Newbie struggling with Velvet. Fallow??

[miloreif]

I think I’m going to have to fallow my tank for velvet… my questions are:

1) how many days do I have to fallow for?
2) do I need to add any medication to my DT during the fallow?
3) can I keep adding new corals and/or invertebrates during the fallow?

Thank you for the help!

 

[Stealthreefer]

It's got around a 72 day life cycle.
If you have problems stop adding stuff because you could add something else and compound problems.
Just let it run it's course. I wouldn't add anything to the tank for 3 months. Then start slow. 1 thing wait, repeat.

The little cheapy internal UV filters on ebay would probably be a good idea if you can swing it.

 

[MnFish1]

I think I’m going to have to fallow my tank for velvet… my questions are:

1) how many days do I have to fallow for?
2) do I need to add any medication to my DT during the fallow?
3) can I keep adding new corals and/or invertebrates during the fallow?

Thank you for the help!

1. EDIT - 6 weeks (some would say 4)
2. No
3. Kind of - except that you may be introducing other pathogens with them. So - if you were going to do it - I would start the fallow period after you add the last coral.

Lastly - are you sure its velvet - Ich may have a different answer?

 

[MnFish1]

It's got around a 72 day life cycle.
If you have problems stop adding stuff because you could add something else and compound problems.
Just let it run it's course. I wouldn't add anything to the tank for 3 months. Then start slow. 1 thing wait, repeat.

The little cheapy internal UV filters on ebay would probably be a good idea if you can swing it.

I don't mean to disagree - but velvet does not have 72 day life cycle. Second - I am going to kind of disagree with 1 thing then wait - if you can get them (and by them I mean corals) from the same place - its often best IMHO - to add them at once - so they are quarantining while the tank is fallow. JMHO

Lastly - a cheapo UV is likely not worth the money or the time required for maintenance going forward - however, it won't hurt anything but the pocketbook

 

[Stealthreefer]

It's a pump with a built in UV light and I have had them work for a couple years. Certainly perfect for a new person to get a feel.
72 days is the max time supposed to last and I advised 3 months to be safe.

I am talking about ich.

 

[littlefoxx]

I think I’m going to have to fallow my tank for velvet… my questions are:

1) how many days do I have to fallow for?
2) do I need to add any medication to my DT during the fallow?
3) can I keep adding new corals and/or invertebrates during the fallow?

Thank you for the help!

I went 90 days fallow when velvet broke out for me the first time then put 3 chromis in after the 90 days to see if velvet was still there. Waited a month and they still doing well. Just my experience! I still have the 3 zoomies as I call them

 

[MnFish1]

It's got around a 72 day life cycle.
If you have problems stop adding stuff because you could add something else and compound problems.
Just let it run it's course. I wouldn't add anything to the tank for 3 months. Then start slow. 1 thing wait, repeat.

The little cheapy internal UV filters on ebay would probably be a good idea if you can swing it.

I don't mean to disagree - but velvet does not have 72 day life cycle

 

[MnFish1]

It's a pump with a built in UV light and I have had them work for a couple years. Certainly perfect for a new person to get a feel.
72 days is the max time supposed to last and I advised 3 months to be safe.

I am talking about ich.

No offense - the problem is - do they work. The answer is it's very complicated - One often needs a much higher level UV - to do anything. And then there is cleaning, etc etc - I is not likely to help

 

[vetteguy53081]

I think I’m going to have to fallow my tank for velvet… my questions are:

1) how many days do I have to fallow for?
2) do I need to add any medication to my DT during the fallow?
3) can I keep adding new corals and/or invertebrates during the fallow?

Thank you for the help!

Lets first confirm velvet. Pics under white light intensity would help and please describe symptoms you see. In addition, Velvet is a flagellate and I agree with MnFish on 4-6 weeks sufficient.
UV helps only with free floating organisms and mainly ich which passes through the water channel of the unit.
With velvet, fish will scratch body against hard objects, lethargic behavior, Loss of appetite and weight loss, Rapid, labored breathing, Fins clamped against the body, and typically stay at the surface of the water, or remain in a position where a steady flow of water is present in the aquarium.

 

[miloreif]

Lets first confirm velvet. Pics under white light intensity would help and please describe symptoms you see. In addition, Velvet is a flagellate and I agree with MnFish on 4-6 weeks sufficient.
UV helps only with free floating organisms and mainly ich which passes through the water channel of the unit.
With velvet, fish will scratch body against hard objects, lethargic behavior, Loss of appetite and weight loss, Rapid, labored breathing, Fins clamped against the body, and typically stay at the surface of the water, or remain in a position where a steady flow of water is present in the aquarium.

Unfortunately, I already discarded the bodies of the fish but I examined them closely. There were no physical marks at all on the fish, they looked pristine. However, before dying, they were swimming close to the surface and by my power heads which makes me thinks it’s velvet. A critical thing to note is that, I only had these fish for 48 hours before they died. They seemed fine when I bought them from my LFS, and I drop acclimated them accordingly. In the first 24 hours was the first poor victim; my percula clown. Than the other percula clown and finally my wrasse. However my blue tang is still healthy and eating well, though I’m monitoring him very closely. Also I’ve checked and all my parameters are perfect. Let me know what you think! Thank you so much for your insight.

