Live rock and cupramine.

[flameangel9]

I have a rack of six tanks, two clownfish a piece, tied into a 75 gal sump. The sump contains live rock as a biological filter. I noticed some of the fish appear sick. A light powder barely visible coating. Guessing ick. I can't quarentine six pairs so I want to treat in the system with cupramine. I understand this will kill any inverts as small as they may be. Snails and hermits removed. I believe the bacteria will survive but I may initiate an ammonia spike? Does anyone think the spike will be substantial enough to cause harm? The live rock will most likely contain copper from here on out but if it remains in this system is that an issue. What would you do? If I remove the rock I have no biological filter.

[aleonn]

A light powdery coating would be worse than ich. Look up marine velvet or Brooks disease. You need to treat appropriately and fast!

[bertoni]

I agree that being sure about the disease before treating.

The copper is claimed to reduce the effectiveness of the biological filter. That might be an issue. Other issue would be invertebrates in the live rock dying and rotting. I'd have plenty of water on hand for changes and some Amquel or Prime, whatever medication I was using.

[tmz]

the manufacture's literature for copper sulfate meds indicates a 20% suppression of the biological filter. Cupramine a bound copper should be less.

Sounds like brooklynella. If it was velvet they'd probably be dead by now. Formalin works for brooklynella and velvet as I recall. Copper is good or velvet but not brooklynella which has no free swimming stage.