Does velvet stay in the reef system???

magic23

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 29, 2018
Messages
64
Reaction score
60
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Just a couple months ago I had a velvet outbreak in my tank. A few fish survived and they are not showing any signs of velvet anymore, for over a month. Should I resume that now I have velvet in my system? Should I QT and treat with copper all my fish and leave my tank fishless for 76 days before adding new fish? Thanks.
 

CazaCorals

New Member
View Badges
Joined
May 16, 2019
Messages
12
Reaction score
12
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Just a couple months ago I had a velvet outbreak in my tank. A few fish survived and they are not showing any signs of velvet anymore, for over a month. Should I resume that now I have velvet in my system? Should I QT and treat with copper all my fish and leave my tank fishless for 76 days before adding new fish? Thanks.
Yes, do that, that will rid the tank of velvet.
 

RandyC

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 25, 2016
Messages
700
Reaction score
1,014
Location
Bay Area, California
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
You still very likely have velvet in the tank. As long as fish are in the tank, there is a source of food for it. Velvet needs a six week fallow period to break its life cycle. (https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/fallow-periods-going-fishless.190324/).

Velvet is a nasty, extremely fast killer (days). I personally would do everything to rid myself of it before getting new fish. If it were me, I'd treat with copper in a QT/hospital tank and go fallow. I wouldn't want to have future livestock at risk.
 

Big G

captain dunsel
View Badges
Joined
Jun 8, 2017
Messages
12,921
Reaction score
27,288
Location
Southern Oregon
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Some of your fish may have become carriers of the parasite. Happens with some fish, especially those with thick mucous coats mostly.
 

Wildreefs

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 20, 2019
Messages
809
Reaction score
383
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
6 weeks fallow? Why only 30 days of copper in qt if they take 6 weeks? Wouldn’t you have to run it the entire 6 weeks to prevent reinfection?
 

Mjrenz

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 18, 2019
Messages
2,873
Reaction score
6,244
Location
King George, Virginia
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
6 weeks fallow? Why only 30 days of copper in qt if they take 6 weeks? Wouldn’t you have to run it the entire 6 weeks to prevent reinfection?
6 weeks fallow will starve the parasite out of your display tank and end its life cycle there, it can't survive without fish to host. 30 days is recommended for copper treatment because it actively kills it to eradicate it on the fish and in the QT tank.
 

RandyC

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 25, 2016
Messages
700
Reaction score
1,014
Location
Bay Area, California
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
6 weeks fallow will starve the parasite out of your display tank and end its life cycle there, it can't survive without fish to host. 30 days is recommended for copper treatment because it actively kills it to eradicate it on the fish and in the QT tank.

Not exactly. Copper works to kill velvet in the dinospore phase (free swimming), but does not affect velvet when in the trophant (on the fish) or encysted phases.

There is a excellent write up on velvet from r2r member humblefish to give you a better understanding of velvet and the treatment of it.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/velvet-amyloodinium-ocellatum.217570/
 

Mjrenz

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 18, 2019
Messages
2,873
Reaction score
6,244
Location
King George, Virginia
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Not exactly. Copper works to kill velvet in the dinospore phase (free swimming), but does not affect velvet when in the trophant (on the fish) or encysted phases.

There is a excellent write up on velvet from r2r member humblefish to give you a better understanding of velvet and the treatment of it.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/velvet-amyloodinium-ocellatum.217570/
I have actually read that multiple times and skimmed over it again before I posted my reply, you are absolutely correct, I was just trying to simplify my explanation
 

Creating a strong bulwark: Did you consider floor support for your reef tank?

  • I put a major focus on floor support.

    Votes: 43 42.2%
  • I put minimal focus on floor support.

    Votes: 22 21.6%
  • I put no focus on floor support.

    Votes: 34 33.3%
  • Other.

    Votes: 3 2.9%
Back
Top