Help! Velvet!

[Digiman]

Pls help me:

This is the first time i encounter velvet, i hope i'm right that it's velvet. The effect is so scary, killed my fishes in less than two days! More fatal than Itch.

Symptoms: Heavy breathing plus fishes all swimming at the water surface. Torn and split fins on clownfishes.

First sight of symptoms: 2 days ago

Casualty so far: goldflake, all bartletts, swissguard basslet, black tang

I've did a 50% water change. The rest of my fishes are transferrd to QT, and i've administered cuprazin today in the QT, and they are still breathing v hard now.

My questions:

Is the symptoms confirm my tank is caught with velvet?

Wat can i do to my main tank to cure it of velvet and how long do i need to follow up?

I've checked the website but they are not v clear on how long to treat the tank and most suggest copper treatment which i really wish to avoid on the main tank, so any methods to cure the main tank in the shortest time possible without copper?

Thanks in advance.

[FuEl]

Copper will work against velvet. For main tank raise the temperature to hasten the life cycle of the protozoa. If it is left fishless I think 10 days would be safe to reintroduce your fish. If it does not contain inverts/corals I believe you could try hydrogen peroxide.

I've battled velvet countless times. For fast relief for your fish you could administer freshwater dips.

The good news is that for fish that recover from velvet, they usually don't get infected a second time.

[Digiman]

Copper will work against velvet. For main tank raise the temperature to hasten the life cycle of the protozoa. If it is left fishless I think 10 days would be safe to reintroduce your fish. If it does not contain inverts/corals I believe you could try hydrogen peroxide.

I've battled velvet countless times. For fast relief for your fish you could administer freshwater dips.

The good news is that for fish that recover from velvet, they usually don't get infected a second time.

Do i need to get a copper test kit?

Freshwater dip can i just dip them in tap water, and for how long?

Hydrogen peroxide where to get?

[hammy]

Do i need to get a copper test kit?

Freshwater dip can i just dip them in tap water, and for how long?

Hydrogen peroxide where to get?

Administer copper definately need a good testkit.

use cupramine which i experience great success with.

Seachem recommend to keep it at a level of 0.5ppm but i keep it at 0.25ppm to eradicate all my ich using API testkit.

search the net to use the correct level or check seachem website for correct level for velvet.

[yikai]

Pls help me:

This is the first time i encounter velvet, i hope i'm right that it's velvet. The effect is so scary, killed my fishes in less than two days! More fatal than Itch.

Symptoms: Heavy breathing plus fishes all swimming at the water surface. Torn and split fins on clownfishes.

First sight of symptoms: 2 days ago

Casualty so far: goldflake, all bartletts, swissguard basslet, black tang

I've did a 50% water change. The rest of my fishes are transferrd to QT, and i've administered cuprazin today in the QT, and they are still breathing v hard now.

My questions:

Is the symptoms confirm my tank is caught with velvet?

Wat can i do to my main tank to cure it of velvet and how long do i need to follow up?

I've checked the website but they are not v clear on how long to treat the tank and most suggest copper treatment which i really wish to avoid on the main tank, so any methods to cure the main tank in the shortest time possible without copper?

Thanks in advance.

sorry for ur loss!

sounds like velvet...do they have a slimy layer looking thing on them?

perhaps this will be helpful, from wetwebmedia an article about velvet, amyloodinium

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/amylloodiniumart.htm

[FuEl]

For freshwater dip you need to adjust the pH of the freshwater to roughly the same as that of your tank water.

For the part on Hydrogen Peroxide you can refer to

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-07/...ature/index.php

I believe it can be bought from Guardian pharmacy.

[yikai]

For freshwater dip you need to adjust the pH of the freshwater to roughly the same as that of your tank water.

For the part on Hydrogen Peroxide you can refer to

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-07/...ature/index.php

I believe it can be bought from Guardian pharmacy.

yea H2O2 can buy from pharmacy. but the concentration is about 3% only.

bro digiman, i got about 1/4 bottle of H2O2 left, if u wan i can give it to u. last time used to play with chemistry experiments at home...now seldom liao so u can have it. dont worry its not contaminated.

[FuEl]

yea H2O2 can buy from pharmacy. but the concentration is about 3% only.

bro digiman, i got about 1/4 bottle of H2O2 left, if u wan i can give it to u. last time used to play with chemistry experiments at home...now seldom liao so u can have it. dont worry its not contaminated.

3% is very strong. 3% = 30, 000 ppm. Recommended safe dose for fish is between 75-150 ppm.

[yikai]

3% is very strong. 3% = 30, 000 ppm. Recommended safe dose for fish is between 75-150 ppm.

oh! really? i dunno the strenght for fishes, but when i was in school during chem, 3% was very little, so i assumed it was the same. sorry haha! isit possible to dilute it?

[Morpheous]

Pls help me:

This is the first time i encounter velvet, i hope i'm right that it's velvet. The effect is so scary, killed my fishes in less than two days! More fatal than Itch.

Symptoms: Heavy breathing plus fishes all swimming at the water surface. Torn and split fins on clownfishes.

First sight of symptoms: 2 days ago

Casualty so far: goldflake, all bartletts, swissguard basslet, black tang

I've did a 50% water change. The rest of my fishes are transferrd to QT, and i've administered cuprazin today in the QT, and they are still breathing v hard now.

My questions:

Is the symptoms confirm my tank is caught with velvet?

