Velvet

[MichaelReefer]

You’re also telling me not to listen to an exotics vet who specializes in fish for 30 years? Lol he has a 200+g. Think he’s just a tad above someone who just has a tank at home. You want to heat the tank so they speed up killing the fish…think about that.

You're kind of discrediting one of the most experienced fish health experts in the world.... You should listen to @Jay Hemdal

 

[fishgirljockey]

Well here is a fun fact. Jay is basically better than your Pet Vet

When did i disagree with your vet ? I disagreed with your false statement that you could drop the temp into the 50s in your reef tank. I have degrees in Biology and a doctorate in Organic Chem with a strong concentration on waste water treatment for the last 20+ years. Been keeping reef tanks 30+ years. Sorry its hard to read your posts and your lack of knowledge on the topic. You were offered lots of great ideas to solve your problem. Your failure to understand the life cycle of Velvet is the issue and why you dont understand that you have not cured anything.

When did I say I was dropping temps to 50s? Lol it’s at 68. Think the vet deserves a little more credit. You keep adding things I don’t even say so please just don’t even comment anymore. I never said anything to Jay, only you. I like his advice and have nothing against him at all. Maybe reread before you keep saying nonsense. This is Ruby now. I understand the cycle just fine. My tanks are dosed and everyone’s being taken care of. So unless you’re here at my house and know what’s going on, please stop commenting nonsense.

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[fishgirljockey]

You're kind of discrediting one of the most experienced fish health experts in the world.... You should listen to @Jay Hemdal

This is not even a comment about jay? Why does everyone keep saying Jay. I am not referring to Jay at all in these messages. This is to yoyo who keeps saying a vet has no idea what they’re doing whos currently helping me with this situation. So I have no idea why people keep saying Jays name. I have not said anything to discredit him?

 

[LiamPM]

What kind of UV do you have? Which ones are good to get? I have a 40g breeder tank. Mostly coral and about 8-9 fihi

I am not responding to Jay, that is for yoyo who is saying a vet doesn't know what they are doing, which makes no sense. Every response he says the vet has no idea what he's doing when all my fish are still alive during this stressful time so I really don't appreciate his annoying remarks when I have a vet at the house helping me who specializes in exotics. I started the forum asking what I can do for the fish while I wait for a store to open. That is all I asked. And then rampage started. I have it under control at the moment; no fish are dying, everyones swimming around. The flame angel was at the brink of death and she's okay right now. Hopefully she pulls through. She's been upside down for 2 days and sideways near death and today she's swimming and not breathing as heavy anymore. ALL I asked was for help with what I can do until I can get to the store to get some meds. That's all I asked. Some of the people kindly said to do a fresh water bath and then in went in a different direction. Im sticking with the vet who's helping me because all my fish are still alive. I don't understand how people can say a vet has no idea what they are saying or doing. This is a very very well respected vet in New York.

Then my only advice is to go back and have a read of the thread - The "rampage" (Bit extreme) started with your counter-comments to those given advice. This isnt me knocking you at all - Just stating as an outsider looking in your comments were the "harsh" ones towards others advice, including Jays.

Im glad things are looking better for your fish and that you have a vet on hand - I hope hes helping you treat the entire tank and not just a single fish until visible signs have gone - A vet should know that does not mean its gone and i hope he rides it fully with you including the innevitable full length fallow period thats required. Good luck.

 

[YOYOYOReefer]

Really wow... lets recap where you tell jay that your vets better.

Jay says take it up from 69 to 74
fishgirljockey - says NO not gonna do that. , insults jays great advice, then pretends her 69 degrees is some magic from the best vet in NY. And glad to see you have adopted the advice of all on the thread to dip your fish and QT them as you should be doing with all your fish and letting the display tank go fallow...

Good luck with your tank. your have done nothing to remove the velvet from your display unless you remove all your fish and treat them in QT while letting the tank go fallow for at least 70 days preferrably longer..., same advice you are too pigheaded to see that everyone has been providing to you.

