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FAQ: Can I use Seachem Cupramine™ together with _______?

Another Company's product

Generally speaking, no. We very strongly recommend against using Cupramine™ alongside any other medication, and reducing agents like water conditioners and many stress reducers will directly interact with Cupramine™ in the water.  We can't 100% guarantee any product that's not our own, but here's a few quick rules for using Cupramine™ if you usually use a different brand for aquarium maintenance:

  1. Avoid using products that overlap in function.  Cupramine™ is more than sufficient to clear out an ich or velvet infestation all on its own; it is not necessary to use multiple antiparasitics at the same time, and may in fact be quite stressful to the fish.  If your fish has both ich and a different and serious infection like columnaris or hexamita, we'd recommend using a medicated food blend instead of mixing the second medication into the water.
    1. MetroPlex™ food blends clear out internal and external parasitic infections like hexamita, ich, velvet, and worms.  See the full instructions HERE.
    2. KanaPlex™ food blends clear out internal and external bacterial infections like columnaris (mouth rot), bloat, fin rot, and lesions. See the full instructions HERE.
  2. Do not use reducing agents. Research the products you use carefully.  Water conditioners that remove chlorine and chloramine, some stress reducers, and some water clarifiers are part of a category of chemicals called "reducing agents".  This type of chemical will alter the form of copper in Cupramine™ from a very safe and stable form to a form that is significantly more toxic. If your tank contains Cupramine™, do not add a reducing agent.
  3. When in doubt, wait 48 hoursLuckily, reducing agents typically exhaust over the course of a few days; if it has been more than 48 hours since your last dose of a reducing agent, it is likely no longer capable of reacting with Cupramine™.
  4. Do not use chemical filter media.  Medias like carbon are capable of removing medications over time.  When using medications, it is best to remove all chemical filter media.  It is perfectly fine to leave the biological media as well as any sponges and pads in the filter though!

 

Seachem® Products

It's safe to use Cupramine™ alongside many of the other Seachem products except for those that fall into the category of "reducing agents".  

Cupramine™ does not interact with any of the Seachem® medications except ParaGuard™ and StressGuard™.  Cupramine™ should never be used with these products.  Cupramine™ does not directly interact with the powder antibiotics like KanaPlex™ or SulfaPlex™, but Seachem® does not recommend combining medications if it can be avoided.  For more information about combining medications, check out FAQ: Can I combine these medications?

Also keep in mind that it is not recommended to make major alterations to water chemistry while using a medication, as this will likely stress the bacteria colonies.  Products like buffers and mineral additives can be used to make major alterations to water parameters, and while it is fine to use them in a  tank being dosed with Cupramine™, care should be taken not to alter water parameters too quickly or too drastically.

 

Here's some Seachem® products that are reducing agents

DO NOT USE THESE PRODUCTS IN A TANK BEING DOSED WITH CUPRAMINE

Prime®

Betta Basics™

Neutral Regulator®

StressGuard™

Safe®

Gold Basics™

AmGuard™

ParaGuard™

Clarity®

 

   

Like most reducing agents, these products will exhaust their ability to interact with Cupramine about 48 hours after your last dose.  If it has been more than 48 hours since your last dose, it should be fine to add Cupramine.

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