Seachem has two similar treatment products with Cupramine and ParaGuard. So, what are the main differences between these solutions?
You can find out in this versus guide.
Quick Summary
The Seachem Cupramine is faster at treating Ich in saltwater while the Seachem ParaGuard works quicker in freshwater.
When it comes to Velvet, Cupramine takes 16 days while ParaGuard can take anywhere between 14 to 21 days.
The ParaGuard is more versatile as it can also be used to treat Fin Tot, Gills Flukes and Skin Flukes.
The only other major difference is that you only need to dose Cupramine two times as opposed to ParaGuard, which requires a daily dosage.
So, if you want to treat Saltwater Ich, we recommend going with Cupramine. For Freshwater Ich, you should use ParaGuard instead.
For Velvet, either of these products are fine.
When it comes to Fin Tot, Gills Flukes and/or Skin Flukes, your only choice out of these two treatment products is the Seachem ParaGuard.
Seachem Cupramine vs. Seachem ParaGuard Comparison Chart
You can take a look at Aquarium Blueprints’ comparison table for the Cupramine and ParaGuard below.
| Seachem Cupramine | Seachem ParaGuard | |
|---|---|---|
| Infection Treatments | Freshwater Ich (Ichthyophthirius) Saltwater Ich (Cryptocaryon) Freshwater Velvet (Piscinoodinium) Saltwater Velvet (Amyloodinium) | Freshwater Ich (Ichthyophthirius) Saltwater Ich (Cryptocaryon) Freshwater Velvet (Piscinoodinium) Saltwater Velvet (Amyloodinium) Fin Rot Gills Flukes (Monogenenean trematodes) Skin Flukes (Dactylogyrus trematodes) |
| Treatment Length | Freshwater Ich (Ichthyophthirius): 16 days Saltwater Ich (Cryptocaryon): 16 days Freshwater Velvet (Piscinoodinium): 16 days Saltwater Velvet (Amyloodinium): 16 days | Freshwater Ich (Ichthyophthirius): 14 days Saltwater Ich (Cryptocaryon): 28 days Freshwater Velvet (Piscinoodinium): 14 to 21 days Saltwater Velvet (Amyloodinium): 14 to 21 days Fin Rot: 7 days or until infection is cured Gills Flukes (Monogenenean trematodes): 14 days or until infection no longer appears Skin Flukes (Dactylogyrus trematodes): 14 days or until infection no longer appears |
| Dosage Instructions | Freshwater: 0.5 mL for every 10.5 gallons (or 40 liters) Saltwater: 1 mL for every 10.5 gallons (or 40 liters) | 5 mL for every 10 gallons (or 40 liters) |
| Dosage Frequency | Dose once and then dose again 48 hours later | Daily during treatment |
| After Treatment Removal | Activated carbon and water changes | Activated carbon and water changes |
| Pricing | Check price on Amazon. (#CommissionsEarned) | Check price on Amazon. (#CommissionsEarned) |
Infection Treatments
Seachem ParaGuard is more versatile when it comes to treating infections. Along with Ich and Velvet, ParaGuard will also help with Fin Tot, Gills Flukes and Skin Flukes.
You can find the full list of the infections both products are designed to fight below:
Seachem Cupramine:
- Freshwater Ich (Ichthyophthirius)
- Saltwater Ich (Cryptocaryon)
- Freshwater Velvet (Piscinoodinium)
- Saltwater Velvet (Amyloodinium)
Seachem ParaGuard:
- Freshwater Ich (Ichthyophthirius)
- Saltwater Ich (Cryptocaryon)
- Freshwater Velvet (Piscinoodinium)
- Saltwater Velvet (Amyloodinium)
- Fin Rot
- Gills Flukes (Monogenenean trematodes)
- Skin Flukes (Dactylogyrus trematodes)
Treatment Length
When it comes to treatment length, ParaGuard works faster for Freshwater Ich while Cupramine is quicker for Saltwater Ich.
When it comes to Velvet, the treatment length for Cupramine is 16 days while the length for ParaGuard can be anywhere from 14 to 21 days.
You can check out the treatment lengths for both products below:
Seachem Cupramine:
- Freshwater Ich (Ichthyophthirius): 16 days
- Saltwater Ich (Cryptocaryon): 16 days
- Freshwater Velvet (Piscinoodinium): 16 days
- Saltwater Velvet (Amyloodinium): 16 days
Seachem ParaGuard:
- Freshwater Ich (Ichthyophthirius): 14 days
- Saltwater Ich (Cryptocaryon): 28 days
- Freshwater Velvet (Piscinoodinium): 14 to 21 days
- Saltwater Velvet (Amyloodinium): 14 to 21 days
- Fin Rot: 7 days or until infection is cured
- Gills Flukes (Monogenenean trematodes): 14 days or until infection is cured
- Skin Flukes (Dactylogyrus trematodes): 14 days or until infection is cured
You can take a look at our recommended treatment schedule for Cupramine as well as our recommended treatment schedule for ParaGuard.
Dosage Amount
When it comes to dosage, you don’t need to dose as much Cupramine in your fish tank when compared to ParaGuard.
You can find the recommended dosage amounts for both products below:
Seachem Cupramine:
- Freshwater: 0.5 mL for every 10.5 gallons (or 40 liters)
- Saltwater: 1 mL for every 10.5 gallons (or 40 liters)
Seachem ParaGuard:
- Freshwater: 5 mL for every 10 gallons (or 40 liters)
- Saltwater: 5 mL for every 10 gallons (or 40 liters)
You can also check out our dosage calculation guides for both products with the following links: Cupramine and ParaGuard.
Dosing Frequency
With Seachem Cupramine, you only need to dose two times, which is once on the first day and then one more time 48 hours later.
With Seachem ParaGuard, you need to dose daily during the entire treatment length.
After Treatment Removal
After completing the treatment schedule for both products, you need to remove both solutions from your tank water.
In order to do so, you need to add activated carbon or other chemical filtration that will remove medication from the aquarium water.
Doing daily water changes will also help dilute Cupramine and ParaGuard from the water column.