The Puffer Forum

Would using copper based meds at too high a dosage be able to cause diseases in puffers such as Vibrio?

Using copper based meds at any dose with puffers damages them quite a bit, it's generally not recommended except for velvet that I know of.

Yeah I only did it because there was a disease my puffer kept getting like every other week so the owner of my LFS said to use it. He told me the dosage to use which was lowere then reccomended since I had a puffer. But at the time I thought my tank was 110 gallon not 90 (it was sold to me as 110) so yeahh you think that was the cause of my puffers death?

Could very likely be. Also, did you use in in your main tank or QT?

My main. I didn't have a quarantine tank nor space to put one up, and didn't learn about giving them med baths till sometime after.

It can poison tanks long term, so it's important to know whats in your tank since it was copper treated. Copper pretty much nukes live rock in SW setups, making it toxic and at risk of leeching copper later, and can absorb into and discolor silicone in any setup...

Yeah it was just FO with all fake decor. What's the best way to make sure there is no copper left in my tank other then water changes? Carbon works right?

Copper soaks into gravel, decor, etc., which leads to toxicity. There are copper removing products which I have heard are fairly safe.

Seachem cupramine is a safe copper to be used on puffers, other delicate fish like angels and butterflies and Sharks. I have used this copper on these fish for over 10 years without death due to copper use.

Copper can not lead to vibrio infections. External parasites can weaken the immune system and leave a fish vulnerable to secondary pathogens - vibrio. Also external parasites can leave openings in the skin where bacteria have an easier portal of entry.

Any medication can kill if not used properly - antibiotics can destroy kidneys when overdosed, cause other damage to other organs as well - liver.

Copper unlike antibiotics can be monitored (levels) thus decreasing the chance of overdosing. When dosing copper make sure you have the proper test kit for the type of copper you are using (chelated vs nonchelated) and Check the levels daily!

Copper removing agents, carbon and water changes can be done in a bare bottom tank to remove copper. Test the water in the tank after several days to check for copper and then add a couple snails (quarantined for a minimum of 4 weeks) to test if any residual copper present.

I suggest getting rid of any LR & subtsrate.

Yeah I plan on tkaing down the tank and setting it up with LR and LS instead. Thanks for the help.