Velvet questions

[Talo’s Reef]

Does velvet lay “dormant” like ich does in regards to you can live with it as long as there is no stressor event. I want to eradicate as much disease from my tank by using ttm and coral/invert quarantine. I know that doesn’t do anything for velvet. I really don’t want to propholactly treat with copper. If I have had fish for 3+ months, with how aggressive velvet is, is it safe to assume that the velvet is not in my system?

 

[HotRocks]

It could be in your system depending on what type of fish you have. Probably not likely if you have tangs etc. If you have a tank full of Wrasse it's definitely possible.

What is your fish list?

 

[Talo’s Reef]

It could be in your system depending on what type of fish you have.

What is your fish list?

I have a chestnut blenny, elongated dottyback and some sort of juvenile bristletooth tang (live Aquaria shipped the wrong species I have two clowns, 2 fang blennies and a jawfish going through quarantine right now.

 

[HotRocks]

It goes like this. To be 100% sure, you would need to pull your fish and QT them to treat with copper or CP, go fallow for 76 days in DT.

It's obviously up to you and your tolerance for risk.

 

[Talo’s Reef]

It goes like this. To be 100% sure, you would need to pull your fish and QT them to treat with copper or CP, go fallow for 76 days in DT.

It's obviously up to you and your tolerance for risk.

Thank you

 

[HotRocks]

Thank you

OP, you could also drop a black Molly in your DT to "test" it for parasites.

You get a FW Molly, and slowly acclimate it (over 12-24hrs) to SW. In theory they can't transfer disease from FW and if you have something unwanted in your tank the Molly will get "hit".

 

[Halal Hotdog]

OP, you could also drop a black Molly in your DT to "test" it for parasites.

You get a FW Molly, and slowly acclimate it (over 12-24hrs) to SW. In theory they can't transfer disease from FW and if you have something unwanted in your tank the Molly will get "hit".

I like the theory behind it, but don't know how good of a test it is. I have had mollies in my tank, acclimating them slowly or quickly is no guarantee they will actually survive. A Molly dying due to acclimation in the first few days may give you a false positive for parasites. Also their tolerance for different parasites is relatively unknown.

 

[HotRocks]

I like the theory behind it, but don't know how good of a test it is. I have had mollies in my tank, acclimating them slowly or quickly is no guarantee they will actually survive. A Molly dying due to acclimation in the first few days may give you a false positive for parasites. Also their tolerance for different parasites is relatively unknown.

I understand what you are saying. I think the hope behind the theory is you see spots on the fish or symptoms of parasites, then treat it with your other fish.

 

[Halal Hotdog]

I understand what you are saying. I think the hope behind the theory is you see spots on the fish or symptoms of parasites, then treat it with your other fish.

Unfortunately a fish having a parasite hidden in the gills would mask all outward signs of pathology. It would be nice if a test could be created that involved a media for parasites to grow on, and objectively diagnose.

I think we might be on to a million dollar idea... Well the reefing community isn't that big, maybe a thousand dollar idea ;-)

 

[Mical]

It could be in your system depending on what type of fish you have. Probably not likely if you have tangs etc. If you have a tank full of Wrasse it's definitely possible.

Why not Wrasses?

 

[HotRocks]

Why not Wrasses?

What I'm saying is, Wrasse seem resistant, they don't show symptoms alot of the time due to thick mucus coat. Where tangs etc would be much more likely to show symptoms.

So if you don't have any tangs, it would be more likely to be manifesting without symptoms.

 

[Mical]

Thanks