# coppersafe/gill parasites



## Slicey P (Aug 27, 2012)

Hi, well i just brought home some coppersafe for my yoyo loach that's been scratching it's gills a lot, and would like to know the specifics of use/treatment, thx! All i know is to dose half the recommended for scaless fish...but what about waterchanges during treatment, temp during treatment and duration of treatment...etc. Thx again!!!


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

that information should be on the label...i wouldn't buy any medication that didn't tell me about a treatment plan.
does the label tell you to only treat 1/2 dose for scaleless fish ?


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## Slicey P (Aug 27, 2012)

About the dose, no, that's something i read elsewhere. Although the instruction do say to treat for 1 month, i am unsure if treatment time will vary when doing a 1/2 dose... i'm assuming treat for doubly long, but not positive. thx.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

a lot of people make the mistake of assuming all medications should only be 1/2 dosed for skinned fishes..not always true..if coppersafe needs to be 1/2 dosed it will say so on the package...


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Coppersafe is a one-time-dose med. You put it in the tank and don't change any water for a month. No temperature adjustment needed. It's chelated copper instead of "raw," hence the name of copperSAFE. It's usually harmless to scaleless fish.


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## Slicey P (Aug 27, 2012)

TheOldSalt said:


> Coppersafe is a one-time-dose med. You put it in the tank and don't change any water for a month. No temperature adjustment needed. It's chelated copper instead of "raw," hence the name of copperSAFE. It's usually harmless to scaleless fish.


I sure hope you're 100% sure with that...if so i'll dose the recommended sunday after my next pwc and leave it for a month...thx guys


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Well, I'm not 100% sure. If your water is soft, then full-dose coppersafe is no good for scaleless fish. If your water is hard, they should be fine. I should have thought of that earlier, but I never have to worry about it with my water.


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## Slicey P (Aug 27, 2012)

Just googled it, and apparently our water supply here is "very soft"...what now...1/2 dose ???


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Either that or try another treatment option.


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## Slicey P (Aug 27, 2012)

So do i treat for 2 months at half dose instead of 1 at full??


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Neither. 1 month, half-dose.


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## mousey (Jan 18, 2005)

Do you know anything about copper meds being absorbed by the gravel??
A couple of years ago I was using a copper product that had to be brought up to a certain level. I added the recommended dose for the size tank. When I took the water sampe in to the BA store they said that there was nothing in the water. This is when i found out that apparently the gravel can absorb it and therefor the fish don't get treated. The copper med was a few years old. It had no affect on the ick at all.
Just wondering.


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## Slicey P (Aug 27, 2012)

Thx all!!! Gonna get a test kit to make sure copper levels are proper.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Gravel and silicone both can absorb copper.


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