 

[fishgirljockey]

Then my only advice is to go back and have a read of the thread - The "rampage" (Bit extreme) started with your counter-comments to those given advice. This isnt me knocking you at all - Just stating as an outsider looking in your comments were the "harsh" ones towards others advice, including Jays.

Im glad things are looking better for your fish and that you have a vet on hand - I hope hes helping you treat the entire tank and not just a single fish until visible signs have gone - A vet should know that does not mean its gone and i hope he rides it fully with you including the innevitable full length fallow period thats required. Good luck.

The main tank is being treated too. He made a calendar for me and put it on my fridge with instructions for the next 30 days. The only reason one is being treated in QT is because she was the only one with it and hers was very severe when I noticed it coming home late night. There is only one fish who showed very small symptom so we bathed him. Everyone else is okay and keeping a close eye on them. I don’t have a lot of fish. It’s mostly coral. I will keep everyone posted. So far Ruby is doing well. She actually ate this morning. She’s the flame Angel who has it bad. There’s still a little dust on her but not nearly as much. She did a 180 in two days and I can’t even believe it. I was up till 2am last night poking her like the vet said to do. To keep her moving. She was upside down alot and sideways, I didn’t think she was gonna make it. And this morning when I went to check on her, she was incredibly different. We have her in API general cure for two days now in a third tank. Then she’ll go back in peroxide. What I think saved her life was putting the temp at 68 like the vet said, to freeze the parasites cycle. If we boosted the heat like I heard a lot of people say and read about it too, she would of died and died fast.

 

[Sharkbait19]

Can you get a clearer video of the fish in qt - hard to judge respiration rate.
All this will be for nothing if you don’t fallow the dt though.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

One of the guys you've chosen not to listen to on your thread just happens to be the "resident expert" on fish disease on this forum and has also written many well respected books within the hobby - You do understand who Jay is dont you before you shoot his advice down?

Announcement - Proud to announce R2R's newest expert on Fish Disease and Husbandry! Welcome Jay Hemdal!

Hello R2R Family! I'm super happy to announce that @Jay Hemdal has joined our team here at R2R as a resident expert on Fish disease, husbandry and really all things fish related! He will be joining our other team members and community members who are also very knowledgeable in fish disease and...

www.reef2reef.com

See Page one... OP wasn't going to listen to advice anyway. Dropping his extensive credentials will make no difference when someone already knows everything.

 

[fishgirljockey]

Can you get a clearer video of the fish in qt - hard to judge respiration rate.
All this will be for nothing if you don’t fallow the dt though.

I just left for work. Ill be back around 6/630 on my break to check in on them. Ill get a closer video of her. I have the other fish in a separate QT. I wanted her to be alone to keep her from stressing out since she is a big fish and my QTs are very small. I have the main tank being treated, there's no fish in it. We took them all out today cause I needed help catching them. I have a lot of coral in the way so it was really tough to get them especially the flame hawk. He is one fast dude! I do have a baby pink skunk. You can't see her in the video but she's with Ruby. She's very tiny. She has dots on her fins and we noticed some brownish dust; not sure if they baby will make it, but praying. So far they are the only two who have symptoms. Everyone else is okay.

 

[LiamPM]

The main tank is being treated too. He made a calendar for me and put it on my fridge with instructions for the next 30 days. The only reason one is being treated in QT is because she was the only one with it and hers was very severe when I noticed it coming home late night. There is only one fish who showed very small symptom so we bathed him. Everyone else is okay and keeping a close eye on them. I don’t have a lot of fish. It’s mostly coral. I will keep everyone posted. So far Ruby is doing well. She actually ate this morning. She’s the flame Angel who has it bad. There’s still a little dust on her but not nearly as much. She did a 180 in two days and I can’t even believe it. I was up till 2am last night poking her like the vet said to do. To keep her moving. She was upside down alot and sideways, I didn’t think she was gonna make it. And this morning when I went to check on her, she was incredibly different. We have her in API general cure for two days now in a third tank. Then she’ll go back in peroxide. What I think saved her life was putting the temp at 68 like the vet said, to freeze the parasites cycle. If we boosted the heat like I heard a lot of people say and read about it too, she would of died and died fast.

