to 3.4ppm ( before reading your blog)...any guidance taking me and Chucky forward is most welcome...Thanks...Ken

 

[melypr1985]

Hi! Humble is away for the weekend, I'm his back up. Let me see if I have things straight here. Your fish had one white spot right? It fell off shortly after noticing it and now he's in QT with .35ppm copper right? If you suspect that it's ick, then go ahead and treat him, but I'm with humble..... It sucks to expose the fish to copper over one little spot. I would do TTM on him as it's quick and involves no meds. That way, he's ick free for sure all without the stress of using copper. I hope that helps.

 

[Congaken]

Hi! Humble is away for the weekend, I'm his back up. Let me see if I have things straight here. Your fish had one white spot right? It fell off shortly after noticing it and now he's in QT with .35ppm copper right? If you suspect that it's ick, then go ahead and treat him, but I'm with humble..... It sucks to expose the fish to copper over one little spot. I would do TTM on him as it's quick and involves no meds. That way, he's ick free for sure all without the stress of using copper. I hope that helps.

What is TTM?