fish stressed after cupramine?

[lkoechle]

I started dosing Cupramine 5 days ago. I did the initial half dose per the directions, waited 48 hours and then added the other half. Its been two days since then. Yesterday, I noticed my rabbitfish in her stress colors and this morning neither her nor the sleeper goby are eating. The copper levels are what it should be (.5) or at least I am 80% sure, the colors are really hard to read.

 

Are they just adjusting to the copper treatment? I am so tired of losing fish, I am just going to pay my LFS to do this for me in the future, so much less stress... its worth the $150 for 6 weeks...

 

She doesn't look dire, just stressed.

[lkoechle]

I did a 25% wc since nitrites were at .01 (next lowest reading on seachem kit) just in case. I have not tested copper yet and did not dose the new batch of water.

 

Was .5 possibly too high? The rabbitfish is eating nori now and swimming around with normal colors. I have no idea if it was the nitrites or copper bothering her.

 

Should I just slowly increase cupramine levels over the next couple days instead of following the directions on the bottle?

[Halo_003]

Personally I can't help as I've never used copper. I use NLS ick shield powder which is CP (Chloroquin phosphate) and doesn't carry the negatives you're describing. Personally I would continue WCs to remove the copper, then do a 2 week TTM period or get a bottle of NLS IS and dose that for the 3 week period, I wouldn't use copper to be honest.

[lkoechle]

I increased the levels slowly and they seem to be fine now. I am not interested in changing medication since I have changed medications once already and don't want to stress them, they are on their last week of cupramine (it says two weeks) but I will probably do 3 just to be sure since, like I have said, this is my second fight with it.