Test Kits

API Copper Test Kit

Liquid testFreshwater & marine90 tests

The API Copper Test Kit measures copper from 0 to 4 ppm, reading both free and chelated forms, in freshwater, saltwater and ponds. Copper is the classic treatment for marine parasites, and it only works inside a narrow window: too little and the parasite survives, too much and the fish do not. Copper also arrives uninvited through tap water and old plumbing, where it harms invertebrates and plants at levels well below a treatment dose. The kit contains one reagent bottle, a glass test tube and a colour chart for 90 tests.

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Technical details

Test type	Liquid reagent
Parameters	Copper (Cu), free and chelated
Range	0 – 4 ppm
Tests per kit	90
Suitable for	Freshwater and saltwater aquariums, ponds
In the box	1 reagent bottle, glass test tube, colour chart, instructions
Made by	Mars Fishcare, USA

How much copper is safe?

For tanks with shrimp, snails, corals or plants the answer is none: invertebrates are harmed by copper at a fraction of a part per million, which is why a reading on fresh tap water is worth taking. During a deliberate copper treatment in a fish-only quarantine tank, the therapeutic level depends on the product — follow the medication’s label for its target — and the kit’s job is to confirm you are at that level and hold it there, testing daily and topping up as rock and media absorb it. Never run copper in a tank you intend to keep invertebrates in afterwards; it lingers in the substrate. The kit reads 0 – 4 ppm and covers 90 tests.

Keeps a copper treatment in its window

Copper medications for marine ich and velvet are dosed to a therapeutic level that must be held for weeks, and copper is absorbed by rock, sand and filter media as you go. Testing daily during treatment shows when to top up and when to stop, which is the only way to keep the dose effective without poisoning the fish.

Free and chelated copper

Treatments come in two chemistries, and many hobby kits read only one. This kit measures both free and chelated copper, so it gives a true reading whichever product is in the water.

Copper from the tap

Copper pipes and geysers shed copper into tap water, and even a small amount kills shrimp and snails and interferes with plant growth. A test on new tap water tells you whether a heavy-metal-neutralising conditioner such as Stress Coat is doing its job.

Frequently asked questions

When should I test for copper?

Throughout any copper-based fish treatment to keep the dose at a therapeutic level, and on new tap water if you keep invertebrates or plants, to check that your conditioner is neutralising it.

Does the kit read chelated copper?

Yes. It measures both free and chelated copper, so it works with either type of treatment.

Can I use it for a pond?

Yes. The kit is labelled for freshwater and saltwater aquariums and for ponds.

Is copper safe for shrimp and snails?

No. Invertebrates are extremely sensitive to copper; any measurable level is a problem in a shrimp, snail or reef tank.

Is the API Copper Test Kit available in South Africa?

Yes — Jungle Aquatics in Fourways, Johannesburg stocks it and delivers nationwide; live pricing and stock are on jungleaquatics.com.

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South Africa's leading pet and aquarium store since 2007 — with the API range on the floor in Fourways, advice from people who test water every day, and easy ordering from anywhere in the country.

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