It’s 100% velvet. You don’t need an image to know what velvet is

This is probably a large part of why Jay & others asked for videos and images for an identification - Velvet is rarely one to leave other inhabitants untouched whilst severely covering one in the same tank. Its quite unheard of actually in that sense - Its a potent parasite - Which is what leads people to wonder if it is indeed velvet your dealing with hence the questions - Maybe it easy for some to identify but late stage ich and velvet can and do look extremely similar, even down to the dusting and flaking - Most experts cannot differentiate between these in some circumstances which is why the "broad" copper treatment is then recommended, to cover both on the off chance its misdiagnosed.

I dont think anybody in this thread recommended turning the heat up did they?

 

[fishgirljockey]

Yeah i

This is probably a large part of why Jay & others asked for videos and images for an identification - Velvet is rarely one to leave other inhabitants untouched whilst severely covering one in the same tank. Its quite unheard of actually in that sense - Its a potent parasite - Which is what leads people to wonder if it is indeed velvet your dealing with hence the questions - Maybe it easy for some to identify but late stage ich and velvet can and do look extremely similar, even down to the dusting and flaking - Most experts cannot differentiate between these in some circumstances which is why the "broad" copper treatment is then recommended, to cover both on the off chance its misdiagnosed.

I dont think anybody in this thread recommended turning the heat up did they?

Yeah I had some say to turn it up. When I was doing some research online too, there were some articles saying to do the same thing. And when I was going to turn the heat up, the vet said no and he said, turn it way down to 68. I looked at him like he was crazy. I’m like what?? He gave me a look back and I can see in his eyes he was serious “just do it, it’s not that cold but cold enough to freeze the parasite lifecycle” we are going to freeze it, slow it down and attack the parasites with peroxide and API general cure. I read a lot of things actually that say turning up the heat can kill parasites so it didn’t surprise me that some people inboxed me and said to. But the vet was extremely firm on turning it “cold.” I really think this saved Ruby. I can’t even describe how bad the last two days were for her. I almost gave up last night, in fact, I felt like I did. I was so tired. He told me to keep her moving. So every time she turned upside down or went to lay on her side, I encouraged her to move. He said “whatever you do, do not let her lay down” so I sat there for hours, so tired and just drained from this mess. And then it got to a point where she wasn’t getting up at all. I looked at the clock and it was 2AM. I have work everyday at 530am. I ride racehorses so I’m up early. I told Ruby I was really sorry and that I just needed to get to bed. When I left her, she was on her side laying in the sand. I thought for sure, it will be the last time I see her alive. When my alarm went off, I instantly got up and went to the tank to check on her. Low and behold…SHE WAS SWIMMING AROUND LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED! I Cannot fathom the turn around she did in two days. No one probably believe it. I still don’t even believe it because I see with my own eyes how bad she was the last two days. Her eyes were popping out too and clouded, so much dust and dots on her skin. Just awful. Now, I maybe see just a few dots, her eyes are normal and just very light dusty areas. Really, I cannot believe it.

 

[fishgirljockey]

The vet is going to my house to check on the fish and main tank. What a great person. I told him to get a closer video of Ruby. I’ll send one over soon and let me know what you think.

Can you get a clearer video of the fish in qt - hard to judge respiration rate.
All this will be for nothing if you don’t fallow the dt though.

 

[fishgirljockey]

Can you get a clearer video of the fish in qt - hard to judge respiration rate.
All this will be for nothing if you don’t fallow the dt though.

