suggestions for my sick butterfly

spaghetti

New Member
i am a beginner and have had my tank setup for about 8 weeks. the tank completed its first cycle three weeks ago. i have 4 damsels, lemon butterfly, and flame angel. i think my butterfly is showing signs of ick, it has about five white spots on its caudal fin. i just noticed it this morning. the fish appears quite healthy and is eating fine. since i don't have a hospital tank and ick is a parasitic infection can i add copper to my tank to treat the butterfly as well as the other livestock. i have a 55 gallon fish-only tank. i would greatly appreciate any info or suggestions
 

the rock

Member
the rock says...
if you don't have inverts and don't plan on having them and are going to be keeping some of the more disease sensitive fish then copper is a very good idea.
 

beth

Administrator
Staff member
Yes, treat your tank with copper, and maintain cooper levels at theraputic levels for a month AFTER all signs of disease disappears. Get a test kit that measures copper levels and keep it at the level recommended on the medication label. Also, if your sick fish appears fairly healthy still, you can give it a "freshwater" dip. This only if it still has the white spots on it. It is important to maintain the treatment even after everything looks normal again. Ick [white spots] drop off the fish and become free-swimming in the tank, and will re-invest your pets if you don't maintain the medication.
 

beth

Administrator
Staff member
Yes, treat your tank with copper, and maintain cooper levels at theraputic levels for a month AFTER all signs of disease disappears. Get a test kit that measures copper levels and keep it at the level recommended on the medication label. Also, if your sick fish appears fairly healthy still, you can give it a "freshwater" dip. Here is the procedure: Get a gal of distilled water from the grocery store and prepare a bathing container for your fish [a bucket or container that has NEVER been used for anything; in other words, a fish only container] Make sure the temp of the water is the same as your tank. Then put your fish in this bath for 1 minute. Return him to the tank. Use this procedure only if the fish still has the white spots on it. It is important to maintain the copper treatment in the tank even after everything looks normal again. Ick [white spots] drops off the fish and becomes free-swimming in the tank, and will re-invest your pets if you don't maintain the medication for several weeks. A formalin bath is basically the same thing. Prepare a separate container for your fish with water from your tank and include high dose of formalin in the cantainer. Follow the recommendations on the medication bottle! Let the fish swim in this [usually about an hr, but don't kill your fish with too high a dose of formalin!], then return him to the tank. I don't recommend a freshwater bath with formalin in it, as this is very stressful indeed! Also, copper in the tank only if your tank has NO invertebrates or live rock. Copper kills invertebrates. The "bath" treatments here are very stressful for fish, so you must be cautious, and you must keep your eyes on the fish at all times ready to return him to the tank if stress is too high. [Get a UV sterilizer, it's worth the investiment not go thru these common parasitic headaches!]
 
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