Question for those who have experienced velvet.

[3D Reefin']

Hello Reef2reef members,

I purchased a 2in yellow tang, a royal gramma and a valentini puffer that where in the same system and introduced them into my 20G Long QT tank. These fish where the only fish that this tank has ever housed. All was well for about 40 days, all eating, no aggression, then I found the puffer dead and gramma dead last night. I saw my tang loose color and turn a bit pale yesterday afternoon, and by the night time I caught him swimming towards the powerhead. I did a freshwater dip and put him back.

I suspected velvet, but I was going to do more research and address the issue in the morning. I didn't think it was velvet because I haven't introduced anything new to the system, but now I am suspecting it is, because I am not sure what else would wipe out my tank so quick.

Has anyone experienced a velvet outbreak, without introducing a new fish in the last 40 days?


Tank info:

20 Gallon Long, 7 months old. Fish QT use only, no coral. Started with dry rock and RODI (0 TDS) water used w/ IO salt, fishless cycle for 5+ months before adding fish. Has ammonia alert badge, dedicated nets, siphon, bucket, feeding utensils, etc.

Water quality

Temp 77F
Salinity 1.024
Ph 7.8-8
Ammonia 0pmm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 5ppm or less

No stray voltage detected.

Just to be in the clear of any other parasites or velvet, I should not add any fish for another 76 days?

 

[Mical]

I'm tagging along on this one, I could be wrong but 40 days together then all dead?

The experience I had, I added a Harlequin Tusk it hid in the corner of tank and slowly starved. Shortly after (within 24 hours) I lost a mandarin, powder brown tang, clownfish, & a niger trigger. From my understanding once introduced it almost immediately wipes out fish. I could be wrong..

 

[3D Reefin']

I'm tagging along on this one, I could be wrong but 40 days together then all dead?

The experience I had, I added a Harlequin Tusk it hid in the corner of tank and slowly starved. Shortly after (within 24 hours) I lost a mandarin, powder brown tang, clownfish, & a niger trigger. From my understanding once introduced it almost immediately wipes out fish. I could be wrong..

That is what I thought too, I could be wrong, but I figured that if you make it at least 30 days without an incident, then velvet is very unlikely.

This is my first encounter with a whole tank dying in less than 12hrs. I don't know if it could stay dormant and been on one of the fish?

 

[Mical]

From my understanding if you add a fish that's infected then shortly afterwards the rest get infected and die. (as in my case) Yours, went 40 days before everything went "south", sounds weird but I'm hoping someone else jumps in this discussion.

 

[LAReefer4Life]

Were there any symptoms or visible signs of disease prior? Did their appetite slowly decline over the 40 day period? Are you sure you didn't any heater malfunctions? What medications if any were used while in QT?

This doesn't seem like a typical velvet outbreak but lets get a little more info...

 

[3D Reefin']

Were there any symptoms or visible signs of disease prior? Did their appetite slowly decline over the 40 day period? Are you sure you didn't any heater malfunctions? What medications if any were used while in QT?

This doesn't seem like a typical velvet outbreak but lets get a little more info...

No signs or symptoms during the 40 days, all signs and symptoms happened in less than a day. The only color change I observed in the fish was during water changes or cleaning the glass, but shortly after they always went back to normal. The day they passed, they all looked a little less colorful. The tang lost color and turned slightly pale, the gramma lost color too, and the puffer anchored himself onto a rock. Towards the end of the day, the tang was swimming towards the powerhead and was dead next morning.

No heater malfunctions, water is still steady temp. I check my tanks twice a day and checked with a meter, no stray voltage.

No medicine was used or had been used in the tank. I keep a close eye for internal parasites, flukes or any other symptoms and treat as needed.

No decline in appetite, maybe just the day that they passed, they didn't consume as much. I have frontosa and other fish that eat more on some days than others. So I didn't think much of it.

So the normal Velvet outbreak happens when an infected fish is introduced into the system, and then velvet wrecks havoc on the other tank inhabitants within days, correct?

 

[Mical]

So the normal Velvet outbreak happens when an infected fish is introduced into the system, and then velvet wrecks havoc on the other tank inhabitants within days, correct?

That's the way I understand it & had happen to me.

 

[Qasimja]

i got velvet from inverts within 3 days of adding snails and cleaner shrimp all my fish had it

 

[Mical]

i got velvet from inverts within 3 days of adding snails and cleaner shrimp all my fish had it

That sucks... wonderful, now we quarantine inverts?

 

[Qasimja]

That sucks... wonderful, now we quarantine inverts?

i purchased from an online vendor im still trying to decide if in the future if i want to QT inverts now i guess to be 100% you have to QT everything guess its how much risk your willing to take

 

[3D Reefin']

That sucks... wonderful, now we quarantine inverts?

I quarantine mine.

 

[3D Reefin']

So the normal Velvet outbreak happens when an infected fish is introduced into the system, and then velvet wrecks havoc on the other tank inhabitants within days, correct?

That's the way I understand it & had happen to me.

What was your time frame? Day 1 - you added the new fish, Day X - nothing left alive.

 

[Mical]

What was your time frame? Day 1 - you added the new fish, Day X - nothing left alive.

As stated above, I bought a Harlequin Tusk it died within 24 hours of being in display tank. Within the next 24hrs I lost everything.

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

I have seen this happen several times, which is why I prophylactically treat all fish before exposing them to my DT.

 

[ruegaroo]

i got velvet from inverts within 3 days of adding snails and cleaner shrimp all my fish had it

Pretty sure this just happened to me. Ordered some new inverts that came in on Friday and this morning I had 2 dead fish and am worried about the others. Everything was fine before I introduced the new inverts...

 

[SeaJay]

I had it. Pretty sure it came in with and order of inverts from an online vendor.

I quarantine everything, including inverts and prophylactically treat All fish. They are fed with general cure, get Two prazipro treatments followed by 2 weeks copper power and transfer to sterile qt for observation. I don’t put anything in my DT until I’m 100% certain they are healthy

 

[Qasimja]

Pretty sure this just happened to me. Ordered some new inverts that came in on Friday and this morning I had 2 dead fish and am worried about the others. Everything was fine before I introduced the new inverts...

Wow that sucks I didn't know inverts could carry velvet or ich before it hit my tank

 

[ruegaroo]

Wow that sucks I didn't know inverts could carry velvet or ich before it hit my tank

It really does suck. One more fish dead this morning. All that remains is a pair of clowns and they aren't looking good but I am hoping they will pull through. I had no idea about inverts carrying either. Most things I read were that people typically have light acclimation periods for them and then just toss them in. I'm going to be a lot more careful in the future. Pretty terrible to lose all fish for some cheap inverts when you just want to add a little more to your clean up crew.

 

[3D Reefin']

I have seen this happen several times, which is why I prophylactically treat all fish before exposing them to my DT.

Seen velvet several times or velvet occur 30+ days later without anything being introduced into the system?

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

I have seen it appear several times in qt on fish that have been in qt for 30 days+.

Observation isnt always enough.