Suppressing rather than curing ich, etc.

[Sk8r]

Stores don't want an outbreak. They can't make sales.

Some stores take measures that will suppress rather than cure: this means it's discouraging the fish getting or showing the pest, but it doesn't mean it hasn't happened.

These measures notably include a slight dose of copper in the water (one more really good reason not to let bag water drip into your quarantine, or far worse, into your tank.) Hyposalinity is real common: fish don't mind a lower salinity and pests don't like it...but...the fish gets to your tank, and salinity comes up where corals and inverts like it---and bingo! you've let the stuff into your tank.

Let's really hope that the tank you let it into was your qt and not your dt.

Be aware of these practices and understand that a short observation in qt may not be enough to let the fish normalize...it can take days or a couple of weeks or even up to four weeks for whatever sneaked in to manifest.

If I had a dollar for every time I've heard "He looked healthy" and "third day in my tank..." ...

[nuxx]

Agreed...

Looks fine does not equal fine.

Always QT everything wet!

[Maxxingout]

On that note I have a question about copper and fish with no signs.

Note; I qt all my fish.

I got a fish from a store that runs a low dose of copper. From what I've read it can take up to 4 weeks for something to show it's ugly head if the fish had anything that the copper was masking.

My question is what if the fish just arrived only one week before I bought it, which is my case. Will that short of a time frame also hinder a outbreak with the same type of time frame?

I'm not looking to see if the fish seems fine if I can put it into my DT. I want to know cause the fish looks really healthy, eating good, and has no signs of anything. It's been through ttm with prazi on the 2nd and 4th transfers and just started it's 4 week qt stay. But after 5 minutes of being put into the 1st tank, stress and all, it started eating. This is my 1st copper stored fish that I bought so it's new to me. My other local fish store that I buy from actually runs CP in it's system.

[Sk8r]

nuxx might be able to answer that better than I can. Copper will suppress appetite, probably more so at higher doses. But I'm not sure how length of exposure affects the answer.

[hkgar]

When Qt coral or inverts that might be carrying Ick, how long in QT to be sure there is no Ick, considering the coral and invert are not hosts for Ick can we be sure after 4 weeks that there is no more living Ick?

I have never done QT for inverts or corals. I do a coral dip though for my LPS and SPS

[nuxx]

nuxx might be able to answer that better than I can. Copper will suppress appetite, probably more so at higher doses. But I'm not sure how length of exposure affects the answer.

Normally get them eating well before starting cupramine.

I raise the cupramine up with 3 doses over 5 days as well. I also don't run the full .5 dosage. Normally between .3 and .4 depending on how the species takes to copper.

I haven't witnessed any loss in appetite of a fish that is eating well after cupramine is added.

[nuxx]

When Qt coral or inverts that might be carrying Ick, how long in QT to be sure there is no Ick, considering the coral and invert are not hosts for Ick can we be sure after 4 weeks that there is no more living Ick?

I have never done QT for inverts or corals. I do a coral dip though for my LPS and SPS

I toss inverts in a tank with some seeded media and feed them for 3 months.

Coral I add to a frag tank with a canary fish and watch for any signs of disease for 6 weeks. Restart the clock on each coral addition. Dip first. If anything is seen, QT the fish and then let the frag tank sit fallow for 3 months. Re-add fish and watch for 6 weeks again.

I also dip before adding to the display. I'm just paranoid.

[kenpau]

Normally get them eating well before starting cupramine.

I raise the cupramine up with 3 doses over 5 days as well. I also don't run the full .5 dosage. Normally between .3 and .4 depending on how the species takes to copper.

I haven't witnessed any loss in appetite of a fish that is eating well after cupramine is added.

Is that dosage still sufficient to kill the ich parasite? I've always run copper treatment at .5 with excellent results, however I'm reluctant to put angelfish through that level of copper so it would be interesting to know what the results are when running at .3 to .4

[Hitch08]

I toss inverts in a tank with some seeded media and feed them for 3 months.

Coral I add to a frag tank with a canary fish and watch for any signs of disease for 6 weeks. Restart the clock on each coral addition. Dip first. If anything is seen, QT the fish and then let the frag tank sit fallow for 3 months. Re-add fish and watch for 6 weeks again.

I also dip before adding to the display. I'm just paranoid.

What do you feed the inverts while in QT?

[nuxx]

What do you feed the inverts while in QT?

Depends on the inverts.

For snails for example nori on a rock and some flake food.

[nuxx]

Is that dosage still sufficient to kill the ich parasite? I've always run copper treatment at .5 with excellent results, however I'm reluctant to put angelfish through that level of copper so it would be interesting to know what the results are when running at .3 to .4

Should be fine at .3 - .4

Haven't really read much about failed treatments in that range.

[kenpau]

Should be fine at .3 - .4

Haven't really read much about failed treatments in that range.

Awesome info, thanks Peter.