Ich or velvet

[sumpreef]

Hello all, I’ve had a yellow tang

in quarantine for approximately a week or so. Starting on day seven, I noticed these white spots that popped up on the fish. Curious to see if this is velvet or Ich. We started increasing copper dose starting last night and currently at therapeutic level of 2.8 as measured by Hanna

Thank you for your help.

 

[sumpreef]

Sorry the formatting got messed up. The rest of the message is below the pictures. Thank you!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hello all, I’ve had a yellow tang

in quarantine for approximately a week or so. Starting on day seven, I noticed these white spots that popped up on the fish. Curious to see if this is velvet or Ich. We started increasing copper dose starting last night and currently at therapeutic level of 2.8 as measured by Hanna

Thank you for your help.

This is a severe case of ich and fish may or may not recover. You will need to place fish in Quarantine tank and treat with Coppersafe or Copper Power at therapeutic level 2.35 for a FULL 30 days (do not interrupt this 30 day period) monitored with a Hanna Brand copper test kit- No API brand. Also monitor Ammonia levels while in quarantine with a reliable test kit and add aeration during treatment using an air stone. All other fish in with it should also be removed as they have also been exposed to the parasites and placed in quarantine tank.
The display tank will have to be kept fishless (FALLOW) for 6-8 weeks to assure the existing parasites go through their life cycle without a host fish and die off. Inverts and coral can remain in the display (not treatment) tank during fallow period.

 

[sumpreef]

Thanks. Copper is dosed at 2.8ppm as tested with Hanna tester and it was never in the display. Got it a week ago and currently in a quarantine tank.

 

[sumpreef]

The quarantine tank has a biological filter in the form of HOB with foam from
Established tank. Keeping an eye on ammonia and nitrite though - both at 0

 

[W31Olds]

How long was your Yellow in Copper? If you were at this level for a week, he would not be looking this bad.

 

[sumpreef]

I started copper last night after we noticed the spots. Started at 1ppm yesterday and therapeutic today. Till then we just observed and made sure they were eating well etc

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks. Copper is dosed at 2.8ppm as tested with Hanna tester and it was never in the display. Got it a week ago and currently in a quarantine tank.

That level is a little high and try to stick with 2.5ppm and it takes coppersafe at least 48 hours to start taking effect

 

[sumpreef]

Ok thanks. Will do partial water change to bring it down. Any thoughts if it is velvet or Ich. I guess doesn’t matter since treatment will be same but will be helpful for duration

 

[sumpreef]

Never mind I just re read your first post. You think bad case of Ich… thank you all for your help

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Never mind I just re read your first post. You think bad case of Ich… thank you all for your help

Yes - just to confirm, this is a severe case of ich. Copper Power is mild on fish, but also slow to work. It can take 3 to 5 days to really see much improvement, however your fish may not have that long.

I also agree, hold the dose at 2.5 ppm

This is a good example of why I suggest that people start copper right away, usually once a new fish is eating (2 to 3 days). That way, you can stay ahead of any latent infections.

 

[sumpreef]

Ok thanks. Update, the yellow tang passed away. There is also a royal gramma in the quarantine tank that looks like it may go away soon. I did drop the copper last night to 2.6 and this morning do a big water change and dropped it to 2.36. Just surprised that this happened so quickly. All the fishes were fine 48 hours ago and eating and swimming well and quickly perished. That’s why I wondered if it could be velvet

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Ok thanks. Update, the yellow tang passed away. There is also a royal gramma in the quarantine tank that looks like it may go away soon. I did drop the copper last night to 2.6 and this morning do a big water change and dropped it to 2.36. Just surprised that this happened so quickly. All the fishes were fine 48 hours ago and eating and swimming well and quickly perished. That’s why I wondered if it could be velvet

Sorry to hear....

It's possible for fish to be infected with both ich and velvet at the same time, but that is very rare. Velvet causes rapid breathing, hanging in water currents and not eating. If you can see spots and the fish are still eating up until the final day before death, it is ich.

 

[Falcareef]

I'm very sorry.