Losing my fish

[4FordFamily]

That picture isn't very revealing, but I'm willing to bet on velvet in this case. Read this link Velvet (Amyloodinium ocellatum) it will give you a treatment protocol for the rest of your fish. I would advise swift action.. this isn't something that can be left for another day or procrastinated. I'm very sorry for your losses

X2 you need to act quickly as velvet can turn a happy healthy fish to a dead fish in as few as 2-3 days.

 

[4FordFamily]

Been using these as directed. Not buffer, used once in beginning

Time to switch to copper, see the link @melypr1985 posted.

Don't use any other meds, remove all other meds form the water with large water changes.

 

[chrissy12575]

That picture isn't very revealing, but I'm willing to bet on velvet in this case. Read this link Velvet (Amyloodinium ocellatum) it will give you a treatment protocol for the rest of your fish. I would advise swift action.. this isn't something that can be left for another day or procrastinated. I'm very sorry for your losses

 

[chrissy12575]

Thank u so much for your help. I'll do some research on velvet

 

[melypr1985]

Thank u so much for your help. I'll do some research on velvet

Just be sure you treat in a QT and leave the display fallow for at least 6 weeks. Read the link, it will give you a step - by - step guide on how to treat and cure your fish.

 

[Maritimer]

Velvet isn't something to trifle with - it can wipe out all the fish in a tank quickly enough to make your head spin - and it can't be treated with any of the bottles in that photo. The only thing I've found at my local fish shops (especially the big-box stores) that I trust myself to use against velvet is copper - and in my case, chelated copper such as Coppersafe or "Safe Copper-Aid".

Hoping the remaining fish can pull through . . .

~Bruce

 

[mcarroll]

I started a saltwater reef tank in November. Check my water regularly at fish store I frequent. ( like every other day) water has been perfect, besides a slight cyno outbreak haven't had any problems. Corals look great. I've lost a clownfish, damsel, yellow tang and today a copper and. My mandarin is only fish that seems to b ok.

Treatment is important, but how you got into this boat could be addressed as well.
(This is how you avoid getting back into the same boat later, if at all possible.)

First, that's a lot of fish in a short amount of time. Both for you and for the tank.

Second, that's a tough bunch of fish to start with. Damsels can make every fish hard to keep. Yellow tangs are tangs. And copperbands and mandarins are definitely expert level fish more suited to a very seasoned tank.

Last, what about food and other stresses? For example, what have you been feeding (so far) and how large it the tank?

I'll do some research on velvet

I would add these links to your research:

• FA165/FA165: Use of Copper in Marine Aquaculture and Aquarium
• Stress - Its Role in Fish Disease
• FA157/FA157: Use of Hydrogen Peroxide in Finfish Aquaculture

 

[mcarroll]

Not sure why this went missing from the main University of Florida site as the rest of their guides, but I finally re-found their Velvet guide (somewhere else) via Google scholar:
Amyloodinium infections of marine fish

 

[mcarroll]

A quote from the last guide to explain why all the other guides were posted too:

"Although a wide variety of chemical treatments have been used to control amyloodinium outbreaks over the years, none have proven completely effective or safe for target animals."​

Making sure you have healthy animals is your #1 defense and #1 offense.

 

[4FordFamily]

A quote from the last guide to explain why all the other guides were posted too:

"Although a wide variety of chemical treatments have been used to control amyloodinium outbreaks over the years, none have proven completely effective or safe for target animals."​

Making sure you have healthy animals is your #1 defense and #1 offense.

This is all good and great but the vast majority of fish available in the hobby are unable to fight off velvet, and by vast majority I would venture to bet its well over 95% of common fish we buy. When we get them they're too far gone from stress and malnourishment for any of that. Plus we keep far smaller cages than in large aquaria and other operations. If I'm fighting off parasites that need me to reproduce exponentially I would rather be in a football stadium than a closet.

Ich management is one thing, velvet management has to be far more intentional, gradual, and requires repeated treatment and exposure to get right for most commonly purchased fish in this hobby. Not to mention, a TON of money to do well and right so that you don't lose all of your fish. Even if all of that was within grasp, I still think it's a ticking time bomb, there are some animals that will never be able to do it in captivity, and I would argue that's unethical husbandry.

 

[melypr1985]

This is all good and great but the vast majority of fish available in the hobby are unable to fight off velvet, and by vast majority I would venture to bet its well over 95% of common fish we buy. When we get them they're too far gone from stress and malnourishment for any of that. Plus we keep far smaller cages than in large aquaria and other operations. If I'm fighting off parasites that need me to reproduce exponentially I would rather be in a football stadium than a closet.

Ich management is one thing, velvet management has to be far more intentional, gradual, and requires repeated treatment and exposure to get right for most commonly purchased fish in this hobby. Not to mention, a TON of money to do well and right so that you don't lose all of your fish. Even if all of that was within grasp, I still think it's a ticking time bomb, there are some animals that will never be able to do it in captivity, and I would argue that's unethical husbandry.

100% agree. Velvet management is not something I would even attempt. This isn't a disease that you mess around with.

 

[Humblefish]

This is all good and great but the vast majority of fish available in the hobby are unable to fight off velvet, and by vast majority I would venture to bet its well over 95% of common fish we buy. When we get them they're too far gone from stress and malnourishment for any of that. Plus we keep far smaller cages than in large aquaria and other operations. If I'm fighting off parasites that need me to reproduce exponentially I would rather be in a football stadium than a closet.

Ich management is one thing, velvet management has to be far more intentional, gradual, and requires repeated treatment and exposure to get right for most commonly purchased fish in this hobby. Not to mention, a TON of money to do well and right so that you don't lose all of your fish. Even if all of that was within grasp, I still think it's a ticking time bomb, there are some animals that will never be able to do it in captivity, and I would argue that's unethical husbandry.

+2 There is no "perfect solution". Using a chemical (copper, Chloroquine) on a fish to eradicate velvet isn't always "safe" because it can cause side effects and unintended consequences, even death. However, since most fish kept in a closed system will succumb to velvet anyway if left untreated, the chemical solution becomes the lesser of two evils for dealing with this pathogen.

You know when you watch TV and see a commercial advertising some new, great medication? But then at the end they rattle off all the possible side effects? Including some which sound really bad? The same basically applies to all fish meds.

 

[gobylove]

Not saying it wasn't velvet, but that's also quite a crowd for a 30 gallon. When you start back up, you might consider a smaller bio load. also yellow tangs and coppers need a lot more than 30 gallons.