| Marine ich (Cryptocaryon Irritans) is a very | | | | they not only destroy their intended target |
| common problem that has been dealt with by | | | | (phytoplankton) but they wipe out the flora and |
| most of us in the marine aquarium hobby time | | | | fauna associated with a thriving pond ecosystem. |
| and time again. These parasites can spread | | | | This is exactly why copper treatments should |
| quickly, breed readily and pose a huge threat to | | | | only take place in a quarantine tank of your |
| our marine aquarium fish. While such parasites are | | | | choice. Ensure the water quality is similar with |
| not lethal in the wild, they can easily wipe out our | | | | regards to temperatures and PH to lessen stress |
| livestock within weeks. | | | | to the treated fish as much as possible. Copper is |
| Most of us in the hobby are very used to seeing | | | | never treated in the main display tank as it lethal |
| a variety of test kits by now. We have the basic | | | | to any corals, crustaceans along with the tiny |
| Ammonia, Nitrate and Nitrite test kits along with | | | | organisms (copepods, amphipods, worms etc) |
| others including Magnesium and Calcium. Perhaps | | | | commonly found in an established reef tank. |
| some of you have been wondering why there | | | | To use copper effectively, we need to get the |
| are copper test kits available as well. Here is why. | | | | dosage right. If we use too much, the fish may |
| Copper is commonly used as an anti parasite | | | | begin to suffer. But if too little is used, its |
| medication in the marine aquarium hobby. It is | | | | effectiveness is lessened as well. Maintain a level |
| extremely effective against all invertebrates | | | | of 0.3 ppm in the quarantine tank when treating |
| including marine ich and marine velvet parasites | | | | for marine ich. Any higher and it may be |
| that we deal with from time to time. It is also | | | | dangerous for the fish. Generally a range of about |
| very toxic to all life forms. In the pond industry, | | | | 0.25 to 0.3 ppm should be alright. Below 0.2 ppm |
| they are commonly used as algaecides where | | | | and the treatment may not work. |