Hospital tank problems

I am having a big problem. I am currently have about a dozen fish in a 72 gallon hospital tank. The are waiting to be moved into their new 300 gallon reef which is sitting fallow. The fish have been in the hospital tank for two weeks and are being treated with cupramine at a level of .45. This level was slowly built up over a weeks time. Yesterday the Flame Angel and Royal Gramma began having issues. The Fame Angel is pale with a torn fin and a cloudy slightly bulging eye. The Royal Gramma has two cloudy eyes and is barely moving. All other fish seem OK. I have done a 30% water change figuring this is a water quality issue. Amonia badge is reading safe. Nitrate levels are around .30 after the water change. Is there anything else I should be doing other than more water changes? I don't want to lose these fish I've had them a long time.

 

Flame Angels (and dwarf angels in general) are very sensitive to copper and so should never be treated with it

If you can, get him out of there now, but it may be too late.

 

I agree to get him out and get him in a tank with pristine conditions.

 

I believe that cupramine is generally OK to use on fish that are sensitive to copper and have read many account of people who have done so successfully. What I am most concerned with is that I am seeing this same issue on fish other than the Flame Angel.

 

Ah, you are right in that cupramine is generally ok with dwarfs, although I have seen to keep it between .3-.4, so you may be a tad higher than you should be. What are you using to test copper levels with?

 

If the fish look as bad as they do, I would still get them out and into some better water. They are showing signs of deteriorating water quality.

 

I am using the SeaChem test kit which is hard to read unless you use the test solution to compare. I did another 30% water change and I am going to be picking up some Maracyn 2 today which I'm told will not interact with the cupramine.

 

Maybe it would be better to move the fish into the 300 gallon reef. Im not sure what the issue in the hospital tank is, but the 300 gallon would probably be better for the fish. Maybe they are just too crowded in the hospital tank. Sometimes its better to put them right into your bigger DT. If they are healthy and confortable they can get over ich and other issues much easier.

 

I'm tempted to do that but I am trying to make the 300 gallon crypto free and the only way to do that is let it go fallow for 6-8 weeks. I am just going to have to step up the water changes and see if I can treat the infection with antibiotics.