Here is a closer video, hopefully that is a better one

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[Dave1993]

Why did you post on r2r to ask the advice of people but ignore every 1 then do what you want anyways i don't get it not being rude but seemed pointless to post this as a emergency if you did not listen to anyone

 

[Sharkbait19]

Still a fast breathing rate but it’s good to see the fish up and about - I hope it continues to improve. Not out of the woods yet (fish in copper for 30 days really is most effective) as there are still parasites.
No need to treat the dt while fish are out - a simple fallow of 6+ weeks (with the tank at normal temperature) will do the trick.

 

[fishgirljockey]

Why did you post on r2r to ask the advice of people but ignore every 1 then do what you want anyways i don't get it not being rude but seemed pointless to post this as a emergency if you did not listen to anyone

I don’t get what you’re talking about? I have followed advice with baths and stuff? So I’m not sure what you’re saying. I posted to ask what I could do while I wait for stores to open to take care of it, that was my question if you look at it. People said a FW bath, so that is what I did. The rest I can handle with the help I have with a vet I work with. The people being rude are people saying a vet has no idea what they’re doing when I said I had a vet at the house helping me with the rest. That’s being rude. That is not on my end.

 

[fishgirljockey]

Still a fast breathing rate but it’s good to see the fish up and about - I hope it continues to improve. Not out of the woods yet (fish in copper for 30 days really is most effective) as there are still parasites.
No need to treat the dt while fish are out - a simple fallow of 6+ weeks (with the tank at normal temperature) will do the trick.

I hope so too. I will check back around 6/630 to see how everyone is doing. Yeah I have the main tank at 80. And running my lights a little lower than usual. Keep u posted. Thank u!

 

[damsels are not mean]

. Secondly, In fact, over half of all known coral species are found in deep, dark waters where temperatures range from 4-12°C (39-54°F). For this reason, we call these corals the “cold-water” or “deepwater” corals. They are found all over the world. 68 degrees is not cold. That’s exactly why everything in my tank is still alive right? I think I’ll stick to a vet

Are you serious? lol

 

[YOYOYOReefer]

So how is the display tank going?

 

[fishgirljockey]

Hi!

Thanks for asking. I was just going to make a thread today. Ruby made a full recovery but what a week I had. I didn’t sleep for 3-4 days. So, on day 1, she was turning upside down a lot and laying on her side. I did the FW bath the day before, the night I made the thread about what I can do to help her until I get to a store. She didn’t handle that well and I didn’t think should would make it through the night but when I woke up for work, she was swimming. After work I went to the store to stock up on everything I can get my hands on. I bought copper, methalyne blue, prazipro, kanaplex, API general cure, etc.



Day 1 (Wednesday): peroxide bath at 68 degrees. Then I got a bucket ready to put it in hyposalinity. I did this slowly, it took a few buckets. I dropped it to 1.010. The vet told me to make a bucket with the API super ick, there’s an ingredient in there he wants her soaking in. So I soaked her in that for 2 hours; now that the parasites are “frozen/slowed down/weak” we need to attack them so this is where the API Super Ick comes into play. After the 2 hours, I had to go to work. When I checked on her during my break, all the dots and dust went away! She was clean! So I left back to work confident. When I got home from work I got another bucket ready with API General Cure that she will sit in for two days. This time the temp was turned up to 84. At this point she was still doing so so. I went to bed feeling “maybe she’ll make it, maybe she won’t.” However, when I woke up to check on Ruby, it wasn’t good.


Day 2 (Thursday): when I woke up I Immediately went to check on Ruby. This is where things took a turn for the worse. Her skin was coming off by the second. When I say by the second, I mean by the second. I can see it. She had developed a secondary bacteria infection from the velvet! Which I read can happen after they recover from certain illnesses. She was swimming vertical at this point. Skin was hanging from her in like a slime like manner in strings. Flakes of her skin everywhere. She lost some of her back tail and top of her dorsal fin towards the back. No way is she making it. Now what do I do? It’s thanksgiving and everything is closed. I don’t have anything that can stop this fast. She was sinking to the bottom a few times and I tried to poke her to get her moving. I called the vet that was helping me and told him what was happening. He told me to come immediately to work and grab some formaldehyde. So I raced to work which is thank God 2 minutes from me and picked up the formalin. He gave me a cup of it and I got rubys bath ready to soak her in it for 30 mins. I kid you not, this stopped her skin from coming off within seconds. She handled this bath so well. It perked her back up!



