Bigjohnwoody Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Ok so I bought a blue hippo and put her in my 30 gallon qt tank thank God. She was gorgeous at the store and was eating very well. Of course the day after I got her home she had ich. I drip acclimated her to the qt and left the lights off and have a hang on the back filter and pvc fittings and a heater in my qt. The temp is at 79 degrees and I have less the .25 ammonia 0 nitrite and 0 nitrate. I have been doing water changes like crazy trying to keep down my ammonia levels. They have been as high as .5 and that was three days ago and she has always acted perfectly healthy except fo rhaving ich. I had the sponge in my tank for over a month seeding and it does not seem to be helping as I am doing lots of WC's. So I have had her for about a week now and the ich is worse than ever and decided instead of hypo I would run Cupramine. So I added my first dose of cupramine last night. The bottle recommmends 16 drops per 10.5g for the first dose. I put in 32 drops for a 30 gallon tank and decided to not put in the full dose as I read online about really easing them into treatment even more than the bottle states. The copper levels are currently below .25 tested with Salifert test kit. So now after last night she will not eat. I have been feeding her three times a day small meals and she always eats everything and now she wont touch anything. I soaked the food in Kent garlic and also tried rod's food and she won't even come out of her PVC. What should I do? Should I do a big water change again and start the cupramine even slower? I really don't want to lose her. Someone please help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gill Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Are you using tap water conditioner for chlorine? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigjohnwoody Posted February 2, 2011 Author Share Posted February 2, 2011 I did use Kent pro ammonia day before I started the cupramine and did a 60 percent water change before I used the Cupramine and talked with seachem and Kent about my situation and both said I would be more than fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newfisher Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Sorry to hear, sounds like you are on the right path. I hope she takes to the med's and pulls out. I would be doing the same treatment. keep the lights out for longer, keep as much stress from her as possible, garlic is good and hope she pulls through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newfisher Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 How's the flow in the QT? Does anyone think adding a pump and slowly throttling it up through a ball valve to increase flow/oxygen would be bennificial? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigjohnwoody Posted February 2, 2011 Author Share Posted February 2, 2011 All I have for flow is my hang on the back aqua clear power filter! With just a sponge in it for filtration. It does flow in and break the surface but flow is not much I would say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cellowithgills Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 You should feed with Garlic Guard soak mysis. Just brought a powder brown home and it had ich after the first day. All I've done is feed with GG and the ich has cleared up. The garlic should entice her to eat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCR Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Just my opinion. Your doing tooooo much. It is VERY common for tangs to get ick. Especially when transported into a new environment. It is 99.9% stress related. Every water change, treatment and food change is causing more and more stress. SLOW down. It's the fish that will shed the ick as stress is removed. Give mild flow, nothing direct feed nori on a clip. Stop looking at it every 2 minuted like a monkey in a cage. A monkey would get so stressed it would probably throw poo at you! It,her, not the ick needs to relax. I brought home 2 blue tangs in perfect health from a very well established tank. Did all the usual good stuff. But in main tank and I don't QT. They where covered from fin to fin (T say head to tow) in a day I mead really heavily covered. I expected it. They where eating with no other problems. Like you said your lady was. I didn't do anything, no treatment no water changes, and no lookin at them on a constant basis It took them 2 plus weeks to get over it, all on there own. After another week of absolutely no spots i did a small water change, more for the corals than the fish. Non of the other fish got ick. and there has never been another one since. I have at-least 3 more tangs to get, blond, powder blue and, well I'm still thinking. If this is scaring the hell out of you, don't get a powder blue. I expect it will get ick as this is , again very common. I will say in the beginning, looooong time ago I freeked out with the tangs getting ick when they came home. I also killed them with too much love. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fpd4308 Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Just my opinion. Your doing tooooo much. It is VERY common for tangs to get ick. Especially when transported into a new environment. It is 99.9% stress related. Every water change, treatment and food change is causing more and more stress. SLOW down. It's the fish that will shed the ick as stress is removed. Give mild flow, nothing direct feed nori on a clip. Stop looking at it every 2 minuted like a monkey in a cage. A monkey would get so stressed it would probably throw poo at you! It,her, not the ick needs to relax. I brought home 2 blue tangs in perfect health from a very well established tank. Did all the usual good stuff. But in main tank and I don't QT. They where covered from fin to fin (T say head to tow) in a day I mead really heavily covered. I expected it. They where eating with no other problems. Like you said your lady was. I didn't do anything, no treatment no water changes, and no lookin at them on a constant basis It took them 2 plus weeks to get over it, all on there own. After another week of absolutely no spots i did a small water change, more for the corals than the fish. Non of the other fish got ick. and there has never been another one since. I have at-least 3 more tangs to get, blond, powder blue and, well I'm still thinking. If this is scaring the hell out of you, don't get a powder blue. I expect it will get ick as this is , again very common. I will say in the beginning, looooong time ago I freeked out with the tangs getting ick when they came home. I also killed them with too much love. Good luck. I agree with ccr. Tangs are prone to ick and will show symptoms at the slightest stress. An otherwise healthy fish in a healthy environment will come back just fine. Oh and IMHO lose the QT they are more hassle and worry than they are worth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnkrcklives Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 My blue tang has ick. Been that way since day one(had him 1 year now). No other fish show symptoms. Just keep your water stable. Dont fight it. Tangs are bad specially blues. If there