 

[miloreif]

No offense - the problem is - do they work. The answer is it's very complicated - One often needs a much higher level UV - to do anything. And then there is cleaning, etc etc - I is not likely to help

I’ve heard UV is not efficient enough to rid a tank of ich or velvet but correct me if I’m wrong.

 

[miloreif]

I went 90 days fallow when velvet broke out for me the first time then put 3 chromis in after the 90 days to see if velvet was still there. Waited a month and they still doing well. Just my experience! I still have the 3 zoomies as I call them

This gives me hope!!

 

[miloreif]

1. EDIT - 6 weeks (some would say 4)
2. No
3. Kind of - except that you may be introducing other pathogens with them. So - if you were going to do it - I would start the fallow period after you add the last coral.

Lastly - are you sure it’s velvet - Ich may have a different answer?

They had not a single white spot when they died. They also died within 48 hours of introduction. And I’ve checked, my parameters are perfect. I know Ich doesn’t kill that fast either which led me to believe it’s velvet.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Unfortunately, I already discarded the bodies of the fish but I examined them closely. There were no physical marks at all on the fish, they looked pristine. However, before dying, they were swimming close to the surface and by my power heads which makes me thinks it’s velvet. A critical thing to note is that, I only had these fish for 48 hours before they died. They seemed fine when I bought them from my LFS, and I drop acclimated them accordingly. In the first 24 hours was the first poor victim; my percula clown. Than the other percula clown and finally my wrasse. However my blue tang is still healthy and eating well, though I’m monitoring him very closely. Also I’ve checked and all my parameters are perfect. Let me know what you think! Thank you so much for your insight.

In addition to what you saw. . . you drip acclimated. How long did you acclimate and did you float beforehand and match salinity with that of the display tank?
What is your display salinity?

 

[miloreif]

In addition to what you saw. . . you drip acclimated. How long did you acclimate and did you float beforehand and match salinity with that of the display tank?
What is your display salinity?

I floated the bags in my DT for about 30 mins until the Temperature was the same (I measured). Then I drip acclimated for another 30 minutes while maintaining the temperature. My DT salinity is 1.024 and the water the fish came in was 1.026

 

[littlefoxx]

This gives me hope!!

Yeah velvet sucks. It taught me to QT fish and or to find vendors that QT and have healthy fish if I dont. I did the 90 to play it safe, the fish medics on here might advise less time but as long as you keep up on the tank you will have fish in there soon! I also invested in a UV sterilizer (not one of the expensive ones) just a generic one on Amazon and my water is clearer and I havnt seen any outbreaks in the two tanks running UV, but had one in a tank that didnt have UV. Had a puffer develop ich in one with a UV and pulled the puffer and didnt have a outbreak on any other fish so I think the UV does work from my experience

 

[miloreif]

Yeah velvet sucks. It taught me to QT fish and or to find vendors that QT and have healthy fish if I dont. I did the 90 to play it safe, the fish medics on here might advise less time but as long as you keep up on the tank you will have fish in there soon! I also invested in a UV sterilizer (not one of the expensive ones) just a generic one on Amazon and my water is clearer and I havnt seen any outbreaks in the two tanks running UV, but had one in a tank that didnt have UV. Had a puffer develop ich in one with a UV and pulled the puffer and didnt have a outbreak on any other fish so I think the UV does work from my experience

This might be a dumb question but does the UV sterilizer kill the good bacteria in my filter? My HOB filter has a UV sterilizer but I was told not to turn it on bc it kills the good bacteria.

 

[MnFish1]

This might be a dumb question but does the UV sterilizer kill the good bacteria in my filter? My HOB filter has a UV sterilizer but I was told not to turn it on bc it kills the good bacteria.

no it will not

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Unfortunately, I already discarded the bodies of the fish but I examined them closely. There were no physical marks at all on the fish, they looked pristine. However, before dying, they were swimming close to the surface and by my power heads which makes me thinks it’s velvet. A critical thing to note is that, I only had these fish for 48 hours before they died. They seemed fine when I bought them from my LFS, and I drop acclimated them accordingly. In the first 24 hours was the first poor victim; my percula clown. Than the other percula clown and finally my wrasse. However my blue tang is still healthy and eating well, though I’m monitoring him very closely. Also I’ve checked and all my parameters are perfect. Let me know what you think! Thank you so much for your insight.

Jumping in here - fish that die within 48 hours of arrival rarely die from protozoan infection. The reason is that it takes a few days for the protozoan (ich or Velvet) to become established in your tank, so unless the fish were dying when you bought them, they are partially protected by your "clean" tank, at least for 72 hours or so. Also, true velvet kills pretty much every fish, and blue tangs are not resistant to it, so I think, if the blue tang is symptom free, something else is going on here.


Jay

 

[MnFish1]

Yeah velvet sucks. It taught me to QT fish and or to find vendors that QT and have healthy fish if I dont. I did the 90 to play it safe, the fish medics on here might advise less time but as long as you keep up on the tank you will have fish in there soon! I also invested in a UV sterilizer (not one of the expensive ones) just a generic one on Amazon and my water is clearer and I havnt seen any outbreaks in the two tanks running UV, but had one in a tank that didnt have UV. Had a puffer develop ich in one with a UV and pulled the puffer and didnt have a outbreak on any other fish so I think the UV does work from my experience

You're correct - the wording in my post probably should have been 'at least 6 weeks' - Of course it doesn't help much (maybe not at all) to go longer - but it won't hurt anything either!