What's wrong with Brad Pitt (Achilles Tang)?

smokie

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After a fish makes it the first week I give it a name. My Achilles Tang became Brad Pitt a week ago.

I got Brad about 17 days ago. 8 Healthy, strong, vibrant inches. He's been in QT timeout since - (I QT my fish through 30 days .5 cupramine. He took a couple days to take to meaty foods - he ate nori like a pig - but now loves mysis and the rest, but it still doesn't compare to his undying love of nori. He's very active and loves doing loops in and out of the PVC fittings.

This morning I went down and he was pretty pale, but as soon as I got close he instantly turned back to his normal black - maybe a little stress? However he's added a few routines to his swimming loop. He spends 3-5 seconds in front of the powerhead then as he loops through the aquarium he has started flashing/scratching on the pvc manufacturing stamps. Over and over again.

Nothing visual on him, at least not an outbreak, however he's always moving so quickly it's hard to get a good gander at him. He's still eating like a pig and looks nice and plump.

The one idiot thing I did was I didn't check copper levels fri/sat and it looks like it hit .4 on Sunday before I dosed it back up. I say "looks like" because I hate the color scale on the Seachem test with all of my fury.

If this was the first week I would think ich/velvet for sure, but it seems to be strange to see something on day 17, even if copper did drop to .4.

After a costly mistake when I started, I have become a disciple of the Humblefish Ich Eradication movement, and have read much of his teachings.

Stress? Or I am in-denial that he somehow got a parasite?
 

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Any flashing/scratching and swimming into powerheads is a red flag that scares me personally. See if it is just a phase over the next couple days. I'd definitely recommend keeping him in observation for a full 4 weeks after the copper QT period. The good part about Achilles is the black color making it so easy to see spots!

If you haven't already you should dose General Cure to the water to knock out the chance of flukes. And also consider soaking food in Metro to get rid of internal parasites.

Strongly consider purchasing the Hanna Checker for High Range Copper instead of relying on the silly color-tests that are impossible to eyeball. Also consider making a switch to Copper Power for your future copper QT as is much easier on fish.
 
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smokie

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Thanks for the response. Good call on the Hanna Checker, it's on my list.

Would you recommend General Cure over Prazipro?
 

LAReefer4Life

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Thanks for the response. Good call on the Hanna Checker, it's on my list.

Would you recommend General Cure over Prazipro?

General Cure contains metronidazole and Praziquantel so it's treats a wider range of issues such as flukes, brook and certain bacterial infections. Prazipro has a higher concentration of 2.5 mg/L praziquantel vs. GC with a concentration of 2 mg/L so if you're looking to just treat flukes specifically prazipro is more effective.
 
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Badilac

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You should check out my thread on the fight I had with my Achilles.
 
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You should check out my thread on the fight I had with my Achilles.

Wow, what a battle and thanks for sharing - I hope I don't go through the same. GC gets here today and I'll be dosing immediately. He wasn't flashing as much less yesterday but still hanging out in the flow. Nothing I could visibly see still.
 
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Thanks for all the suggestions. After first round of GC, he's stopped hanging out infront of the powerhead and stopped flashing. He's back to zooming around as usual.

I noticed a white discoloration on his face, it's probably a quarter of a centimeter. Almost looks like a wound or something. Could that have been where the flukes were?
 

Badilac

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Thanks for all the suggestions. After first round of GC, he's stopped hanging out infront of the powerhead and stopped flashing. He's back to zooming around as usual.

I noticed a white discoloration on his face, it's probably a quarter of a centimeter. Almost looks like a wound or something. Could that have been where the flukes were?
Yes. Mine had the same thing. Make sure you do another dose of GC 6-7 days after the first.
 
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