Cupramine fish in hospital tank for 3 weeks or 4 weeks?

[Radioheadx14]

My fish came down with Ich a while back and I moved them all over to a hospital tank where I have kept the copper levels (cupramine) at around. 5-.6ppm for the last 3 weeks. I am thinking this week is my last week with the copper before I add carbon and stop dosing. Then they can be in a copper free tank for 4 more weeks while the fallow period does its thing.

How long should I run Copper? bottle says 2 weeks, but that seems short.

[geaux xman]

if you call Seachem phone support, they will suggest 3 weeks.

If the fish had spots, I would shoot for 4 weeks. If never had any, I am fine with 3.

That process has worked well for me.

G'luck.

[Radioheadx14]

No spots while in hospital tank... by the time I was able to catch them and treat, they were clear of spots

[MrTuskfish]

I like 4 weeks too. The whitespots aren't the actual parasite and don't really indicate the presence or disappearance, of ich. But, its always great to see the whitespots gone.

[b0bab0ey]

Originally Posted by mrtuskfish

i like 4 weeks too. The whitespots aren't the actual parasite and don't really indicate the presence or disappearance, of ich. But, its always great to see the whitespots gone.

+1

[Radioheadx14]

Any reason to go beyond 4 weeks? Like the whole 8 weeks in the hospital tank?

[MrTuskfish]

Originally Posted by Radioheadx14

Any reason to go beyond 4 weeks? Like the whole 8 weeks in the hospital tank?

Copper is very toxic stuff. Ich doesn't seem to have a "100 % kill time. But long-term exposure to a therapeutic level of copper just serves no real purpose and could hurt the fish...IMO & IME. Also, you want some QT time to observe and get the fish as conditioned as possible before doing to the DT. Copper hinders this acclimation; which is just as big a reason as disease prevention, to always use a QT.

[Radioheadx14]

Sounds good, one more week and then I will start running carbon and no copper.