Is This True?

H

halo

Guest
I have a 55 gallon which I needed to treat for ich about 3 months ago. I have since done numerous water changes. I tried putting in some snails about 3 weeks ago and they died. My water levels all checked out good. I figured I still had some of the ich treatment still in the water. I was told I could never have inverts in the tank now due to the treatment. Is this true? If it is, how come they don't say this on the packaging. They say to remove inverts and then do a 20% water change. I wil be soooo pissed if I can't have inverts. Please help.
 
fishmamma

fishmamma

Active Member
What else was in your tank when you treated? Unfortanately I have heard this to be true. Any rock/sand/substrate etc. will have been contaminated, but I have even read if any tank has been treated with copper it is near impossible to completely remove it, even by emptying and cleaning the tank. You may need to purchase a new tank and use the one you have now for hospital/quarentine.
 
farmboy

farmboy

Active Member
Do you still have the medicine? What exactly is the active ingredient? That will tell the tale. Don't panic till ya know for sure.
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
What treatment did you use? If it was copper based, it may definitely be an issue. If it was a "reef safe" thing then maybe not. But that is why treating a main display is never recommended. So lets start with what treatment you used, and then also cover other issues.
What are your specific water quality parameters, especially ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, alkalinity, specific gravity and temperature (even if they are "perfect." let us pat you on the back by seeing readings :D ). How did you acclimate the snails. How did they die? Meaning, did you see any crawling around and then seem to fall on their backs, unable to turn over? What sort of filtration do you have? How old is the tank?
 
H

halo

Guest
I don't know what the active ingredient is - I'm at work. I do still have the package. I believe it was the Myacine brand. I had some live rock in the tank - I suppose this is dead too?
 
farmboy

farmboy

Active Member
Yeah Halo,
If we have to come down there and smack you around we will! Right Ophiura?
Just kidding! :D
I hope there is another explanation-changing tanks would not be cool. :eek:
 
H

halo

Guest
Thanks for the feedback. My ph is 8.2, temp - 79, ammonia - 0, nitrites - o, nitrates about 15. I have an ehim canister, and a bak-pack skimmer. I couldn't afford a hospital tank and like I said I never would have used the product if they said you couldn't have inverts ever again. I drip-acclimated the snails fo 1$1/2 hours. They lived for less than 24 hours. Thanks.
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
I only go smack people in exotic tropical locations, and only when given first class accomodations :)

Alas, it may be the manufacturers of some of these products, or the LFS people that recommend their use, that may be the one's who really need smacking around.
Halo- your LR bacteria may not be dead....but the inverts may be another story. Do you see anything crawling around? Any little dots on the glass like tiny ants, or worms, or anything?
I don't want to say that snails die for a variety of reasons, which is why acclimation and other water quality comes in to play. It may be something easy to fix. Until we have all the info, we'll think positive. Its friday :)
 
farmboy

farmboy

Active Member
You're in good hands with these folks Halo. I'm still a rookie. I do have a question: How many snails are we talking about here?
 
H

halo

Guest
I do see little bugs crawling around, like I will be tonight - it's Friday. However there were some feather dusters on the rock that are gone. I believe they call this worm rock? I didn't have this piece in there when I treated the tank initially - I'm not a complete idiot.
 
farmboy

farmboy

Active Member
How about it Halo?
What was in that "snake oil" you used? Any Copper?
With crossed fingers we await your response. . . . .
 
H

halo

Guest
I used coppersafe by mardel. Active ingredient is chelted copper sulfate. Thanks for not calling me an idiot. I guess I put too much faith in the local pet store. I'm going to pick up a copper test kit today - if they make them. Thanks again for your input.
 
ridomart

ridomart

Member
I just changed 30 gal aquariums because a LFS told me to use copper for ick, learned from this forum that its not the way to go.Takes about a year to get the copper out if ever by using copprisorb,filtering ect, I can"t keep any inverts either.
 
farmboy

farmboy

Active Member
Bummer,
You could use it for a hospital tank. Or make it a FRESHWATER. . . . . .

It might be OK to use for a SW Fish only tank. That would be cool. I think lions are pretty cool-they just don't mix with coral. . .
Good luck HALO! :yes:
 
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