Calling all help ASAP marine velvet question
- Thread starter andynco
- Start date
I might suggest that you get your QT figured out in case you have to put them back. If you were treating the ammonia or doing lots of water changes, then let it go this time so that the bacteria can grow. Basically, let the tank cycle if you otherwise inhibited it before. Put a sponge filter into your display sump right now - the next time that you have to use QT, then you will have some bacteria to help with. You can use bio balls too. Even though my QT is empty most of the time, I do pour some mysis juice in there a few times a week to keep the bacteria happy.
Hypo will not have much effect on velvet.
Hypo will not have much effect on velvet.
A tried but true, and quite effective treatment I might add, is to setup two QT tanks. Day one, fish are in tank A, tank B is setup with clean water at the same temp and pH as tank A. Day two, all fish are moved from tank A to Tank B, Tank A is emptied, cleaned and filled with new saltwater at the same temp and pH as Tank B. Day three, all fish are moved from tank B to tank A, and tank B is emptied, cleaned and filled with new saltwater.
While you will certainly go through a lot of saltwater, you will not have an ammonia/nitrate problem and you will break the ich cycle. This method can be used for oodinium as well, simply add copper to the new water each time. For most folks, a 20 gallon tank works well, though you could go larger if needed. You never worry about interfering with the biofilter because you never allow one to develop in the first place.
Lots of work but always yields success.
While you will certainly go through a lot of saltwater, you will not have an ammonia/nitrate problem and you will break the ich cycle. This method can be used for oodinium as well, simply add copper to the new water each time. For most folks, a 20 gallon tank works well, though you could go larger if needed. You never worry about interfering with the biofilter because you never allow one to develop in the first place.
Lots of work but always yields success.
hypo doesnt have much affect on velvet but temperature does. Make sure you dont have a more serious disease or parasite. I have personally dealt with a tank that has had ongoing ich and velvet outbreaks and the last one was neither... came down to Uronema Marinium. QT your fish ALWAYS... or buy from reputable sources you trust adding straight to your system.
As Rmougey stated, the QT should be bare bottom, but proper quarantining takes 2-3 months. weeks are nothing in the QT process. So if you are going to set it up and use it regularly, be sure to do the full cycle and you will never introduce anything into the system that you do not want.
My QT process would be a tad different from what was stated before, as that is a thorough and very sterile way to QT fish, it is also a very stressful and painful acclimation process for the fish to be netted, moved, released and repeated over and over... my process is as listed.
I currently use a 40b and 20L as QT tanks,...
50% water changes every other week
Full copper dosing started after the first 24 hours of being introduced into the QT system and 25% WC every 24 hours after copper dosing.
Temperature at 85 degrees with salinity at 1.019-20 on the refrac.
and remember, always WASH AND CLEAN the QT system after removing the fish in the tank before adding new ones.
As Rmougey stated, the QT should be bare bottom, but proper quarantining takes 2-3 months. weeks are nothing in the QT process. So if you are going to set it up and use it regularly, be sure to do the full cycle and you will never introduce anything into the system that you do not want.
My QT process would be a tad different from what was stated before, as that is a thorough and very sterile way to QT fish, it is also a very stressful and painful acclimation process for the fish to be netted, moved, released and repeated over and over... my process is as listed.
I currently use a 40b and 20L as QT tanks,...
50% water changes every other week
Full copper dosing started after the first 24 hours of being introduced into the QT system and 25% WC every 24 hours after copper dosing.
Temperature at 85 degrees with salinity at 1.019-20 on the refrac.
and remember, always WASH AND CLEAN the QT system after removing the fish in the tank before adding new ones.
I dont have issues with ammonia or nitrates in my QTs and Ill tell yuo why. I keep 2 sponge filters running in the sump of my DT, when I need to QT something I simply pull one of these sponge filters out of the sump and put itin the QT. The sponge is packed full of beneficial bacteria and pretty much goes to work instantly.
Ive had 3 wrasses, a tomini tang, coral beauty and flame angel, vanetini puffer and engineer goby all in a 40gal QT for the past 3 weeks and no level issues. Ive done no water changes (not needed as the fish are only being housed here, not treated for anything) and have only done daily top offs. I reccomend every body if not keep a running sponge filter in your sump but a peice of loose sponge if nothing else that you can throw in the QT tank to help seed it.
Ive had 3 wrasses, a tomini tang, coral beauty and flame angel, vanetini puffer and engineer goby all in a 40gal QT for the past 3 weeks and no level issues. Ive done no water changes (not needed as the fish are only being housed here, not treated for anything) and have only done daily top offs. I reccomend every body if not keep a running sponge filter in your sump but a peice of loose sponge if nothing else that you can throw in the QT tank to help seed it.
I might suggest that you assume that it is coming back and prepare for it. I think that it is more likely that they fish are healthier now and can fight it off, that the parasite is still present and everything will be fine. However, if you are prepared for an outbreak when/if the life cycle come back around, then you will be in a good place either way.
Using old water does nothing to seed a tank, infact in my opinion is a bad idea, your basically putting dirty water into your QT. The bacteria is not free floating in the water, it attaches its self to the surface of things, hence your live rock, sand and filter media. This is how the bacteria lives and reporduces. The more surface area you have for bacteria to grow on the better your filtration is, hense why DSB's are good for filteration, alot more surface area on small grains of sand to be covered with bacteria, if that makes sense.