QT tqnk/ Freshwater dip/Hypo salinity treatment

LegoZ81 · 06/13/2006, 08:02 AM

I have a good friend who is having trouble in his QT tank he is running copper (test kit is making it hard to tell actual concentration, I need to get over and see if I can help soon) and SG is 1.020 (with refracto)
Would it be safe to do a fresh water dip and while the fish are in this dip drop the salinity in the tank to Hypo levels 1.010-1.013 and then when the dip is over return the fish to this new lower salinity water?
This needs to be nipped in the bud quickly as the some of the fish are showing distress (hard breathing, hanging at the surface of the QT tank, steps have been tanken to increase oxygen in the water and has helped some)

Also should he continue to run copper along with hypo?

brad23 · 06/13/2006, 08:52 AM

I'm the person with the tank and sick fish.

cristhiam · 06/13/2006, 09:53 AM

I'm going throug the same thing, I would do a water change and don't add any more cooper, cooper is toxic. I'm not sure is a good idea to use cooper while hypo (I read on RC) my self I'm doing hypo only it's been 4 weeks so far and I don't see any more strees on the fish or ich, you need to keep it at 1.009 to be effective. If your fish is showing strees it could be the cooper not sure but mine didnt show any strees from low salinity.

TWallace · 06/13/2006, 10:35 AM

I've read several times it's a very bad idea to use both copper and hypo. It's a lot better to pick one and go with it. Hypo is also only effective at levels of 1.009 and lower. I believe the recommendation is to keep it at 1.008-1.009.

If the copper test kit is not providing accurate results, I'd go with hypo instead, or get a better copper test kit. There is no benefit to running mild hypo (1.020).

I assume the fish have ich and that's why you're using copper? If they aren't sick, I'd return the tank levels to normal and remove the copper. Freshwater dips also aren't of much use against ich, as the parasite burrows deep into the fish where adverse water conditions don't affect them. It's the free swimming stage of the parasite that is killed by hyposalinity/copper/uv.

gary faulkner · 06/13/2006, 12:02 PM

Quote:

I've read several times it's a very bad idea to use both copper and hypo. It's a lot better to pick one and go with it. Hypo is also only effective at levels of 1.009 and lower. I believe the recommendation is to keep it at 1.008-1.009.

If the copper test kit is not providing accurate results, I'd go with hypo instead, or get a better copper test kit. There is no benefit to running mild hypo (1.020).

I assume the fish have ich and that's why you're using copper? If they aren't sick, I'd return the tank levels to normal and remove the copper. Freshwater dips also aren't of much use against ich, as the parasite burrows deep into the fish where adverse water conditions don't affect them. It's the free swimming stage of the parasite that is killed by hyposalinity/copper/uv.

06/13/2006, 08:02 AM	#1
LegoZ81 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 779	QT tqnk/ Freshwater dip/Hypo salinity treatment I have a good friend who is having trouble in his QT tank he is running copper (test kit is making it hard to tell actual concentration, I need to get over and see if I can help soon) and SG is 1.020 (with refracto) Would it be safe to do a fresh water dip and while the fish are in this dip drop the salinity in the tank to Hypo levels 1.010-1.013 and then when the dip is over return the fish to this new lower salinity water? This needs to be nipped in the bud quickly as the some of the fish are showing distress (hard breathing, hanging at the surface of the QT tank, steps have been tanken to increase oxygen in the water and has helped some) Also should he continue to run copper along with hypo?

06/13/2006, 08:52 AM	#2
brad23 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bloomington IL Posts: 2,959	I'm the person with the tank and sick fish. __________________ Ye old English Current Tank Info: 75g reef

06/13/2006, 09:53 AM	#3
cristhiam Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Groveland, FL Posts: 3,099	I'm going throug the same thing, I would do a water change and don't add any more cooper, cooper is toxic. I'm not sure is a good idea to use cooper while hypo (I read on RC) my self I'm doing hypo only it's been 4 weeks so far and I don't see any more strees on the fish or ich, you need to keep it at 1.009 to be effective. If your fish is showing strees it could be the cooper not sure but mine didnt show any strees from low salinity. __________________ 2 yellows tail damsels, yellow watchman goby, tail spot blennie, purple pseudocromis, starry blennie, 2 clowns, 1 black clown, mandarine & Yellow tang Current Tank Info: 125 AGA, 3 40W 6500K, 3 110W URI Actinics, running on 2 IceCaps 660, CSS125

06/13/2006, 10:35 AM	#4
TWallace Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Seattle Posts: 1,464	I've read several times it's a very bad idea to use both copper and hypo. It's a lot better to pick one and go with it. Hypo is also only effective at levels of 1.009 and lower. I believe the recommendation is to keep it at 1.008-1.009. If the copper test kit is not providing accurate results, I'd go with hypo instead, or get a better copper test kit. There is no benefit to running mild hypo (1.020). I assume the fish have ich and that's why you're using copper? If they aren't sick, I'd return the tank levels to normal and remove the copper. Freshwater dips also aren't of much use against ich, as the parasite burrows deep into the fish where adverse water conditions don't affect them. It's the free swimming stage of the parasite that is killed by hyposalinity/copper/uv.