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ich/velvet


phlynamjax

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Hello,

 

I recently had outbreak of ich/velvet in my FO display tank. I QT all my fish for at least 1 month, so I am not sure how they got in there. I dose Cupramine directly to the display tank. I test copper level everyday using the salifert CU kit to make sure the copper level is at 0.5mg/L. I just hit 30 days mark since CU level is at 0.5mg/L and I still see white spots on some fish and few of my fishes are still flashing/scratching. I also added PraziPro two times during this time. Most of my fishes are doing well. I lost a fish (seems like secondary bacterial infection) 3 weeks after adding cupramine. I have not lost any other fish. I am not sure what to do anymore. Should I continue with the treatment?

 

thanks,

 

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I would check that your test kit and Cupramine are both within date, if you haven't already, and that you're reading the test kit correctly.

 

Is it possible that the spots are brooklynella, rather than ich or velvet?  Copper isn't proven effective for brook.

 

Also, do you have multiple tanks from which you might be introducing new parasites with wet hands, nets, feeding tongs, or aerosolized tankwater?

 

Do you have chloroquine phosphate on hand?  CP will treat ich, velvet, and brook.  (Don't use CP it for wrasses or hippo tangs.)

 

If the fish are tolerating the copper (i.e., they still have appetites) I would continue with the treatment for a couple weeks and see whether the fish improve with more time.  It's unusual, but not impossible that you have a strain of ich with a longer life cycle.  Do you run your tank at a low temperature?  That could contribute to a longer life cycle.

 

If copper doesn't do the trick I would shift to CP, especially since you have a FO tank and can therefore treat in tank.  Again, CP can kill wrasses and hippo tangs so I wouldn't use CP if you have those fish.

If the fish are tolerating the copper (i.e., they still have appetites) I would continue with the treatment for a couple weeks and see whether the fish improve with more time.  It's unusual, but not impossible that you have a strain with a longer life cycle.  Do you run your QT at a low temperature?  That could extend the life cycle.

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I cannot really figure this out. I believe Cupramine does not have expiration date. I know my test kit is good because I tested with the controlled sample and got the valid results. I do not think it is brooklynella as I do not see any "films" and I also do not have any clownfish. I have a QT, but it is far from the Display tank and I haven't done much with it since the outbreak. My fishes are doing ok, I have noticed some teared/ripped fins on some of my fish and I do not believe it is caused by the aggression. Where can I get CP from? I am afraid copper isn't working as it is hard to believe that I am seeing this many white spots after going 5 weeks. Any other suggestions? I am really running out of ideas.

 

thanks,

 

Steven

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Lots of folks will recommend getting CP through a vet's prescription so you can buy FDA-approved CP with confidence from a pharmacy.  That's great in principle, but the few people who have done it that way say it's very difficult.  Some vets wont write the prescription at all.  Nearly all are reported to require actually seeing the sick fish in person, and will only write it to treat your current tank of fish.  It's not like you can buy a bottle from the vet to keep on hand.

 

I think what most people do is buy non-lab grade CP online from a hopefully legitimate site.

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