ICH..about to use copper, suggestions?

courtneyclv · 10/25/2006, 07:37 PM

I know I have posted a lot on this topic, but my puffy now will not eat food soaked in garlic, so this is a huge emergency.

I have my QT equiptment and will set it up tomorrow.

I heard hypo will not work in this stage of ich. Can I use small doses, half, of copper? Anohter member said this worked for his porcupine?

Brenden · 10/25/2006, 07:46 PM

Why will hypo not work? The lower salinity will reduce stress and may also encourage it to eat.

tkeracer619 · 10/25/2006, 08:34 PM

Doesn't hypo cure via breaking the reproductive cycle. Also it takes a few days to get the water at that level.

I have used copper with good results. Angels and some others are sensitive.

If you are just setting it up be prepaired for lots of water changes as ammonia will spike fast.

Freed · 10/25/2006, 08:37 PM

Hypo will work now, why wouldn't it? Just make sure you keep an eye on alk, pH and ammonia and be prepared daily to make some water changes.

kraze3 · 10/25/2006, 09:18 PM

Agreed, hypo will work fine at any stage. You can lower the salinity to 1.009 over the course of 4 days or so. Depending on how big the QT is you could use some water from your display to hopefully the ph and ammonia will be under control.

I agree with Brenden lower salinity is easier on a fishes respitory system. Eventually hypo can cause problems but the fish needs to be kept in hypo for long periods of time. Lowering the salinity may help him to eat. Its worth a shot.

What are you trying to feed him?

courtneyclv · 10/26/2006, 12:53 AM

Puffy was eating garlic extreme soaked krill twice daily and loving it. The last two days though, that isnt enticing him either.He is just laying on rocks, not swimming around.

The foxface just got the ich and is still eating his garlic flakes as well as firefish.

I was told on another post that hyposalinity will only cure ich when it isn't that bad or embedded. Copper is for emergency situations.

I am setting of the QT Thursday, water, heater, filter. If the parameters are ok I will attempt to catch puffy and put him in there. I wont start actual treatment until Friday.

Sooo..copper or hypo..still deciding. I want to get rid of the ich but do not want to kill the fish by trying either.

kau_cinta_ku · 10/26/2006, 04:22 AM

stick with hypo, much safer for the fish

BTTRFLYGRL · 10/26/2006, 05:24 AM

I guess you didn't read my response on your other thread.

Copper is NOT good for Puffers..Hypo is a MUCH safer route.
You CAN drop the SG to 1.009 QUICKLY..Preferably in 48 hours by doing 2 water changes a day.
Nothing will kill the ich on the fish..It is too deeply embedded and is protected by the white cyst you see.
Smaller doses of Copper won't work..It has to remain at a certain level [depending on which brand you have] going too low will do nothing and going too high will kill the fish.
Not eating is a typical symptom of ich. Hopefully your Puffer will make it.

Please get some vitamins for these fish..Vita Chem is great. Selcon is another good supplement. Also I have been using a product call 'Marine fish Vital' Has vitamins and Beta Glucan. I am very happy with the results I have seen using this product. If you don't order this, at least find your fish some Beta Glucan Tablets to add to their food..It strengthens their immune system

conefree · 10/26/2006, 07:00 AM

you can drop the salinity even faster than that as well if it is an emergency. Get the QT up and cycled at 1.009, and then do a drip acclimation for the fish over several hours. My new hippo tang got ich recently in QT, and hypo worked a lot better than a lot of the medicines out there. Good luck!

10/25/2006, 07:37 PM	#1
courtneyclv Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 188	ICH..about to use copper, suggestions? I know I have posted a lot on this topic, but my puffy now will not eat food soaked in garlic, so this is a huge emergency. I have my QT equiptment and will set it up tomorrow. I heard hypo will not work in this stage of ich. Can I use small doses, half, of copper? Anohter member said this worked for his porcupine? __________________ Send me a private message if you have any newbie advice to give. ;) Patience is a virtue..that I do not have..but I'm working on it! Current Tank Info: 80 gallon long and short, power filter for 10 gal, fluval 305 canister filter, powerhead, sand substrate,51 lbs live rock, 1 sand sifting sea star, snails,all in display tank. foxface has ich again

10/25/2006, 08:34 PM	#3
tkeracer619 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westminster, CO Posts: 17,289	Doesn't hypo cure via breaking the reproductive cycle. Also it takes a few days to get the water at that level. I have used copper with good results. Angels and some others are sensitive. If you are just setting it up be prepaired for lots of water changes as ammonia will spike fast. __________________ Hobby Experience: 9200ish gallons, 26 skimmers, and a handful of Kent Scrapers. Current Tank: Vortech Powered 600G SPS Tank w/ 100gal frag tank & 100g Sump. RK2-RK10 Skimmer. ReefAngel. Radium 20k.