Wat can i do to my main tank to cure it of velvet and how long do i need to follow up?

I've checked the website but they are not v clear on how long to treat the tank and most suggest copper treatment which i really wish to avoid on the main tank, so any methods to cure the main tank in the shortest time possible without copper?

Thanks in advance.

Fallow your main for a month

These parasites are something like ick, will die off without a host. No medication needed.

[iskay]

From my experiences, freshwater dips provides very effective relief to your fishes. I dip my affected purchases in distilled water for 5 minutes once a day for 3 days then follow up dips every other day if needed until the fish fully recovers. You will not see the spots disappear right after the dip but they usually does after some time.

When dipping, better to leave the fish in a dark area to reduce stress. Also, watch it carefully during the entire process. If the fish becomes listless or breathes heavily, take it out.

This method works only for fishes that are still quite healthy despite the infection. non-healthy fishes might be too stressed out by the procedure.

As for your tank, leaving it fish-less until the parasites perish is the best method to avoid copper.

Lastly, keeping your fishes healthy allows them to fight off parasites naturally.

[angellove]

Do not fresh water dip if the fishes are in the secondary stage. The skin had loss it protective coat. Fresh water dip will kill you current stock. Remain in the QT tank add stronger aeration. Dose cupramine slowly. 1ml - 10.5 gallon. Divide into half and observe the fish behaivour for an hour before complete dose. Hyposalinity will not combat velvet.

For your main tank, increase the temp to 34deg and leave it for 2 weeks. Change H2O before adding your stock back. What the PH in the QT.

Just some advice.

[angellove]

Do not fresh water dip if the fishes are in the secondary stage. The skin had loss it protective coat. Fresh water dip will kill you current stock. Remain in the QT tank add stronger aeration. Dose cupramine slowly. 1ml - 10.5 gallon. Divide into half and observe the fish behaivour for an hour before complete dose. Hyposalinity will not combat velvet.

For your main tank, increase the temp to 34deg and leave it for 2 weeks. Change H2O before adding your stock back. What the PH in the QT.

Just some advice.

Watch the PH in your QT.

[RevellClownfish]

Dun panic i ever been thru dis once b4 long time ago..take out all yur fish and put it in quaratine tank..inside yur quarantine tank put in uv steriliser...and on yur main tank run it with ozonizer for 8 hours every nite..do it every nite for 1mth ..dose in copper or tropic science marine max in the morning but you have to turn off yur protein skimmer and take out yur carbon filter for 1 mth and 20% water change once every week...After da 1mth period do a 50% water change..And pray all turns well.. I know it seems like a hard work..Well it is...But boh pien lor....wat to do..

PS: This is only my 2cent..My hubby oversea frens taught him..And it works for us....

[RevellClownfish]

And i forget dun do a freshwater dip..some may say its the best way...But you end up choking yur fish..its like u goin to mount everest very hard to breath (example only)..and yur bact on yur fish wun dies off completely..Bact are strong and very durable..They wud dies off only in xtreme heat..except for bact in pig which need blow torch to dies off..hahaha ..

[Digiman]

Thank you to everyone's help. My report:

My fight w the velvet and ick (yes realise got ick also) was a long and devastating journey..

For three weeks tried Chem-marin Stop parasite, totally no use. Another three weeks tried Two Little Fishes Stop Itch, plus garlic diet, no use.. the parasites comes and go..

In the end got so tired, and i convinced myself never to believe in these reef safe treatments, and turn to the final resort, COPPER!

Now everything is under controlled. Dose Cupramine and test twice daily w Copper Test Kit. Keep at >0.25 and under 0.5ppm. Occasionally on UV for 5 mins to increase the toxicity level. I guess for fish-only keepers, copper is still the way to go.

[ReDDeviLs]

glad that the battle is over

but do remember in future if u want to go to reef,

sand/liverock/water everything muz go, copper will leech into liverock and sand.

[yikai]

yea. bro reddevilz is right. sand and rock are calcium based. will displace the copper and absorb it. so a gentle reminder to all those sand and rock keepers

[Digiman]

Thanks, but actually the battle not over yet, jux under controlled. Still need to maintain two more weeks of copper treatment. Is there anyway to remove Copper from liverocks completely? I've no sand but hav quite a fair bit of LR.

[Digiman]

Thanks, but actually the battle not over yet, jux under controlled. Still need to maintain two more weeks of copper treatment. Is there anyway to remove Copper from liverocks completely? I've no sand but hav quite a fair bit of LR.

[yikai]

dunn how to remove....): will try to find out for u

[Digiman]

dunn how to remove....): will try to find out for u

Thanks, v helpful lemon. If cant remove den if close down tank can only throw away the rocks.

[yikai]

nothing much on the web. anyway if the liverock is heavily coppered, most of the bacteria will die. rendering the rock rather useless. I THINK. got it from some website. not sure if its true. better check with others.

meantime maybe use polyfilter? to absorb whatever free cupric ions present

[ReDDeviLs]

quite difficult to remove,or maybe not possible.

maybe u can wash it clean sun it for awhile,but no guarentee.

read from RC years ago someone tried to reuse but alot of casualty to inverts and corals.

end of the day he threw all away and restarted everything.

[reeftask]

Well, if used copper with LR, you can say bye bye to these LR.

Remark: Please dont sell these coppered LR to people. Throw away, please!