How much does copper stress fish?

[Hal1]

How much does copper stress fish?

I've got a 6 line wrasse who has been in my QT for a week now. I don't see it eating, but it is plump with a roundish belly. It seems to be active and swims normally. No unusual behaviour or any visible indication of illness.

I want to give it 2-3 weeks of treatment with copper, but haven't seen much on what level of stress it adds to the fish. The sooner I can treat it, the quicker I can get the fish in my display tank, which is crawling with pods and flatworms. I would really prefer to see the fish eating before I add the copper, but I'm starting to think that I need to get it in my main tank as quickly as possible.

So, again, how much stress does copper inflict on fish?

 

[Carpentersreef]

I believe that the copper will kill the beneficial bacteria in the intestines and prevent the fish from receiving any nutrients from food that it eats. (That's if you overdose, anyways)

But I don't recommend that you treat it with copper anyways, unless you know that the fish is sick.

The reason for quarantine is to let any possible illness show itself and then treat accordingly.

Mitch