10/25/2006, 08:37 PM	#4
Freed It's what it's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: 41° 2' 45" N 85° 8' 43" W Posts: 7,579	Hypo will work now, why wouldn't it? Just make sure you keep an eye on alk, pH and ammonia and be prepared daily to make some water changes. __________________ Freed Current Tank Info: 180gal(1120 watts of MH/VHO light), 60gal "sump", Deltec 601 calcium reactor, Euro Reef CS8-3+ skimmer, 20 gallon QT

10/26/2006, 12:53 AM	#6
courtneyclv Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 188	Puffy was eating garlic extreme soaked krill twice daily and loving it. The last two days though, that isnt enticing him either.He is just laying on rocks, not swimming around. The foxface just got the ich and is still eating his garlic flakes as well as firefish. I was told on another post that hyposalinity will only cure ich when it isn't that bad or embedded. Copper is for emergency situations. I am setting of the QT Thursday, water, heater, filter. If the parameters are ok I will attempt to catch puffy and put him in there. I wont start actual treatment until Friday. Sooo..copper or hypo..still deciding. I want to get rid of the ich but do not want to kill the fish by trying either. __________________ Send me a private message if you have any newbie advice to give. ;) Patience is a virtue..that I do not have..but I'm working on it! Current Tank Info: 80 gallon long and short, power filter for 10 gal, fluval 305 canister filter, powerhead, sand substrate,51 lbs live rock, 1 sand sifting sea star, snails,all in display tank. foxface has ich again

10/26/2006, 05:24 AM	#8
BTTRFLYGRL Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: INDY Posts: 2,857	I guess you didn't read my response on your other thread. Copper is NOT good for Puffers..Hypo is a MUCH safer route. You CAN drop the SG to 1.009 QUICKLY..Preferably in 48 hours by doing 2 water changes a day. Nothing will kill the ich on the fish..It is too deeply embedded and is protected by the white cyst you see. Smaller doses of Copper won't work..It has to remain at a certain level [depending on which brand you have] going too low will do nothing and going too high will kill the fish. Not eating is a typical symptom of ich. Hopefully your Puffer will make it. Please get some vitamins for these fish..Vita Chem is great. Selcon is another good supplement. Also I have been using a product call 'Marine fish Vital' Has vitamins and Beta Glucan. I am very happy with the results I have seen using this product. If you don't order this, at least find your fish some Beta Glucan Tablets to add to their food..It strengthens their immune system __________________ AKA Kim Hardie.. Current Tank Info: 240 gallon FOWLR, 180 gallon reef, 55 gallon for my Dwarf Lion

10/25/2006, 07:46 PM	#2
Brenden Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Piedmont, NC Posts: 224	Why will hypo not work? The lower salinity will reduce stress and may also encourage it to eat.

10/25/2006, 09:18 PM	#5
kraze3 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: RI Posts: 2,373	Agreed, hypo will work fine at any stage. You can lower the salinity to 1.009 over the course of 4 days or so. Depending on how big the QT is you could use some water from your display to hopefully the ph and ammonia will be under control. I agree with Brenden lower salinity is easier on a fishes respitory system. Eventually hypo can cause problems but the fish needs to be kept in hypo for long periods of time. Lowering the salinity may help him to eat. Its worth a shot. What are you trying to feed him?

10/26/2006, 04:22 AM	#7
kau_cinta_ku Moved On Join Date: May 2005 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 8,669	stick with hypo, much safer for the fish

10/26/2006, 07:00 AM	#9
conefree Gene Pool Lifeguard Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Downingtown, PA Posts: 758	you can drop the salinity even faster than that as well if it is an emergency. Get the QT up and cycled at 1.009, and then do a drip acclimation for the fish over several hours. My new hippo tang got ich recently in QT, and hypo worked a lot better than a lot of the medicines out there. Good luck! __________________ Chris "A Closed Mouth Gathers No Foot" - Unknown Some people are like Slinkies . . . not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you see one tumble down the stairs. Current Tank Info: 120 gallon, Ecosystem 3612, 6X54 TEK light, Tunze Osmolator, Lifereef dual overflow all down