Ich or velvet?

[ReeferPat]

A year and a half of reefing with no issues and finally got the parasites everyone talks about. I’m devastated and feel terrible for the fish. Does anyone know if this is ich or velvet? I put my powder brown and a railway goby in a 10-gallon hospital tank (the biggest I had on hand). Gave both a freshwater dip. Using copper power since this morning. No change. Anyone know how fast it’s supposed to work?

 

[Leonidas1453]

It's ich.Don't worry too much it's common for tangs to get ich when stressed bcz they have a thin slime layer.... usually they recover easily...just make sure the fish is eating properly... copper treatment takes 5-7 days for results...if the fish is eating it'll mostly survive...ATB mate

 

[ReeferPat]

It's ich.Don't worry too much it's common for tangs to get ich when stressed bcz they have a thin slime layer.... usually they recover easily...just make sure the fish is eating properly... copper treatment takes 5-7 days for results...if the fish is eating it'll mostly survive...ATB mate✌

Thanks. That makes me feel better. Although I am trying to figure out how to remove all the fish from my tank into a larger quarantine tank. Sucks.

 

[Leonidas1453]

Thanks. That makes me feel better. Although I am trying to figure out how to remove all the fish from my tank into a larger quarantine tank. Sucks.

Do other fishes also have ich?

 

[Big G]

That's velvet. The freshwater dip was a very good move as it removes a tremendous number of velvet parasites from the gills where they do the most damage.
The copper only kills the parasites in the "Free swimming stage" once the copper has reached therapeutic levels, so the fish will have to weather the parasites already attached. And those spots are from a mucous response from where the parasites have already attached and or detached. It will take a few days for the spots to reduce in number.
Consider adding an antibiotic to ward off bacterial infections that are secondary to the parasites attack on the fish's immune system. Kanaplex, Furan2 are very good wide spectrum antibiotics.
All the fish in your tank will need to be treated. And the tank will need to go fallow for 76 days.

Velvet (Amyloodinium ocellatum)

Marine Velvet Disease (Amyloodinium ocellatum) What You Need To Know: * Fast killing parasite capable of wiping out most of your fish in just a matter of days. Sometimes there are survivors, sometimes not. * Can be treated in a quarantine tank using Chloroquine phosphate or Copper. A 5...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[ReeferPat]

That's velvet. The freshwater dip was a very good move as it removes a tremendous number of velvet parasites from the gills where they do the most damage.
The copper only kills the parasites in the "Free swimming stage" once the copper has reached therapeutic levels, so the fish will have to weather the parasites already attached. And those spots are from a mucous response from where the parasites have already attached and or detached. It will take a few days for the spots to reduce in number.
Consider adding an antibiotic to ward off bacterial infections that are secondary to the parasites attack on the fish's immune system. Kanaplex, Furan2 are very good wide spectrum antibiotics.
All the fish in your tank will need to be treated. And the tank will need to go fallow for 76 days.

Velvet (Amyloodinium ocellatum)

Marine Velvet Disease (Amyloodinium ocellatum) What You Need To Know: * Fast killing parasite capable of wiping out most of your fish in just a matter of days. Sometimes there are survivors, sometimes not. * Can be treated in a quarantine tank using Chloroquine phosphate or Copper. A 5...

www.reef2reef.com

I was worried about this. And I sure wish it wasn’t. Now how in the world do I catch all the fish in my tank and provide a new home for them for 76 days. Ugh...

 

[Big G]

I was worried about this. And I sure wish it wasn’t. Now how in the world do I catch all the fish in my tank and provide a new home for them for 76 days. Ugh...

You may want to add a 60-90 minute bath in Ruby Reef Rally following the freshwater dips. It greatly increases the survival rates, even on fish badly attacked.
You are already ahead of the situation more than most. Be of good cheer. You are doing good work for your fish.

 

[artieg1]

First step is to conclusively determine whether ich or velvet. Looks kind of in the middle to me. Velvet is deadly, ich mostly an irritant. If the fish continue to thrive, then most likely ich. I'd observe those in QT/copper before making big decisions. But if you want to eradicate this (whether ich or velvet) permanently, yes, you have to remove all fish (might take you several days) and treat separately while letting DT go fallow for the prescribed period of the parasite you are starving out.

 

[ReeferPat]

I don’t know if it matters in determining the difference, but spots literally started dropping off this morning.

 

[ReeferPat]

Goby died this morning.. By the time I was able to catch him, he already looked in bad shape. Really bummed...

 

[dvp95]

go to humblefishs website and search ich vs velvet. i asked the exact same question with the same powder brown

 

[ReeferPat]

go to humblefishs website and search ich vs velvet. i asked the exact same question with the same powder brown

What was the answer?

 

[Uncle99]

Velvet, they can look similar, but way too many to diagnose ick.

 

[dvp95]

What was the answer?

Agree it was velvet. Treatment was the same just a difference in urgency.

 

[Ucyibd1]

I was always told, if you can count the spots its ich. If there are to many to count, its velvet. Velvet moves fast. I hope you win!