Fish and Treatment Guidelines (with chart)

[seamonster]

You guys are awesome! Thank you so much for this chart. It is much appreciated!

 

[fragit]

Are blennies compatible with CP?

@melypr1985, @Humblefish

 

[Humblefish]

Are blennies compatible with CP?

Yes

 

[cmcoker]

How about a molly miller blenny in coppersafe? Thinking this is the next fish to start quarantine along with an angular wrasse. If can't do the blenny in copper, I will need to adjust my plans..

 

[Humblefish]

How about a molly miller blenny in coppersafe? Thinking this is the next fish to start quarantine along with an angular wrasse. If can't do the blenny in copper, I will need to adjust my plans..

IME; blennies do fine in both copper & CP.

 

[cmcoker]

IME; blennies do fine in both copper & CP.

Thanks!

 

[fragit]

Yes

Thanks Humble.

 

[jbeanz24]

I currently have 4 bartletts Anthias in my qt , they have been in there a week and are eating everything I throw their way. Per the chart ttm appears to be the safest treatment for this species. I am currently not equipped to run ttm , are there any other treatments not listed here that are safer than cupramine ? It is the only chemical parasite treatment I currently have on hand however with it being rated a 3 on the chart i am scared to use it.

 

[Humblefish]

@jbeanz24 If you wish to prophylactically treat for ich/velvet, then copper would be your best option. I personally would use a chelated copper product (e.g. Copper Power, Coppersafe) over Cupramine on anthias.

 

[seamonster]

I have fish ( lawnmower blenny and hi fin goby) in qt (cupramine and prazipro) for almost 2 weeks, and I also got a 6 line wrasse and chromis for a month in the same qt. I just added a Rainfordi goby in qt ( won it tonight at a raffle). Now my question is: does the time period start over (1 month in qt) for all the fish once the last fish is added in qt? In other words, do I now have to wait for a month from today to put fish in reef tank since I put the goby in there today? Thanks guys.

 

[Brew12]

I have fish ( lawnmower blenny and hi fin goby) in qt (cupramine and prazipro) for almost 2 weeks, and I also got a 6 line wrasse and chromis for a month in the same qt. I just added a Rainfordi goby in qt ( won it tonight at a raffle). Now my question is: does the time period start over (1 month in qt) for all the fish once the last fish is added in qt? In other words, do I now have to wait for a month from today to put fish in reef tank since I put the goby in there today? Thanks guys.

Yes. In a fish QT the clock starts over. In a coral/invert QT it does not.

If you have been at therapeutic levels of cupramine the entire time you have added the fish, you can transfer any fish that has been in your QT for over 10 days into a clean QT.
If you haven't been at therapeutic levels the entire time then you need to start the clock over. And you definitely cannot pull the copper out of the system until 30 days after the last fish was added.

 

[seamonster]

Yes. In a fish QT the clock starts over. In a coral/invert QT it does not.

If you have been at therapeutic levels of cupramine the entire time you have added the fish, you can transfer any fish that has been in your QT for over 10 days into a clean QT.
If you haven't been at therapeutic levels the entire time then you need to start the clock over. And you definitely cannot pull the copper out of the system until 30 days after the last fish was added.

Hi, thank you so much. I wish I had another empty and clean qt, but I don’t have the room. That’s my problem when I bought multiple fish. Cupramine levels are good (.03-.05) and I do a 5 gallon water change once a week (10 gallon qt).

My coral qt has no chemicals, it’s just a mini reef, basically. I got a Red and white shrimp that lives with a goby (goby is in fish qt), a purple sponge, a lakers tubinara and a shrimp that’s red with white legs and white polka dots on sides. The coral has been in there for a month, the white leg shrimp for around 3 weeks and the goby shrimp for a week, sponge for 1 day.....

My goal is to have a disease free tank. Ive dealt with ich and velvet in my reef not once, but twice! Ich a couple of times and velvet once. I’m so done with ich management. I lost all my fish twice. So I’m qt EVERYTHING. I’m sure that ich (possibly velvet) can survive on the tissues of coral, live rock and other inverts too. So that’s why they are in a fish free environment now too.

 

[jbeanz24]

@jbeanz24 If you wish to prophylactically treat for ich/velvet, then copper would be your best option. I personally would use a chelated copper product (e.g. Copper Power, Coppersafe) over Cupramine on anthias.

Thanks I ended up getting the coppersafe and an api test kit. My QT is 10 gallons i added 12.5 ML over 3 days. The api kit is hard as hell to read but based on what im seeing it looks like im at or just below 2.0 ppm. How long am i to keep the fish in the treatment? Also can i treat with prazi at the same time as copper safe ?

 

[MarsRover]

Thanks I ended up getting the coppersafe and an api test kit. My QT is 10 gallons i added 12.5 ML over 3 days. The api kit is hard as hell to read but based on what im seeing it looks like im at or just below 2.0 ppm. How long am i to keep the fish in the treatment? Also can i treat with prazi at the same time as copper safe ?

There are some medications that can be mixed, and there is post somewhere around here by one of the masters that lists a few, but i personally don't recommend it.

As for how long to treat copper, 30 days (Copper treatment guide)so you can let all the bad-guys go through their life cycles, become free swimmers and die from the Cu.

