Blue Tang: Possible Velvet

[bubby.lyle]

Hello. I bought a blue tang today and when I got home I noticed what looks like white powdered sugar spots. This is my first tang and I’m still a novice regarding my saltwater aquarium. I thought it was ich at first but reading I’m starting to believe it may be velvet. One of the eyes is cloudy and it’s brushing against my live rock. I don’t have another quarantine tank and I’m afraid if I leave it overnight the infection may spread if I don’t take it out. Looking for any guidance at this point to rest better. I am trying to post photos from my phone but having issues

 

[bubby.lyle]

 

[Jekyl]

Unfortunately the treatment for this will be a quarantine tank with coppersafe or copperpower at 2.25 for 30 days tested reliably. All fish should undergo this treatment and tank should be left fallow. Here are the relevant stickies for the situation. Very sorry this happened to you.

@Jay Hemdal @MnFish1 anything missed here?

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/current-quarantine-protocol.825055/
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/45-day-fallow-periods.805213/

 

[MnFish1]

Unfortunately the treatment for this will be a quarantine tank with coppersafe or copperpower at 2.25 for 30 days tested reliably. All fish should undergo this treatment and tank should be left fallow. Here are the relevant stickies for the situation. Very sorry this happened to you.

@Jay Hemdal @MnFish1 anything missed here?

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/current-quarantine-protocol.825055/
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/45-day-fallow-periods.805213/

I would be curious as to how large it is, and whether there are other symptoms and other affected fish. I think copper is a good idea - followed by Prazipro. I'm not sure what we're seeing is velvet without more history

 

[bubby.lyle]

I would be curious as to how large it is, and whether there are other symptoms and other affected fish. I think copper is a good idea - followed by Prazipro. I'm not sure what we're seeing is velvet without more history

Maybe 3in. I don’t know what qualifies as symptoms. I was going to feed tomorrow to see if it has an appetite. It swims around fine. The eye was the first flag for me and then I started to research ich since I’m more “familiar” with that. I bought a beautiful blonde naso tang also and with the other fish I already have I’m afraid I may lose them all

 

[vetteguy53081]

These seem to be mucus plugs or cones which this type of tang is prone to getting. There may be ich mixed in there as well one source of these mucus cones is often ich. These begin with a skin reaction or from a reaction to stress, sometimes from previous ich or other disease present. Often other fish will not show signs but are at risk as they have been exposed to this fish. The spots are too large to be velvet.
Do any of the other fish show these spots?
Fish sometimes develop excess mucus that excretes from the producing skin cells which rises up as a cone or a plug. These again often derive from skin irritation. The fish will likely eat while having this.
Assure good water quality and for cure often good water quality will diminish it but treating with coppersafe and copper power may help at therapeutic level 2.25-2.5 For a FULL 30 days (do not interrupt this 30 day period) monitored by a reliable Copper Test kit such as Hanna Brand- No API brand. Also monitor Ammonia levels while in quarantine with a reliable test kit and add aeration during treatment using an air stone.

 

[bubby.lyle]

These seem to be mucus plugs or cones which this type of tang is prone to getting. There may be ich mixed in there as well one source of these mucus cones is often ich. These begin with a skin reaction or from a reaction to stress, sometimes from previous ich or other disease present. Often other fish will not show signs but are at risk as they have been exposed to this fish. The spots are too large to be velvet.
Do any of the other fish show these spots?
Fish sometimes develop excess mucus that excretes from the producing skin cells which rises up as a cone or a plug. These again often derive from skin irritation. The fish will likely eat while having this.
Assure good water quality and for cure often good water quality will diminish it but treating with coppersafe and copper power may help at therapeutic level 2.25-2.5 For a FULL 30 days (do not interrupt this 30 day period) monitored by a reliable Copper Test kit such as Hanna Brand- No API brand. Also monitor Ammonia levels while in quarantine with a reliable test kit and add aeration during treatment using an air stone.

