Please help - velvet?
- Thread starter Tmek
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Alright guys. 9 deaths out of 18. Status post alecdide from api. No signs of velvet. Nine fish left.
Do we fallow the the tank...the remaining 9 look good.
If not fallow, can these remaining fish host a parasite and be so healthy????? I would think not.
Id hate to remove these 9 happy guys from the tank and put them in the hospital.
other options is to add no new fish for the next few months, but even then some proponents of fallow argue that the healthy fish could be hosting velvet.
Do we fallow the the tank...the remaining 9 look good.
If not fallow, can these remaining fish host a parasite and be so healthy????? I would think not.
Id hate to remove these 9 happy guys from the tank and put them in the hospital.
other options is to add no new fish for the next few months, but even then some proponents of fallow argue that the healthy fish could be hosting velvet.
Amyloodinium ocellatum (Marine Velvet) is a relatively fast-acting parasite. Are you sure of the diagnosis? Healthy fish can host parasites. However I'd expect their life expectancy to be diminished. During their lifespan, I would not consider them 'thriving' but merely 'surviving.' Water quality drops, poor nutrition, or some other stressor is introduced and the fish may succumb to the parasite.
My approach is simple but requires effort. Put living fish into a hospital tank and treat with copper. The fallow time depends on the type/kind of aquarium.
My approach is simple but requires effort. Put living fish into a hospital tank and treat with copper. The fallow time depends on the type/kind of aquarium.
Jessican
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Thanks @Jessican. The picture is now coming into focus.
@Tmek I don't think this is/was Marine Velvet. The mucous layer of the fish has been compromised. Bacteria and fungi are now able to set in. There is now still, or at least has been some stress put on the fishes. If Brooklynella hostilis has gotten into the display tank, this then can be a reason for the DT to go fishless and hospital treatment for the remaining fishes. Look and remove stressors:
Check what is being fed. These fish need supplements as described for an ill fish in the Fish Nutrition post.
Check water quality. It must be excellent. Ammonia and nitrites can adversely affect a fish's mucous defense. Perform water changes the right size and timing.
Remove dead and dying algae. Dying and dead algae can release toxins into the water.
Clean substrate, rocks, decorations, etc. of detritus.
Check for aggressors and other fish behavioral issues. Have you tried this 'trick?' Aggressors are usually more assertive during a feeding, but not while around you necessarily. Set your smartphone/camera up to record a 30 min video. Then add food to the tank. Leave immediately after adding the food, and totally keep everyone out of sight. Check the video later to see if there are any signs of aggression.
I see no point in having the display tank go fallow. However I think the remaining fish may need a stronger antibiotic/anti-fungal treatment in a hospital tank. In the case of it being Brooklynella hostilis, then another approach is to be considered.
A video longer than one minute under white light would be helpful (of the current fishes)l. You can upload the video to YouTube then post the link to it here.
@Tmek I don't think this is/was Marine Velvet. The mucous layer of the fish has been compromised. Bacteria and fungi are now able to set in. There is now still, or at least has been some stress put on the fishes. If Brooklynella hostilis has gotten into the display tank, this then can be a reason for the DT to go fishless and hospital treatment for the remaining fishes. Look and remove stressors:
Check what is being fed. These fish need supplements as described for an ill fish in the Fish Nutrition post.
Check water quality. It must be excellent. Ammonia and nitrites can adversely affect a fish's mucous defense. Perform water changes the right size and timing.
Remove dead and dying algae. Dying and dead algae can release toxins into the water.
Clean substrate, rocks, decorations, etc. of detritus.
Check for aggressors and other fish behavioral issues. Have you tried this 'trick?' Aggressors are usually more assertive during a feeding, but not while around you necessarily. Set your smartphone/camera up to record a 30 min video. Then add food to the tank. Leave immediately after adding the food, and totally keep everyone out of sight. Check the video later to see if there are any signs of aggression.
I see no point in having the display tank go fallow. However I think the remaining fish may need a stronger antibiotic/anti-fungal treatment in a hospital tank. In the case of it being Brooklynella hostilis, then another approach is to be considered.
A video longer than one minute under white light would be helpful (of the current fishes)l. You can upload the video to YouTube then post the link to it here.
not so easy to dismantle the whole feef
Definitely.
Hence all the effort is put into a quarantine procedure.
Humblefish
HF
- Location
- Wandering Nomad
@Tmek Can you take gill clippings from any of the deceased fish to look for parasites??
humble.fish
Ich, Velvet, Brook, Uronema - Microscopic ID
BIG THANKS to Dr. Charlie Gregory for providing these slides/videos. His website can be found here: Exotic Animal Veterinarian | Aquaveterinarian | United States Marine Ich (Cryptocaryon irritans) Marine Velvet Disease (Amyloodinium ocellatum) Brooklynella hostilis Uronema marinum...
humble.fish
i am fully convinced t
i wish I knew how@Tmek Can you take gill clippings from any of the deceased fish to look for parasites??
Ich, Velvet, Brook, Uronema - Microscopic ID
BIG THANKS to Dr. Charlie Gregory for providing these slides/videos. His website can be found here: Exotic Animal Veterinarian | Aquaveterinarian | United States Marine Ich (Cryptocaryon irritans) Marine Velvet Disease (Amyloodinium ocellatum) Brooklynella hostilis Uronema marinum...
Humblefish
HF
- Location
- Wandering Nomad
@Tmek Scroll down until you see “Figure 4: A gill biopsy” here: Performing a basic examination in fish
In addition to parasites (link here), also look for gill flukes. Most gill flukes are Dactylogyrids or sometimes Gyrodactylids. Dactylogyrids are easy to ID as they have two pairs of anchors which are used to latch onto the gills of a host.
There are pics and a video of Dactylogyrus here: Skin Flukes (Gyrodactylus) and Gill Flukes (Dactylogyrus) - fishhealth - Pond Life
(SW Dactylogyrids look exactly the same as the FW version.)
Also look here: Identifying small invaders: DNA Barcoding Gill Flukes
In addition to parasites (link here), also look for gill flukes. Most gill flukes are Dactylogyrids or sometimes Gyrodactylids. Dactylogyrids are easy to ID as they have two pairs of anchors which are used to latch onto the gills of a host.
There are pics and a video of Dactylogyrus here: Skin Flukes (Gyrodactylus) and Gill Flukes (Dactylogyrus) - fishhealth - Pond Life
(SW Dactylogyrids look exactly the same as the FW version.)
Also look here: Identifying small invaders: DNA Barcoding Gill Flukes
Humblefish
HF
- Location
- Wandering Nomad
Humblefish
HF
- Location
- Wandering Nomad
None that I know of.
Some Vets will do it, but not many.
Humblefish
HF
- Location
- Wandering Nomad
She would probably do it (for a fee), but you'd have to live within driving distance (SF Bay Area): Aquatic Veterinary Services | Fish Vet, California
can you do them post mortem? where do you buy the scope?None that I know of.
Yes. Amazon sells inexpensive scopes that work just fine for our hobby.
Lots of great info here on scopes and process:
Humblefish
HF
- Location
- Wandering Nomad
Have the bodies been frozen? If so, any parasites/worms should still be present. They just obviously won’t be motile when viewed under a scope.