Possible velvet and re-do

dcc

New Member
Alright, short background. The tank has been up since Oct, newbie switch over from fresh to salt. Spouse (who initiated the swap) came down with serious medical issues right after so most of the care/research/etc (besides manual labor) has been on me to maintain the tank (Yaaay). I've beaten flukes and algae, saved a hippo from starvation, am managing clear water, and good numbers the last several weeks. None of this was set up correctly. No sump, no QT, recently purchased an HOB skimmer in addition to our original canister. The funds are not there for a proper do-over. That all being said....

I think we now have velvet after adding a new fish. QT tank is on the "to-do" list, but we jumped the gun (for the last time!) The new fish appeared to develop ich which got really thick really quick. LTS gave me metro and Dr. G's anti-parasitic frozen food (they were out of focus for the metro). New fish appears to be greatly improved (started before meds) but our hippo is covered. All 3 clowns also, two of which have gone missing, so I'm assuming dead and eaten at this point.

We've discussed the following and I'd like ideas and opinions (that don't include making me feel really bad if possible D:)...

Getting a 10g for QT (like, today). Outfit it with a hob filter and small powerhead, and use water from our DT (numbers are still good, can post after work). We'd use this to put the frags and anemone in so we can treat the DT and try to save the sailfin and goby and hippo if it makes it. I don't think there is hope for the last clown. Snails and crabs should go to QT as well?

As far as treating the outbreak in the DT, I'm gathering copper is the best bet? We're discussing a significant water change as well and a thorough vacuuming of the sand bed. I don't think there is anything we can do specifically with the rock to help clear the infection, I think a fw dip would be mostly ineffective?

I appreciate your knowledge and experience. Keeping this thing going during this max-stress time has actually been a saving grace for me and I'm now in love with the hobby. Spouse has mentioned hanging it up but I really think we can recover from this... if it's done as right as can be. Thanks!

Add: Another forum suggested getting a 20g QT and moving the fish instead to avoid copper treatment in the DT. What is the feasibility of housing three fish in a 20g for 2 months, and will that allow for a die off of the parasite in the DT without treating with copper? Hippo is about 3 inches, sailfin around 4, and the goby is probably 5. (They're currently in a 75 with upgrade plans for late summer).
 

Kristin1234

Active Member
I agree. Do not treat your display tank. Residual meds could get in your rock and sand and could harm any future corals/inverts. Put your fish in the qt tank and treat them there. Leave your tank fishless for the course of treatment and qt all future fish. A hippo tang in a small at tank inst ideal, but should be okay for the small treatment time. Put some pvc fittings in there for them to hide in.
 

dcc

New Member
Thanks! I'll research fallow period for the DT. A plan to make 20g QT, using water from the main tank and treating the 3 survivors is the right plan? Though less than ideal space-wise for the tangs.

That leaves me two questions:
Can I use LR from the main tank in the QT if I'm keeping it there permanently?
Dose with copper based med, and if so, suggestions?
 

jay0705

Well-Known Member
I wouldn't use lr in the qt. Copper will get absorbed in it, causing a lower than therapeutic dose. The best qt is bare except for some pvc or fake decor
 

lmforbis

Well-Known Member
I agree with Jay no rock in QT. I use PVC pipe for hiding places. A simple hob filter, I've been using a power head and no filter otherwise a bare bottom. What ever you do never ever use Prime or any other ammonia detoxifier with copper. It turns the copper into a much more toxic form. Don't add the copper all at once. Bring the level up over a couple days.
 

beth

Administrator
Staff member
Better to loose fish then treat your display tank with meds.

Sounds like ich, not velvet (which in SW is known as amyloodinium or just oodinium). Is your tank strictly fish-only (FO) or do you have live rock? Do you have a refractometer? How many fish do you have?

If you can post a picture of your sick fish, we might be able to give you a positive ID on the problem.
 

dcc

New Member
Better to loose fish then treat your display tank with meds.

Sounds like ich, not velvet (which in SW is known as amyloodinium or just oodinium). Is your tank strictly fish-only (FO) or do you have live rock? Do you have a refractometer? How many fish do you have?

If you can post a picture of your sick fish, we might be able to give you a positive ID on the problem.
This is why I assumed it was ich to start.
http://imgur.com/BWSLHOf
http://imgur.com/mCQVE0s

The sailfin looked like this first (all spots are gone). The hippo started spots Sunday. Monday the clowns looked frosted from clear 24 hours earlier, like they had been sprayed with Christmas Snow from a can. One clown died that night, one last night. Third is clear of frost and in the QT now!

I settled on velvet once I saw the clowns and how fast they died. LFS thinks it could be brooklynella.
I've got the four survivors in a QT now and am treating with Cupramine (?). I plan to leave the DT fallow for 72 days to cover the life cycle of ich as well as velvet. I haven't had the time to research brook life cycle yet.
 

beth

Administrator
Staff member
The fish in those pics have ich, not marine velvet. The clowns may have had brook. Brook presents as a whitish slime film over the fish, rapid breathing, inflamed gills. You will need to treat all of your fish for ich. I asked you about having live rock in your tank, how many fish, do you have a refractometer? If you have a fish-only tank, then the treatment of all the fish could be done in the display tank. If you have live rock, you could move that to a rubbermaid so you can treat your fish in tank with hyposalinity. See procedure:

https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/c/index.php/articles/content/100

Examples of brooklynella:
Diseased Fish (Pictures)
 
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