Coppersafe & Angels?

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mom2bettas

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Sep 11, 2005
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Angel not eating

I've read a lot of debate on using Mardel's CopperSafe on Angelfish.

I was wondering what some of your thoughts are on it, as well as Mardel's Maracide?

Have any of you used it successfully or unsuccessfully?
 
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daveedka

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Jan 30, 2004
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I personally will not use copper in any form in any of my tanks for any reason. There is simply too much risk of not being able to remove it, and it is too toxic to everything for me to want it around.

There is no doubt copper is effective, but I have read enough long term horror stories that I prefer other methods.

I have used Maracide to a limited extent and do consider it a viable weapon against a very limited number of parasites. It is malechite green which has proven effective, but isn't the best overall option unless you are dealing with something very sticky such as velvet (oodinium)

What exactly are you trying to rid your angels of ?
That may help folks give better advice.
Dave
 

mom2bettas

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Sep 11, 2005
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Well I don't quite know.

He hasn't had an appetite he also has redness near the base of his pectoral fins. The most concerning sign of illness was the stringy white poop he did this morning.
 

daveedka

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Copper and malechite are both external parasite meds. As a rule. Externals are usually killed while away from the fish and therfore water column type treatments are best. you sysmptoms describe internals more likely. I have had good success with Metradanizole (sp?) but it is best to mix some in water and soak it into the food so the fish ingest it directly. It can be dosed in the water column for fish that don't eat at all, but IME it's usually too late by then and water column dosing proves inneffective.

Dave
 

mom2bettas

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Sep 11, 2005
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Thanks for the info, Dave.

I wasn't sure in the first place if it was even a parasite, my first thought was bacterial. I had some Maracyn and Maracyn-2 on hand, so I started using that... since it covers most bacterial issues.

That's why I was interested in the CopperSafe, since it's also a Mardel product it would be less likely to react negatively with the meds that are already in-place.

At this point, I still don't know for sure. I'm just keeping a close eye on him looking for any sign of him getting better or worse.

It's day 3 of the Maracyn, Maracyn-2 treatment... I think he seems much livelier today. I guess I'll just wait and see.
 

mom2bettas

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Sep 11, 2005
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I'm looking for some more help with this same angel.

The red near the base of his pectoral fin went away after the treatment of Maracyn and Maracyn-2. He is now showing no signs of illness... other than the fact that he's not eating.

He is acting the same as always, only not much interest in food. On occasion he shows interest, but spits the food back out.

Any ideas on why this might be?

His water tested good, he had some low traces of nitrites last week but now it's all gone.
 

mom2bettas

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Sep 11, 2005
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Anyone? Please? Any suggestions at all?

It's been a while since I've seen him eat anything.
 

Leopardess

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I'd get some metro if you can, as daveedka suggested. You are describing what is usually internal parasites (lack of eating, white stringy feces).

Meanwhile, try soaking its food in garlic. The juice from the minced stuff in a jar works well. This is an appetite enhancer as well as something that parasites don't generally like (I would not suggest this as a 'treatment', however). Look around and see what you can find for intestinal parasite meds.

Also, have you tried feeding different foods?
 

mom2bettas

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Sep 11, 2005
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Yes, he normally eats flake food. I tried offering him some different pellet type foods, as well as some freeze dried brine shimp and blood worms.

All I've seen him eat was 1 small freeze dried blood worm and 1 flake.

I have the following meds on hand: Maracyn, Maracyn-2, CopperSafe, Maracide (the new version) as well as Maroxy, Pimafix and Melafix.

I haven't seen him poop anymore, I was hoping to see if it still looked white... since I only saw it that once. I also wondered if his poop could also look different because of the lack of food?
 
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