Ich vs Velvet

cycled123

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My magnificent Foxface has Ich or velvet. I have looked at lots of pictures but I am having trouble classifying. I did put a 1/4 dose of Seachem Cupramine in (10 drops for 20g QT). The history: Sunday night foxface shedded his slime coat. Initially thought brookynella and immediately did a freshwater dip and treated with Formalin-MS and Metroplex. Foxface continued to swim normally and eat and after more reserch found out Foxface sometimes "shed". Did not do anymore doses of formalin or metro as things appeared to be ok but did not actively remove. Noticed yesterday that the Foxface was looking a little stressed (breathing a little hard and color was off) so completed a 8g water change. I work night shift so when I went to bed this morning and turned on light foxface was in his sleeping position but breathing ok. I woke up 7hrs later and he was swimming but covered in white spots. He does not appear to be gasping or swimming into powerhead. He is more or less now hanging out near the bottom of tank after dosing 10 drops cupramine. He did eat however. Here are pics. Ich or Velvet? Asking because that will determine if I need to stress him with another freshwater dip and/or ramp up copper faster. The 3 zebra barred dartfish also in with foxface all look healthy and no spots.
20180125_151602.jpg
20180125_151712.jpg
 

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The spots I can see look ich-ish, but the timeline sounds rather more velvet-y - and that has me a tad concerned for this magnificent fellow.

I've never worked with foxface, so hopefully someone who has will chime in as well. #reefsquad

~Bruce
 

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Looks like ich to me. I would start increasing copper dosage gradually if that's the route you choose for treatment. Personally, I prefer TTM, but to each his own.
 

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Because that’s a decent sized foxface it appears (judged by shape I estimate 4-5”), those spots are pretty small. I also notice that ich doesn’t usually hang out on the top of the “back” of the fish like that, it may happen but velvet seems to show up there more often. It’s usually everywhere, but for some reason that location over the years has alerted me to velvet more often than not. Not very scientific and very anecdotal — but the small size of the dots, the timeline, and the fact that foxface are relatively resistant to ich due to their unique slime coat, I’m thinking velvet.

Either way, the treatment is the same. Breathing heavily happens with both but velvet really does a number on the gill tissue.
 
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Looks like ich to me. I would start increasing copper dosage gradually if that's the route you choose for treatment. Personally, I prefer TTM, but to each his own.

I don't have room, tanks or enough saltwater made to do TTM. So copper it is.
 
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cycled123

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Because that’s a decent sized foxface it appears (judged by shape I estimate 4-5”), those spots are pretty small. I also notice that ich doesn’t usually hang out on the top of the “back” of the fish like that, it may happen but velvet seems to show up there more often. It’s usually everywhere, but for some reason that location over the years has alerted me to velvet more often than not. Not very scientific and very anecdotal — but the small size of the dots, the timeline, and the fact that foxface are relatively resistant to ich due to their unique slime coat, I’m thinking velvet.

Either way, the treatment is the same. Breathing heavily happens with both but velvet really does a number on the gill tissue.

He is 3.75in. The spots are everywhere. Should I do a Freshwater dip? Add any other meds? Should I ramp up copper faster?
 
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There is a chance I missed spots this morning because he sleeps behind the PVC in QT and changes color to darker while sleeping. Spots are bigger then salt or period in this sentence.
 

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He is 3.75in. The spots are everywhere. Should I do a Freshwater dip? Add any other meds? Should I ramp up copper faster?
If they are everywhere, that has to be velvet. If they’re noticeably more numerous over the course of 1-3 days, it’s not ich. Also, because of foxface slime coats sometimes the spots can seem large on them, IME.

I’d do a freshwater dip, and yes, increase copper to therapeutic over the next 12 hours. Several very small doses between this time should be safe, as time is not your friend.

Good luck!
 
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If they are everywhere, that has to be velvet. If they’re noticeably more numerous over the course of 1-3 days, it’s not ich. Also, because of foxface slime coats sometimes the spots can seem large on them, IME.

I’d do a freshwater dip, and yes, increase copper to therapeutic over the next 12 hours. Several very small doses between this time should be safe, as time is not your friend.

Good luck!
Will do! thanks for your help.
 

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Agreed with Velvet. The spots look round to me which signifies the smaller velvet parasite. Ich is a little larger and causes more oval shaped white spots. I am seeing some spots that look larger and more oval shape but it could be photo blur or something on the glass. Either way, I recommend treating it as if it were velvet since that will take care of Ich, also.
 
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Did 5 min freshwater dip and added 10 more drops of cupramine (so at half dose now should I do full?) Am I correct in thinking 0.4-0.5 therapeutic with seechem test? I'm at 0.1 now. I have to leave for work in 30min so my husband is going to put another 10 drops in when he gets up at 4am. And I will add more and test when I get home at 8:30am
 

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Did 5 min freshwater dip and added 10 more drops of cupramine (so at half dose now should I do full?) Am I correct in thinking 0.4-0.5 therapeutic with seechem test? I'm at 0.1 now. I have to leave for work in 30min so my husband is going to put another 10 drops in when he gets up at 4am. And I will add more and test when I get home at 8:30am
.5 is always my target. I’d increase quickly with several small doses
 
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I reached 0.5 this morning. The foxface and the other fish in QT with him all ate just a bit ago:) How long should I keep them in Copper? I've heard 21 days and 30 days. I don't want to leave them longer then necessary due to the harshness of Copper but I do want the velvet to be eradicated. I don't really want to have to reboot (dismantle, bleach and cycle) my QT yet again but obviously will if necessary.
 

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I reached 0.5 this morning. The foxface and the other fish in QT with him all ate just a bit ago:) How long should I keep them in Copper? I've heard 21 days and 30 days. I don't want to leave them longer then necessary due to the harshness of Copper but I do want the velvet to be eradicated. I don't really want to have to reboot (dismantle, bleach and cycle) my QT yet again but obviously will if necessary.
Yup, 10 to 14 days if you can transfer them to a clean QT. Otherwise, 30 days is best.
 
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cycled123

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How long until mag. foxface doesn't show spots? He still looks like the original picture. He has been in 0.5 cupramine for 9 days now. I am heating water to do another freshwater dip and formalin bath. Figure it can't hurt. Everyone is still eating and swimming normally.
 

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