Copper Treatment

[small_ranchu]

Today I learn something new from Suphi. Copper will kill anything parasite, snail and so on.

What is the side effect of using copper? Is it a good method to use to get rid of pest snail?

Thank you. :coffee:

[bekko]

As suphi said elsewhere, you have to be very careful with copper. The dose needed to kill parasites is pretty close to the dose which will kill fish.

Malachite green degrades into a copper compound and it is the copper which does the work. By combining malachite green with formalin, you do not need as much copper and have a wider margin of safety for the fish. Also, the malachite green makes formalin more effective and formalin makes malachite green more effective. A synergistic effect. This is why malachite green and formalin are the basis of so many parasite medications (Proform C, Quick Cure, one of the Jungle products, etc.)

-steve

[small_ranchu]

Is it going to kill BB?

[Virginia ranchu]

I find formalin effective, however, it will kill goldfish if left too long. I use the recommended dosage for only 120 minutes with aeration, bypass the filter, and then move the fish to clean water. If your fish is already piping from sort of parasite, the formalin will likely kill it.

Rob

[small_ranchu]

How about using it to kill pest snail?

[Virginia ranchu]

If the snails are in an aquarium, I have another suggestion. I have been feeding my plecos slices of zuchini, and I noticed that the snails love it too. I attach a piece of raw zuchini to a rock with a rubberband, and let it sit. Within a day or so, every snail in the aquarium will be on the zuchini. You can then remove the rock with snails and discard.

If you kill the snails with copper, you risk fouling your water.

Cheers,

Rob

[nygold]

I attach a piece of raw zuchini to a rock with a rubberband, and let it sit. Within a day or so, every snail in the aquarium will be on the zuchini. You can then remove the rock with snails and discard

Snail fishing very clever, good idea.

[small_ranchu]

They are all over the place. Inside filters, pipes to canister and so on. I was thinking using copper will kill eveything except the fish. I am not implementing the idea yet though. Thanks for the replies.

[Corrie]

Malachite green degrades into a copper compound and it is the copper which does the work.

-steve

I was looking for something else an found this.
Before someone else does, Malachite green does not contain copper, it does not degrade to copper, or have anything to do with copper.

Malachite does - CuCO3.CU(OH)2

Malachite Green don't - C23H5N2

Corrie

[bekko]

Thanks Corrie. I am corrected.

-steve

[Corrie]

Steve, that's an internet rumor.

The confusion is in the name, because it looks the color of malachite.

I just read to not use any of the formalin/MG formulas if there is salt in the water.
Which leads me to another question.
People use that same combination on saltwater fish, in salt water.

It's not a good combination, but people do use it.

What is the reason for not using it on fresh water fish with a little salt in the water??

Corrie

[SeaWitch]

Hi Fred,
If you remember, a while back I posted in the pond section about trying to get rid of pest snails, too. The way I have finally gotten rid of mine is the old fashion way; I cleaned the filters every two weeks (I found many if the snails to be on the filter pads, and when I did wcs, I would smoosh any I found with my fingers (the ones that were on the side of the pond). I thought about using different fish "meds", but really didn't want to use those unless I had to, as my fish were not sick.
The zuchini idea is a good one and many of my friends get rid of snails this way.:exact:
I would not use any chemicals unless your fish are sick. I personally HATE meds like Quick Cure for my fish as they seem very harsh...usually worse than the illness you are trying to cure IMO. I wish you luck as I KNOW what you are going through! It took me over a month to get rid of mine and I still see a stray one every once in a while.

[Guenther]

They are all over the place. Inside filters, pipes to canister and so on. I was thinking using copper will kill eveything except the fish.

If you kill the snails with copper they will pollute the water!

Our goldfish love snails, they eat them.
If the snails are too big sometimes I crush them with my fingers. The goldfish come to the hand and eat the snails.

[bekko]

I crush them with my fingers. I did that until a piece of broken shell pierced the skin and I had to dig bits of shell out of my finger tip. It hurt to type for weeks after.

-steve

[Guenther]

I did that until a piece of broken shell pierced the skin and I had to dig bits of shell out of my finger tip. It hurt to type for weeks after.

-steve

Steve, we have very low calcium in the water and the snaíl shells are very thin and easy to crush. Goldfish over 10 cm crush the shell themselves.

[Corrie]

Fred, did you ever get rid of your snails? ;)

If you still have them, Jungle Labs sells Anchors Away, which is Diflubenzuron.
That will kill the snails, get rid of any lice, etc all at the same time, and is easier to use than copper.

Corrie

[SeaWitch]

I did that until a piece of broken shell pierced the skin and I had to dig bits of shell out of my finger tip. It hurt to type for weeks after.

-steve

Steve, you were the one who told me to do that! LOL! I'm sorry about your finger, though! Which was worse, the shell in the finger or when you slipped and hurt your back? I was seriously worried about you when that happened. I could almost feel the pain when you described what happened! OUCH! BTW, have you got my Christmas card yet?:offtopic: Sorry Fred!!! Back to your snails now...well, hopely the snails are gone?

[bekko]

I definitely take it all back. I use an old credit card now and can squash three or four at a time.

-steve