I'll see if i can find you that post about mixing meds. Medication Compatibility Guide

 

[Steve1500]

This fish/treatment table is awesome and I use it all the time. I did not see Damsel's (particularly the Springeri) listed, how do they do with coppersafe or TTM?

Thanks,
Steve

 

[Thomashtom]

Hi Meredith what about a Broomtail wrasse? What treatments would you recommend for Ich?

Fish and Treatment Guidelines (with chart)​

The following chart is a quick reference guide on what QT protocol should be used according to which type of fish you are running through QT. It will give you an idea of which methods are generally safest with certain species but is not meant to be absolute in most cases. All fish are individuals and can and will react differently than the norm to certain medications or situations. Just because most tangs do well in copper doesn’t mean that every tang will do well. The chart is numbered in levels of tolerance/ease with each method according to the general experience of several knowledgeable people including myself, @4FordFamily, @Humblefish, @eatbreakfast, @evolved and @Brew12. I thank each of them for their input and help in putting this whole thing together. You will also find helpful advice and tips for QT’ing many of the fish in this chart that are deemed more difficult.

Acronyms used: TTM = Tank Transfer Method CP = Chloroquine Phosphate

View attachment 458751 View attachment 458752 View attachment 458753

** Angels have been found to be even more sensitive to ammonia poisoning than most other fish so more care should be taken to keep ammonia absolutely absent from the tanks during tank transfer method. This is why they are marked with an elevated risk level with TTM. With copper (both kinds) most angels have been found to be relatively resilient in it provided the copper levels are slowly raised over the course of 4 or 5 days. Taking longer never hurts as long as velvet is not suspected.

** The marked wrasse in this section have been found to be tolerant of these copper products provided the levels are carefully risen to therapeutic levels over the course of 4-10 days. Watching carefully for tolerance issues since all fish are individuals and may react differently than the norm. No wrasses should be treated with CP until more testing can be done to understand why they seem to do so poorly.

** Wrasse in general should be allowed to settle and start eating for several days before copper treatment is started. While they can handle copper, it’s best to give them the time before hand for maximum chance of survival. If a wrasse has an injury or infection before going into QT, that “settling time” should be extended until the injury or infection has healed completely before starting copper. Provide a small glass dish of sand for the wrasse that bury at night to help keep them comfortable while in QT.

View attachment 458756

Photo by R2R member @Rsaalman​

** The harlequin tusk seems to be tolerant of all coppers but care must be taken with how quickly the levels are raised. Take 4-5 days to raise copper up to therapeutic levels and watch for tolerance issues

** I have kept lionfish in copper for long periods before without issue, but it's tricky to get them eating and keep them eating. Also, not all the lions attempted lasted in the copper. It seems that 2 out of 5 would do ok and the rest would perish rather quickly.

** I have kept puffers in copper for periods of time as well, but it was chelated copper and it was risky. They refused to eat for up to 2 weeks and had to be enticed using live foods and whole gulf cost shrimp. I didn't have the luxury of raising the levels slowly, so if it's absolutely needed to treat a puffer with copper, then do so slowly if possible.

**Some Zebrasoma tangs seem to be completely intolerant of copper. This is quickly decided if red blotches, loss of color or the refuse to eat while raising the copper levels. If this happens the fish should be removed into a QT with no copper in it until it resumes eating and it's color has returned. If it happens again after a second try in copper, another QT method should be used if possible.

If you have any questions on an individual species not listed here, please ask. Also, never be afraid to create a thread in the disease forum with QT questions as well.

View attachment 458757

photo by R2R member @d_adler​

 

[cody hendrix]

I have a question. I have had a wrasse in my stand alone frag tank for about 3 months that was never qt. I know want to move it into my dt. Should I know qt the wrasse or is the 3 months with no sign of illness going to be good? Also nothing has been added to this tank since the wrasse was added

 

[seamonster]

K have a question. I have had a wrasse in my stand alone frag tank for about 3 months that was never qt. I know want to move it into my dt. Should I know qt the wrasse or is the 3 months with no sign of illness going to be good?

I would copper and prazipro treat it just in case for a month. You never know....

Ich or other disease may be dormant on that fish. But it would likely spread to other fish that are more prone to disease. Better safe than sorry! Qt ( no fish) all inverts too for at least a month before they go in DT.

 

[4FordFamily]

I would copper and prazipro treat it just in case for a month. You never know....

Ich or other disease may be dormant on that fish. But it would likely spread to other fish that are more prone to disease. Better safe than sorry! Qt ( no fish) all inverts too for at least a month before they go in DT.

Many wrasse can mask even velvet for quite awhile (several months). Their thick slime coats and mucous cocoons and/or ability to sleep under the sand keeps the parasites at bay. They’re the most common “Typhoid Mary” found by those that “observe and release”

 

[seamonster]

Many wrasse can mask even velvet for quite awhile (several months). Their thick slime coats and mucous cocoons and/or ability to sleep under the sand keeps the parasites at bay. They’re the most common “Typhoid Mary” found by those that “observe and release”

Wow!! Good to know! I never know that....

My 6 line wrasse has been in at for almost 2 months because I kept buying new fish and now they are all in qt! Lol!! I stopped getting new fish for the moment and they all have 3 more weeks left...