Bubbles Posted July 8, 2006 Report Share Posted July 8, 2006 I'm considering copper treatment to get rid of an Ich problem. I've been treating with Salifert stop parasite for the last week, feeding garlic, upping regular feeding and doing water changes. All of this looked to be moving things in the right direction. I understand it's a lenghty process and that things sometimes look better and then get worse. This morning I find my female clown on the bottom of the tank, breathing heavily and eyes milky. She's not taking food either. I'd hate to loose any fish, but she's paired and that just makes it worse! I don't have any inverts nor plan to keep any in the current tank. I'm worried about the impact on corals and life rock. I'm moving house in the next few weeks, and part of the move would include an upgrade to a new 5 footer, so I'm not worried about copper leftovers in the physical tank. Please, any feedback would be greatly appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cracker Posted July 8, 2006 Report Share Posted July 8, 2006 NO.... Dont do it. Unfortunately the clown may die. If you move it it may finish it off anyway. Just keep the temp stable and wait it out. Dont add anything more at all. Feed good food to fish to keep up health. COPPER WILL KILL CORALS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubbles Posted July 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 8, 2006 If you move it it may finish it off anyway. Meaning move her and dip external to tank? GRRR, I hate this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted July 8, 2006 Report Share Posted July 8, 2006 Meaning move her and dip external to tank? GRRR, I hate this! It wouldn't help anyway, all the treatments only work during the w/s free swimming stage, not while they are on the fish. To treat her with copper you would have to put her in another tank for the full treatment period. The stress of this often kills weak fish anyway. Copper stuffs your live rock, it leaches out for months afterwards. Are you sure you clown has w/s? It's unusual for clowns to suffer more badly than other fish, esp tangs, normally clowns are the last to go. Its easy to tell, for a fish to die from w/s it has to be so covered you just about can't see the fish for the spots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubbles Posted July 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 8, 2006 Are you sure you clown has w/s? It's unusual for clowns to suffer more badly than other fish, esp tangs, normally clowns are the last to go. Its easy to tell, for a fish to die from w/s it has to be so covered you just about can't see the fish for the spots. I'm pretty sure, at this point though I'm willing to consider anything. Its easy to tell, for a fish to die from w/s it has to be so covered you just about can't see the fish for the spots. She does have several spots but is not completely covered, her eyes have gone cloudy and she's not really moving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted July 8, 2006 Report Share Posted July 8, 2006 Want do her fins and gills look like? Does she have any sores or raw looking patches? How long have you had her? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubbles Posted July 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 8, 2006 Want do her fins and gills look like? Does she have any sores or raw looking patches? Fins have spots, but gills look fine. No swelling or bleeding, so I don't think it's velvet. How long have you had her? Over 6 months, never had a problem with her. Apart from eating the cleaner shrimp I tried to introduce a week ago! Her mate seems ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raeh1 Posted July 9, 2006 Report Share Posted July 9, 2006 I found that the only way to help a sick clown is with an anemone. As I think the tenticles sting anything to death. They will never let a cleaner shrimp anywhere near them. Try copper, but not in your main tank.. be careful, don't cross-contaminate your tank. Copper wastes invertibrates fast and kills them dead in even very small amounts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.