What is the suitable ppm copper range for QT?

HEllo,
I'm quarantining a Blue hippo tang he's been in the QT for 2 weeks. I am using CopperSafe by Mardel. The instructions were to add 1 tsp. per 4 gallons water. It's a 10 gallon QT. So i added the suggested amount and then tested it. the copper is at about 0.25ppm. That doesn't seem like it's right.
And also I am noticing that there's some extra food leftover sometimes and there's no live sand and only two small pieces of LR. So could i get another fish and put it in there to help clean up leftovers? Possibly a Orangespot goby in that case should i add a sand bed?
Or is my limit 1 fish in the quarantine? the Hippo tang is about 2 1/2 "
 

mantisman51

Active Member
Here's a quote I copied from W*tW*bM*dia(can't put the whole name):"The bare minimum maintenance level of copper sulfate to be effective is at .15 ppm. Fish are safe up to a .25 ppm level, so running the copper at a .20 to .25 ppm is good. Be sure to not let the copper level fall below .15 ppm, otherwise, it will not work and the Ich problem will continue on." I have a 55g QT tank and I was just VERY careful in keeping track of the amount of Coppersafe in the water with the dosing. I didn't measure the copper with a tester, but I had no problems and the fish have been ich-free for 6 weeks today.
 

sepulatian

Moderator
The directions on coppersafe are for preventative copper use. To treat ich bring the copper level up to 2.5. With the tang you can probably have it at around 2PPM. Coppersafe is chelated copper which needs to be stronger than copper sulfate to be effective. Add the recommended amount every 24hrs until therapeutic levels are reached, then hold it there for three weeks. To get rid of the excess food, use a net.
 

beth

Administrator
Staff member
Are you actually treating ich? Or just doing this as a preventative? Preventative copper is not the best choice due to its toxicity on fish, and the potential of making strains of ich less resistant to it.
 

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
I wouldn't copper dose a tang unless it really does have ich.
Though, I do run copper in my holding tanks at about .25 ppm with cupramine.
Edit: By the way, you should NEVER dose copper in a system unless you KNOW how much copper you already have in there. Get a good, reliable test kit.
 
No, I'm not treating ick. I just got the tang i have noticed that it's color has faded a little bit around the snout and eyes. Should I just do hypo in my quarantine tank?
 

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
That means that he is a little stressed. That's all. If you move him to a quarantine you might be stressing him out more then necessary.
 

beth

Administrator
Staff member
Copper may be a catalyst of Head and Lateral Line Erosion, which the white around the face may just be the a symptom of the disease in its infant stages.
If you wish to address the potential for ich without actually having symptoms, then hypo is your best choice. Or, leave your fish in QT for 3 weeks. Observe closely daily using a magnifying glass. If ich pops up, then treat on an as needed basis.
 

sepulatian

Moderator
Oh my, I should have asked if the fish had ich to begin with. I am so sorry. I assumed that he did. My mistake. If you decide to perform hyposalinity then you will have to run some carbon and do several water changes to get the copper back down to zero. You cannot mix copper and hyposalinity.
 
Ok, the SG is 1.019. SHould I leave it there, start doing water changes to get copper to 0 and then start hyposalinity, once the copper is gone? there's no ick on him but, I just got the tang 3 weeks ago, he was in a tank with about 6 other blue tangs and a couple of the other tangs in the fish store looked like maybe they had a little case of ick. But i got the best looking one and have had him in this tank the whole time.
 

sepulatian

Moderator
Originally Posted by kevinbeatzeus
http:///forum/post/2854627
Ok, the SG is 1.019. SHould I leave it there, start doing water changes to get copper to 0 and then start hyposalinity, once the copper is gone? there's no ick on him but, I just got the tang 3 weeks ago, he was in a tank with about 6 other blue tangs and a couple of the other tangs in the fish store looked like maybe they had a little case of ick. But i got the best looking one and have had him in this tank the whole time.
You have to be careful with this. You MUST get the copper out before starting hyposalinity. Use carbon and a copper absorbing pad.
 
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