Thoughts on Copperband Ich resistance

[jake296]

Hi all,

It’s been a few weeks now since introducing my copperband into the display and it’s eating well on live black worms, clams and muscles. It has a strong appetite and it seems like I picked up a good one.. until last night I observed Ich on the fins/tail.

It’s almost impossible to catch in my tank and I’ll probably make things much worse trying to remove it from the tank with the catching process, new tank etc etc and the stress involved. If I take it out and it stops eating, it’s game over.

I’m thinking to keep feeding heavily and hope it gets through. What’s people’s experience on how they handle ich?

TIA

 

[Boreas_SA]

If it is healthy and eating well it is quite good in dealing with white spot IME. Not as bad as say a regal tang or powder blue, but also not completely resistant to showing it like most wrasses. If you can keep the parasite numbers down (UV, ozone, 10 micron filter socks etc.) until it can build up some immunity it should be ok.

 

[Boreas_SA]

As a reference point, this is mine after about a month and a half in the tank, and I do have white spot present:

 

[jake296]

That’s good to hear. It’s a tricky one as I think I could cause more damage than good in taking it out now. It would have been a no brainer if it wasn’t eating well but I don’t want to risk the stress of the move. That’s a good enough reply for me to take the chance and leave it.

If it is healthy and eating well it is quite good in dealing with white spot IME. Not as bad as say a regal tang or powder blue, but also not completely resistant to showing it like most wrasses. If you can keep the parasite numbers down (UV, ozone, 10 micron filter socks etc.) until it can build up some immunity it should be ok.

That’s good to hear, confirmed what I thought. It’s a tricky one as I think I could cause more damage than good in taking it out now. It would have been a no brainer if it wasn’t eating well but I don’t want to risk the stress of the move.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[jake296]

As a reference point, this is mine after about a month and a half in the tank, and I do have white spot present:

Very similar condition to mine! Ich is a bit worse on mine by the looks of it but I’m gonna hope for the best. UV running etc etc

 

[Duane family]

I agree that trying to catch it will likely cause more issues. I would suggest a large capacity (for your water volume) UV sterilizer with the correct flow to nuke parasites. And keep up with nutritious feeding. I feel that is your best option in this case.

 

[jake296]

I agree that trying to catch it will likely cause more issues. I would suggest a large capacity (for your water volume) UV sterilizer with the correct flow to nuke parasites. And keep up with nutritious feeding. I feel that is your best option in this case.

Seems everyone is in agreement

Thanks all for the help

 

[vetteguy53081]

As a reference point, this is mine after about a month and a half in the tank, and I do have white spot present:

catch at night when its in its sleep mode or corner with large net. Not as stressful as it appears. Biggest risk is snout getting caught so use a fine , not coarse net. Coppersafe is safest at 2.25 treatment level

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Hi all,

It’s been a few weeks now since introducing my copperband into the display and it’s eating well on live black worms, clams and muscles. It has a strong appetite and it seems like I picked up a good one.. until last night I observed Ich on the fins/tail.

It’s almost impossible to catch in my tank and I’ll probably make things much worse trying to remove it from the tank with the catching process, new tank etc etc and the stress involved. If I take it out and it stops eating, it’s game over.

I’m thinking to keep feeding heavily and hope it gets through. What’s people’s experience on how they handle ich?

TIA

Feeding heavily by itself won’t “cure” ich, I call that the chicken soup syndrome. You may be able to manage the infection, but it takes much more than just lots of food, this post outlines the process:

"Ich Management"

Because this topic continues to come up, I wanted to create a sticky thread so that it is more easily referenced. Please understand that I am NOT presenting this as an optimum method for controlling marine ich, just putting it out there for people who want to try it. Also, do not pick and...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[threebuoys]

A picture of your copperband taken under white light will help us confirm your diagnosis. If only a couple of spots are present, it could be something else. I just removed a copperband from QT (full protocol). When I first got him, he had several areas of lymphocystis on its fin that could have been mistaken for ich.

Also, keep in mind, if it is ich, all other fish in the tank have been exposed. What other fish do you have?

 

[Paul B]

Copperbands can become immune to ich just like all fish can. But not when there is already an infection, a new tank owned by a Noob and not in a tank where all the fish are not in the best health they can be. The correct food does not mean just because it is expensive and you got it in a great store. The best food has living gut bacteria in it because gut bacteria controls a fishes immunity "almost" 100%. That does not include any dry foods which are sterile and have preservatives.

I have kept copperbands over 10 years which may be close to their lifespan many times and never lost one to ich. But I keep all my fish immune so I would never lose a fish to ich or any communicable disease.

It takes time to get fish immune but thats how they live in the sea.

 

[MnFish1]

Hi all,

It’s been a few weeks now since introducing my copperband into the display and it’s eating well on live black worms, clams and muscles. It has a strong appetite and it seems like I picked up a good one.. until last night I observed Ich on the fins/tail.

It’s almost impossible to catch in my tank and I’ll probably make things much worse trying to remove it from the tank with the catching process, new tank etc etc and the stress involved. If I take it out and it stops eating, it’s game over.

I’m thinking to keep feeding heavily and hope it gets through. What’s people’s experience on how they handle ich?

TIA

I think the main issue with survivability in a tank is bioload - the more fish you have the more likely you are to have a problem. I don't know if you have corals, etc - but you could try hypo salinity if if is a FOWLR. As others have said - a picture would be great - to make sure its ich. How are the rest of the fish?

 

[jake296]

For anybody who potentially has the same issue down the line and may read this thread… Copperband is doing well now a few weeks on from the post and ate well throughout the period of having the spots evident. I upgraded my UV as a precaution because I’ve had white spot in the tank previously on my Tomini tang. But I noticed no behaviour changes or anything and appetite was as good as ever. Thanks for the help