After her bath, he told me to put the salinity back up and do normal temp and keep her in that for a good while. So I made a bucket for her and put her in it. This was about to be a horrible night. She kept sinking to the bottom to lay on her side. Her skin was fine, everything looked okay, she just wasn’t swimming well. I thought this was it. This was just too much for her, however, when I fed her, she would eat. This told me she wanted to live. Now I’m even more determined. I had to keep poking her to encourage her to swim. The vet said to not let her lay. Whatever she does, DO NOT LET HER LAY DOWN! So I slept in the living room with her next to me in a bucket. The entire night I had to encourage her. I tried talking to her too, coaching her. “Ruby you can do this!” My other animals probably thought I was crazy; talking to a bucket! This was my thanksgiving. I canceled plans with my family. It was my nephews first thanksgiving but I couldn’t leave her. I wasn’t about to abandoned her over turkey.



It was about 2AM and I was so tired. I work everyday at 530am so this was exhausting. I work at the racetrack where I ride horses so my job is tiring as is. Anyway, I got so tired I had to stop. I told Ruby I was so sorry. I didn’t think she would make the night. My alarm goes off for work and I check on Ruby right away. Can you believe she’s swimming around! The amount of anxiety this fish has given me!

Day 3 (Friday): After work in the morning, I made a bucket with methylene blue and soaked her in it for 30 mins. After the methylene she would get dipped in Melafix/Pimafix. She would have a few of these dips throughout the day for 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, she would go into another bucket with antibiotics; kanaplex. I would take her out a few times to give her her dips to help her skin. I dosed some stress coat as well and put some vitamins into the kanaplex bucket. She handled all of this very well. She ate her mysis, pellets and baby brine. She ate like a champ. I can see her demeanor start to change. She’s more relaxed and not breathing so heavy. She is perking up a lot at this point. At this point, I felt confident enough to go to my sisters to spend time with family since I didn’t for thanksgiving. I can say that I was worried about her all day I was gone. I just wasn’t sure. I was confident but not super confident. I know she was doing better but you just never know. I hated to be away from her cause maybe something else might happen and I’m not there. So I came home early evening so I could check on her. SHES DOING EVEN BETTER! What a sigh of relief! I can’t even express the load off my shoulders. Ruby is back! She is swimming aggressively now. She loves to jump, she did one of those. She’s back!


Day 4 (Saturday): she continues to stay in her kanaplex. She’s doing great. I let her be the entire day. I went to see family again and finally was able to enjoy the day without worrying about Ruby.


Day 5 (Sunday): I fed her and then made a fresh bucket this morning of kanaplex; dosed stress coat and vitamins. Tomorrow will be her last day in that. Then I will put her in the hospital tank where she can stay until the main tank is done being fallow.



What a few days it has been! I am exhausted! Not to mention so stressed out. I’m sorry to have taken any frustration out on anyone. This was just very stressful for me. This is my favorite fish. I documented eveyrthing, I’ll attached it here. Thanks everyone for you help and concerns. Ruby has made a full recovery and back better than ever! I hope her tail grows back tho? Either way, I love her dearly!



Side note: all other fish are doing well. There were 3 fish in there with Ruby. They weren’t bad like her. Some has some dots but I caught there’s very early. So everyone did well. There was only two babies that passed. I have 3 pink skunks, babies. I knew they wouldn’t really make it just cause they’re so young and extremely small and not strong yet so two of them passed away. One of them made it! I named her Hope. The main tank is doing well. Corals are doing great. I feed corals on either Sunday or Monday. I’ll feed them today and do a water change.



Here is a video of the stages of Ruby:

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