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Ok, massive die-off after cupramine. All tetra's (11) 4 rainbows, both pictus, blue gourami.....
All remaining fish seem free of Ick. I am following the directions on the cupramine to the letter.
At what point should I be free to add new fish? The remaining rainbow looks very lonely and Big Als still has some from our original purchase. How many at once should we add?
Thanks,
Dan

55G -5x Bosemani, 3x Emerald Cory,3x Red Rainbow, 3x Turquoise Rainbow. 20G-Empty. 10G -4x Danio 3x Cory Fry 1 Gold Mystery Snail. 10G- 1x CAE, 2x Tetra 1x ADF

Hi,
First, you have to dose the tank regardless if Ich is
visible or not for the full duration that the medication
recommends.
Then, you have to gradually remove the medication through
water changes and the addition of copper to the filter.
Then, when the water is back to normal, and the chemistries
are correct (pH,GH,KH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate) you can
begin to repopulate the tank.

To avoid another outbreak, you should QT your fish for
a couple of weeks to a month, and then add them to the
tank. As to how many at a time, that depends upon how big
your tank is. I may have missed it in skimming over the
posts and replies but I don't think you mentioned it.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Thanks for the reply Frank,
I'm assuming you meant to add carbon to the filter, and not copper?
The tank is a 55 with an eheim 2213 not planted, with medium gravel substrate.
I don't have a QT tank.... what is the next best alternative?
Thanks,
Dan

55G -5x Bosemani, 3x Emerald Cory,3x Red Rainbow, 3x Turquoise Rainbow. 20G-Empty. 10G -4x Danio 3x Cory Fry 1 Gold Mystery Snail. 10G- 1x CAE, 2x Tetra 1x ADF

Hi Dan,
Yes, I did mean add carbon to the filter. The carbon will
adsorb the copper taking it out of circulation.

Initially, with the water change (I've seen
some medications recommend as much as a 50% water
change as the first change) and the use of carbon
the copper will be dramatically reduced.
In a sense, the carbon will "clog up" with the copper as
it removes it and so the carbon should be changed
weekly at first. Then as the water changes, and fresh
carbon, reduce the amount of copper in the tank you
could switch to biweekly and then after a month skip
the carbon all together.

Honestly, if you do not have room a QT tank, the next
best thing is to "play the odds" and purchase healthy
fish from a reliable LFS. To do that it is entirely up
to you. You have to stand in front of the tank of fish
that you want to purchase and LOOK, really look, at each
and every fish. Are they moving normally, are the fins
clamped to the fish or open like its proud, are there ANY
dead fish in the tank or other tanks in the shop? Is the
water crystal clear or cloudy? Ask the sales assistant
to drop some food in the tank. Do they attack the food
as if they have not eaten in a week, or are they just
"oh hum" about the fresh food?
There are probably a dozen questions you have to
ask yourself and some I've not mentioned. You have to
determine that the fish in the tank are healthy and robust.
If you say "no" to any of the questions, or there
are visibly sick fish in the tank, then its best that
you skip those fish and move on. You are looking at
the fish and purchasing on your best guess, that they
are healthy.

Frank

-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

I would treat the tank for at least four weeks. I had a small outbreak a few years back just after I set up the Betta tank. Ich introduced by a Cardinal tetra. To be honest I have never used carbon to remove any meds I would have just done the 30% weekly water changes and left it at that.

I do have a BIG Ich problem during the colder months of the year (nothing like yours) it comes through our water supply. To counteract this I always store my water in 25lt water containers by doing this the Ich dies as it has no host, but this does not mean I can not get Ich as it can come via fish even plants.

Finally

One more Ich question and I'll stop

A big NONO ask as many as you want remember we all had to learn.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

Thanks Keith
It definately is a learning process! We kind of went a little nuts the first time with our stocking. We were going great until I saw the two gouramis at a LFS that looked good on the surface. It was that exact point that it went wrong. They should never have recommended the Blue Gourami for the community of fish I had. It was the biggest bully!
I am now only going to buy from the local Big Al's Aquarium Warehouse....very good staff.
So, will test for copper, follow instructions, and go from there.
Thanks again,
Dan

55G -5x Bosemani, 3x Emerald Cory,3x Red Rainbow, 3x Turquoise Rainbow. 20G-Empty. 10G -4x Danio 3x Cory Fry 1 Gold Mystery Snail. 10G- 1x CAE, 2x Tetra 1x ADF

If you still want a blue colour Gourami think about the "Opaline Gourami" They are not as big but extremely peaceful.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW