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View Full Version : Cupramine and PraziPro at same time?


bowfinger
03/15/2011, 12:14 AM
Both labels say no other treatments at same time, but have seen many threads advising the addition of prazi while using the copper. I have chosen both medications as my choice products, but want to confirm their use together, or should I space them out? I have started Cupramine on third day in a bare besides bio-balls 180 gallon tank (212 gallons total volume). Turned off protein skimmer.
Fish= Clown Trigger 4", Hummahumma 3", Undulated Trigger (will likely re-home, at 2-3 inches now), Mappa Puffer 6", Spiny Box Puffer 3", Disjardini Tang 6", Yellow Tang 4", Majestic Angel 4", Spotted Foxface 5" and two small Damsels 2+" (likely re-homes as well).

bowfinger
03/15/2011, 12:23 AM
Another note to the situation is the Spiny Box Puffer is a new addition and with concern over their common parasite issues I want to take caution with the prazo along with getting him to eat. The other fish where living with ich and have used diet and uv to keep at bay..but now is time to remove ich 100%.

briankmarsh1980
03/15/2011, 12:40 AM
I have known of people using both meds at the same time but I have heard more times then not don't mix the meds.
I don't do it. I dose paragaurd first for a week then prozi because it can make them lose there appetite and then I do copper. That's what works best for me. This is just my opinion that's all nothing more nothing less

bowfinger
03/15/2011, 01:59 AM
I will have to think of another way, because I started Cupramine already. I have used this before on another group of fish with good success and nothing else used, it is a second and third product I am concerned with. I would hate to kill fish in treatment as I never have before. I have not even considered paraguard but looks like a good product in itself.
I did only notice ich on the Mappa (for several months off and on) and now it is on other fish due to the stress of moving from a 90 gallon to the 180. Also removing live rock and sand, adding new water etc adds to the stress. Is it normal for the ick to be active in the first three days under this condition before killing off the ick while copper is in the water? The reason I am asking is I believe my copper levels are good (0.5), but if this is not normal (for them to still have ick) I might look for a more accurate copper tester than the API., it goes from 0.5 to 1.0 and has 2.0 and 4.0 as if dead fish wont tell you that lol.

geaux xman
03/15/2011, 02:20 AM
from what i've read over and over, the 2 recommended test kits are seachem and salfialert. i have the salfialert, but havent used it yet.

Tat2demon
03/15/2011, 04:20 AM
I haven't read of anyone having any bad experiences using both at the same time and I am currently dosing both in my 75 qt with no issues at all. None of the fish are acting stressed and all are eating like pigs. API kits are not good for Cupramine. Stick with either Salifert or Seachem. I hear the color is a bit better to read on the Seachem but it can be very messy to use. I use two Salifert kits to check against each other just to make sure. Last thing you want while dosing copper is a bad read.

MrTuskfish
03/15/2011, 09:54 AM
from what i've read over and over, the 2 recommended test kits are seachem and salfialert. i have the salfialert, but havent used it yet.

IMO, you should always use a test kit made by the same company that makes the copper' SeaChem makes Cupramine, use their test kit. I have for years and the results are about perfect. (according to a University Lab.)

bowfinger
03/15/2011, 04:16 PM
I think the test kit is ok (at least working), but I will look for another with a more detailed range. I ended up adding the prazipro and fish seem to be looking fine so far. I even got the Spiny Puffer to start eating, a miracle!
The only thing, is after 7 days of prazipro, should I use carbon to remove, then add copper again? Or can I just leave alone...any ideas on this step?

geaux xman
03/15/2011, 04:20 PM
so you are medicating and copper treating in the 180?

if it was a smaller QT tank, then it is suggested to do ao 50% WC, then redose prazipro again. a 50% WC on a 200g system is a good bit of work.

bowfinger
03/15/2011, 04:40 PM
Yes I am treating all fish in the 180. Was hoping to have tank stocked with young fish and never to add any new creatures once treated and established. The 50% would be a huge task in the 180, so yes was hoping to use carbon or substitute plan. With so much volume and using old biological I was thinking I might get by on that. If I have to do 50%, it is possible though.

knockout
04/05/2011, 12:48 PM
update?

Sk8r
04/05/2011, 01:41 PM
also, watch your topoff: if you're doing both, be absolutely sure of the concentration: don't let evaporation throw it 'off.' An ATO in the hospital tank is a real good investment. At least a zealously observed fill-line.

bowfinger
04/05/2011, 02:44 PM
It all worked out great, all fish looking healthier than ever. This is what they looked like 3 weeks into treatment...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6GsBwKY1po
I ran prazipro by directions and removed and by default the copper too. Added new copper and used copper for just over 3 weeks. Used an organic all purpose treatment (I think it was ich attack or something like that) for a few days at the end then used carbon and skimmer to remove anything remaining.
I have since added a small layer of crushed coral/shells as substrate. Live rock is still cycling.

bowfinger
04/05/2011, 02:47 PM
also, watch your topoff: if you're doing both, be absolutely sure of the concentration: don't let evaporation throw it 'off.' An ATO in the hospital tank is a real good investment. At least a zealously observed fill-line.

At some point in all of this, I did turn off my skimmer with intake hanging low due to moving things around and had an overnight loss of 20-30 gallons. That required new water and a calculation of new med.

knockout
04/05/2011, 03:11 PM
At some point in all of this, I did turn off my skimmer with intake hanging low due to moving things around and had an overnight loss of 20-30 gallons. That required new water and a calculation of new med.

how you lost all that water in one night? just curious

bowfinger
04/05/2011, 05:23 PM
I lost about 20 gallons. I turned the protein skimmer on for a day while removing prazipro. The pump for the skimmer has the air intake and when I turned the skimmer back off to re-dose copper, I left the air intake hanging off the side of the sump. Because of the pressure of new water flowing through the sump and skimmer chamber, it forced water up the air line. That in turn caused it to start a siphon of water. My mistake.
And, I got this tank because of its safe features i.e. internal overflow so I don't have a leak! It is not easy because there is no way of moving tank to clean mess and any little metal rusts if under. A lot of fans, shop vac work and holes drilled into base to air out/fill with kitty litter and run more fans. I just hope the day we move I don't find huge rust or calcified stain under this thing.

bowfinger
05/05/2011, 01:24 PM
UPDATE: Both products worked great and no signs of disease or any side effects after introducing live rock. I did use Panacur as a dewormer, soaked in food as these other products did not seem to do much for internal parasites. The fish are rediculously healthy now. I also got my system under control with flow and no more leak issues. Thanks everyone for your input.

b0bab0ey
05/05/2011, 06:09 PM
I've treated w/ Cupramine, Prazi, and Maracyn 1 & 2 concurrently. The only issue I've ever had is sometimes a fish will stop eating. They usually resume eating after a few days.