Review on 🐠 Coppersafe by Fritz Mardel: Effective 16oz Solution for Fish Tank Copper Treatment by Anna Ingrassia

I started using Mardel Coppersafe for freshwater aquarium fish in the 1990's. Usually the use of this product was caused by the addition of new (non-quarantine) fish. (I was in college at the time and didn't have the space to set up a special quarantine tank, which is the recommended way to introduce new fish after they've gone through isolation for 2-3 weeks without incident.) It's been more difficult lately become used to finding this product in local fish shops. When I finally found it here at Revain I was shocked to see how expensive it had become. Because of this sticker shock I stuck with a treatment that didn't really work and nearly lost my fish. In hindsight, this product is well worth the money, especially for those of you dealing with a large show pool versus a hospital pool. Treatment with API (General Treatment) and Cordon (Getting Rid of Ich Plus and Ich Attack) before checking here on Revain. What is unique about this product is that you dose to the appropriate amount according to the directions on the bottle and A) you don't have to remove the carbon filter media like other medications require and B) you don't have to do repeated water changes and re-dosing throughout the treatment. In fact, the instructions for use specifically state that one should avoid water changes for 30 days after taking the drug. (However, a word to the wise, if you use this product be sure to do a very large water change beforehand as this will be the only cleaning of your aquarium for the next 30 years!) To ensure my catfish are tolerable of this product. (Pleco and Pictus cat), I divided the dose in thirds and dosed quite a bit the other day. I used the API copper test kit to ensure the dose was correct at the end of this process. The API test strips showed I was too low at a full dose, but not far enough that I felt comfortable going beyond what the Coppersafe label says. Instead, I judged the results by the behavior of the fish. And let me tell you - the change within 24 hours of the first dose, let alone reaching full strength, was dramatic. At first I suspected that my fish had ego, but the characteristic white spots never appeared. Blinking was the only initial symptom. This was followed by fin pinching, lethargy and anorexia (refusal to eat). This was followed by labored breathing (rapid movement of the gills). The fish's breath was severely compromised despite the extra aeration provided by the formalin/malachite green treatment (e.g. Reed Their Plus), so I replaced that first cordon product with their herbal 'Ih Attack' - a smelly product that does that Water turned brown but gave no change. After that I did my third major water change and started taking Hikari PraziPro. When that didn't work, another water change followed, where I was cured with the General Cure API. That didn't work either! A few weeks after this ordeal, I still didn't know if I was dealing with Kostya or a leech infestation. Meanwhile, all these water changes during and between treatments added to the stress my already ill fish had to endure. My fish had been sick for a month when I introduced Coppersafe. One was particularly badly weakened and about to expire. On the final Ave Mary I used Kordon's Methlyene Blue as a 10 second dive which I am happy to report has stabilized the most seriously ill fish (respiration normalized within two hours). I then changed a significant amount of water and inserted Coppersafe the next day. Within three days, the fin pinching stopped and all fish were eating normally. Within a week there was no more blinking. Now I am 30 days old and I can say that this treatment was a complete success. I am so thankful that it can still be found on the market. Finally, you can read a lot about the risks associated with the use of preparations containing copper on various hobby sites. Like all metals, copper is toxic to fish. As with any product, following the "T" instructions is of the utmost importance. If you're particularly paranoid, split the recommended dose in half (or a third) and make sure there are no side effects before adding the next dose. What's worth, my own experience, is that while products containing malachite green/formalin are generally considered safer, they are underestimated in aquarium circles due to their respiratory toxins. In those situations—when you're sure a parasite is the culprit, but it's not entirely clear which one—Coppersafe is the way to go. The icing on the cake is the fact that this treatment is one of the least time consuming and most destructive to your fish in an already busy time.