is no other added fish that strain should die in a couple months ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigjohnwoody Posted February 2, 2011 Author Share Posted February 2, 2011 Ok well after listening to all of you guys I think I am just going to add her to my display. Between me struggling with ammomia too stressing the heck out of her with staring at her every second I am just going to go with the strong will survive and pray my pair of picasso clowns, diamond goby and green chromis will be ok. If you think I am making a huge mistake and want to talk me out of it you have about an hour before I add her to the display and start to pray everything else is ok. Thanks CCR for clearing things up. I really was laughing out loud when you said if she was a monkey she would be throwing poo at me. This is so true. I have not left her alone for more than a couple hours since I have had her. Thanks guys for the advice I really appreciate it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCR Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Keep us posted. A picture at some point would be nice. I wish you (and her) the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigjohnwoody Posted February 2, 2011 Author Share Posted February 2, 2011 Well first update is she is now in my display! Lights are out when I introduced her and I am off to bed so I can't bother her. Lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newfisher Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 How is she this morning? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThePremiumAquarium Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Curious as well. Good luck my friend. You know how I roll Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigjohnwoody Posted February 2, 2011 Author Share Posted February 2, 2011 As of this morning no sign of her! My lights don't come on until noon and I am trying to stay away from the tank so I don't stress her any more. I will let you guys know as soon as I know something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newfisher Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Curious as well. Good luck my friend. You know how I roll LOL....." LIVE" ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harold B Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Monitor copper levels get some seachem prime/stability and get ammonia down without those u won't be able to keep up with just wc's unless it doing them constantly. Then lace Nori and other food with garlic. Imo that's about all you can do besides keeping other params stable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigjohnwoody Posted February 2, 2011 Author Share Posted February 2, 2011 Went in that room to grab my laptop because it is ten times easier than typing on my iphone and happened to get a glimpse of her. She is in between two rocks just sitting there. She is moving around a little so at least she made it through the night. Lights come on in about an hour and a half so I will be able to see how she looks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newfisher Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Monitor copper levels get some reached prime/stability and get ammonia down without those u won't be able to keep up with just wc's unless it doing them constantly. Then lace MOTO and other food with garlic. Imo that's about all you can do besides keeping other para stable. Be careful dosing 2 different chemicals without researching compatibility. Cupramine and amonia products may cause copper levels to go through the roof. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigjohnwoody Posted February 2, 2011 Author Share Posted February 2, 2011 Monitor copper levels get some reached prime/stability and get ammonia down without those u won't be able to keep up with just wc's unless it doing them constantly. Then lace MOTO and other food with garlic. Imo that's about all you can do besides keeping other para stable. Dosing Cupramine and an ammonia suppresents will cause copper levels to go toxic. Which is why I had to do constant water changes and decided that it was more stressful than helpful and moved her to my display where all params are in stable conditions with no Ammonia and more of a natural environment. I just have to hope and pray now that she will pull through and not stress the rest of my fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigjohnwoody Posted February 2, 2011 Author Share Posted February 2, 2011 Ok so lights have come on and I would say she looks pretty good. She has very good color and actually came out of the rock swam around a little and then returned to her rock where she is still sitting. I am sure she is still super stressed and don't expect much for atleast a day. The ich actually looks a lot better. Hardly any spots at all it seems to have faded quite a bit. I would consider her breathing to be normal. I will keep you all posted as things change. Thanks again for all the advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harold B Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 OK now i'm at my computer instead of phone. Maybe the Cupramine your using goes toxic when mixed with certain ammonia reducing agents. I'm not sure, I used Mardel Coppersafe for the exact same problem you have. Same problem, same fish (hippo), had the sponge in my tank just like you, everything. From what I found out a filter sponge doesn't usally carry enough bacteria to support the wastes from a fish (tang) in a small Q tank. If it was able to it would probably have to have been in the sump for months/years. I doubt that Seachem Stability will cause a problem with your choice of Medication though since it's nothing more than bacteria.But your instructions know best. I just read the instructions for the Coppersafe and it doesn't say anything at all about mixing with ammonia,Nitrate/Nitrite treducing agents,in fact it recommends it's own brand. I used this stuff in a 20g Q tank for about 30 days and the Hippo showed no signs of Ick after the first week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harold B Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Are you sure that Cupramine is not compatible with even AmQuel/AmQuel plus? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigjohnwoody Posted February 3, 2011 Author Share Posted February 3, 2011 So an update on my tang. She is doing extremely well. Her color is looking better all the time and she is out and about swimming. I also just fed and she is eating like a pig once again. Her ich looks like it is almost completely gone and everyone else in the tank seems to be acting as they always do. When my green chromis noticed her this morning he freaked and went to the top of the tank and panicked but after about an hour he is now even swimming with her. She does swim some and then go hide in her rock then come out and swim but I have heard and read that this is normal behavior. Also her eyes are foggy and I have heard this is a sign of stress and I am sure it will pass. I will try to post a pic tomorrow of her for all to see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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