I did a water test at the fish store before purchasing and they said my levels were perfect. The blue tang did seem stressed when I got it home. I haven’t had it a full day so I don’t know if it would spread that fast. I have 2 clown, 2 pajama cardinals, a yellow angelfish, and a naso tang. A few invertebrates also

 

[vetteguy53081]

I did a water test at the fish store before purchasing and they said my levels were perfect. The blue tang did seem stressed when I got it home. I haven’t had it a full day so I don’t know if it would spread that fast. I have 2 clown, 2 pajama cardinals, a yellow angelfish, and a naso tang. A few invertebrates also

Curious by what method they used to test but would be irrelevant as to what this fish has. This fish could have been exposed at the LFS and broke out once it was placed in tank.
How did you acclimate fish and for how long?
Quarantining would have helped greatly with prevention

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Hello. I bought a blue tang today and when I got home I noticed what looks like white powdered sugar spots. This is my first tang and I’m still a novice regarding my saltwater aquarium. I thought it was ich at first but reading I’m starting to believe it may be velvet. One of the eyes is cloudy and it’s brushing against my live rock. I don’t have another quarantine tank and I’m afraid if I leave it overnight the infection may spread if I don’t take it out. Looking for any guidance at this point to rest better. I am trying to post photos from my phone but having issues

Hi, welcome to Reef2Reef!

This looks like it could be ich and/or flukes.

I just wanted to add one thing; it takes time for the symptoms of those diseases to develop. If you saw them the same day you bought the fish, I can’t account for that unless the fish was sold to you sick.

 

[MnFish1]

Agree with others. With velvet - one tends to see rapid breathing, different swimming patterns and rapid decline (and often rapid decline of the rest of the fish shortly thereafter

 

[bubby.lyle]

Agree with others. With velvet - one tends to see rapid breathing, different swimming patterns and rapid decline (and often rapid decline of the rest of the fish shortly thereafter

Update: when I woke up this morning it was lodged between two rocks. I thought I was dead but when I went to take it out it slowly started to move. I know it’s inevitable at this point so I took it out and will bring it back to the store today. I should’ve paid more attention. The other fish they sold me was missing a fin smh. My concern now is if the velvet is on the rocks and in the tank with the others since it would rub against the rocks

 

[MnFish1]

Update: when I woke up this morning it was lodged between two rocks. I thought I was dead but when I went to take it out it slowly started to move. I know it’s inevitable at this point so I took it out and will bring it back to the store today. I should’ve paid more attention. The other fish they sold me was missing a fin smh. My concern now is if the velvet is on the rocks and in the tank with the others since it would rub against the rocks

FYI - lets pretend its velvet - (or Ich) - the treatment for either would be copper as already mentioned. That should be done in a different tank (not the display tank) - and I would tend to remove calcium containing rocks, etc - as copper can be affected (the levels) - and its difficult to remove. You can use PVC for hiding places.

As to your question / comment about velvet on the rocks, etc - its the same issue with ich, velvet, flukes etc - all of these require a fallow period for your display tank for 6-8 weeks (I usually recommend 8) - unless you're trying to treat the display tank with the fish inside - which can be problematic. In other words, all fish - with or without symptoms need to be treated.

 

[The Ginga Ninja]

Hello. I bought a blue tang today and when I got home I noticed what looks like white powdered sugar spots. This is my first tang and I’m still a novice regarding my saltwater aquarium. I thought it was ich at first but reading I’m starting to believe it may be velvet. One of the eyes is cloudy and it’s brushing against my live rock. I don’t have another quarantine tank and I’m afraid if I leave it overnight the infection may spread if I don’t take it out. Looking for any guidance at this point to rest better. I am trying to post photos from my phone but having issues

They’ll almost always have white spots when you bring them home! So that’s the good news, not uncommon. I’ve got some tips on this video that helps get folks started with new powder blue tangs, hope this helps!

Everything You Need to Know About Powder Blue and Powder Brown Tangs - Watch BEFORE you BUY!!!