Marine Velvet and Copper Power

[DownwardDawg]

Does anyone have any experience with Copper Power? How did it work? Which test kit worked the best with it? How long do you treat with it for Velvet? The reason I'm asking is that this is what I'm currently using to treat a terrible case of velvet with. My LFS did not carry any type of copper. There is a Petsmart but they only had Coppersafe and I just didn't like the reviews and info I was reading about Coppersafe. I called a saltwater fish store 3-1/2 hours away from me and they sell Cupramine and Copper Power. They only had Copper Power at the time and that is what they use. They use it exclusively in their HT's and even run it in low doses all the time in their fish tanks. They really raved about the effectiveness of Copper Power. (they were't trying to make a sale, they gave it to me for free to save my fish) Well, considering that this is velvet and from what I've read on Reef Central, I knew time was the one thing I did not have on my side. I started a 20 gal long tank with water and filter media from the infected tank and threw my pair of ORA black and white snowflake clowns in there. My wife and I hit the road and drove all day to get the treatment started. This was quicker than ordering the Cupramine and waiting for delivery. Anyway, I started the treatment that night. I have a Salifert test kit that only goes up to 2.0ppm and the Copper Power bottle says to run it at 2.5. I have dosed exactly what the bottle suggests and it only reads about 1-2ppm. I do daily water changes to fight ammonia and add Copper Power accordingly after each water change and the test kit never changes.
I'd like to hear any other experiences with this stuff and I need to know how much to use and how long to use it?

[MrTuskfish]

You don't have much time. I only use Cupramine and that won't help; but most decent companies have good tech support. I'd try to find them with your Copper questions.

If this is velvet, or any protozoan parasite, you need to treat ALL fish in the tank; not just the fish showing symptoms. Are you sure this isn't brooklynella? Its main symptom is peeling or sloughing skin. Brook is very common with wild clowns; tank bred clowns are less likely to have it, but are not immune.

[DownwardDawg]

I'm pretty sure it's velvet. I had a couple of fish showing spots like ich then the next day I had 4 dead fish!!! It was overnight death. A couple of the dead fish were not showing any signs or symptons at all. I have moved all the remaining fish to a HT and they have been in the Copper Power for a week now. They all look great and are eating real good. When I put them in the HT and started the copper, they looked horrible after about 24 hours. It was like the copper was really irritating disease. They were covererd in "salt" and looked real fuzzy.

I did have a small green clown goby that had a big chunk of skin on his head that sloughed off. Unfortunately, he died. I had that fish for 5 years.

[MrTuskfish]

I'm glad they're eating; if they stop, its the 1st sign of copper intolerance. Despite what most directions say; I think copper should stay at the therapeutic level for 4 weeks. But, as I said earlier, I don't know the specific little tricks with your brand of copper. Treating parasites always has periods when fish seemed "cured"; this is normal, but often misleading. Don't let appearances trick you into removing the Cu prematurely. If you even save half of these fish, you've done well. Velvet is really nasty stuff and very difficult to cure. IMO, ich is easy, velvet is a huge reason to quarantine all new fish. .

[DownwardDawg]

What should I keep the salinity at in my HT? It's at 1.025 right now which matches my display tank. Should I lower it down a little? I'm not trying for hyposalinity, but it seems I read that lowering the salinity may help the fish with breathing.

[DownwardDawg]

"Most ammonia test kits don't work with Cu, the stick-on badges do."

Is this a true statement??? I threw some filter media in my HT that had been in my display tank for only a week or so. So, I'm battling ammonia by performing 4 gal water changes once to twice a day. (this is in a 20 gal long tank) The test kit I'm using is an API kit. It constantly shows .25-.5 ammonia every time I test. Sometimes it's almost around 1.0. I have some cheap little dip stick type tests and they read 0 ammonia. Could my API test kit be giving me false readings? Will the Seachem ammonia badge be better that the API kit?

[MrTuskfish]

The type of copper determines what test kits work. API tests do not work wityh Cupramine, but I can't help with CopperPower. This is also true with ammonia neutralizers, like Prime, Ammo-Lock, etc. They are deadly when mixed with Cupramine; I just don't know about CopperPower. Did you try tech support for the copper? They may also have a web page with more info.

[DownwardDawg]

Originally Posted by MrTuskfish

The type of copper determines what test kits work. API tests do not work wityh Cupramine, but I can't help with CopperPower. This is also true with ammonia neutralizers, like Prime, Ammo-Lock, etc. They are deadly when mixed with Cupramine; I just don't know about CopperPower. Did you try tech support for the copper? They may also have a web page with more info.

Unfortunately, I can't find much information on this product at all. I've read several reviews and everyone who has used it says it worked great. However, I can't find the "parent company" or any home web page to send my questions to.
Thanks for all your help so far. You and others on here provide great information. It is much appreciated.

[ferchb]

I'm using copper power for the first time. Just curious if a test was found. I haven't been able to find anything out about the manufacturer either.

[goreef170]

API Test kit works with copper power.

[scooter31707]

IMO, the best choice for velvet would be Chloroquine phosphate.