ich or velvet???

[Hels]

Hi, im very sorry if this has been asked before but i have a lake tang cichlid who i think has either ich/whitespot or velvet.... whats to best way to tell the difference? and should i treat the whole tank?? also i have danios, other lake tank cichlids and a Bristlenose Plec in this tank, so i guess especially with the BN, what treatment should i go for??? just the lfs treatment, half dose, salt etc...???

thanks for any help

Helen xx

 

[playfulalliecat]

Can you describe what it looks like in detail? I have never personally seen velvet but I know that ich looks like little specks of salt sticking to the fish. The fish will also flick on objects in the tank a lot like they're scratching an itch. The best treatment I have found is Kordon Rid Ich which is usually safe for your scaleless fish as well. A lot of people also recommend salt. I don't normally use it and when I did, I really didn't see any difference in the results.

 

[Hels]

Hi...

yeah just looks like sprinkled with salt, i went to my lfs earlier today (very good place, really know their stuff), mentioned it to them and checked their tank which the particular fish came out of and they've had no problems and i've never had it in any of my tanks either so im not really sure where it came from but i guess i'll have to put it down to the stress of a new tank and tank mates.... she also said that white spot looks like salt whereas velvet looks like pepper

She sugested protozin by waterlife and said it should be fine for all my fish and to treat the whole tank, i had thought about using salt to but i wasnt sure???

 

[WILDER]

Whitespot look like they have been sprinkled in salt, where velvet is a golden,yellowish gold dusting, though they also can get a rust colour to velvet, but it does sound like whitespot, how many gallons is the tank, and how many fish and which type, plus water stats in ammonia,nitrite,nitrate,and ph, how long has the tank been set up.

 

[IMCL85]

its the color white spot is whitish salt like kind of spot all over ur fish and vevlet is yellowish-golden kind of dusk over ur fish. But vevlet dont occour in fresh water pretty offen. Most encounter is in salt water.

 

[Def]

Whitespot look like they have been sprinkled in salt, where velvet is a golden,yellowish gold dusting

Velvet is not usually a golden dusting. Velvet will initially show up like ich does, with lots of tiny white spots. These spots are 1/4 the size of ich spots. In it's very final stage when velvet has taken over completely it will look like a white velvet coating on the fish. At this point the fish will be dead anyway.

 

[jolaf]

How do you rid the tank of this disease after the fish all die? I have lost 5 fish so far adn the others look like the are contracting it also. I ws using ick medicine but is that the same treatment. All my fish look as if they are coated with a light coating if whitish film.

Whitespot look like they have been sprinkled in salt, where velvet is a golden,yellowish gold dusting

Velvet is not usually a golden dusting. Velvet will initially show up like ich does, with lots of tiny white spots. These spots are 1/4 the size of ich spots. In it's very final stage when velvet has taken over completely it will look like a white velvet coating on the fish. At this point the fish will be dead anyway.

[snapback]883590[/snapback]​

 

[WILDER]

Not the writer of this information below.

Oodinium (a.k.a. Velvet)



Symptoms:

Oodinium is commonly called "Velvet" because infected fish have a yellowish-brown "velvety" coating that covers its body. When the gills are affected rapid gill movements will be seen. Infected fish often scrape against objects in the aquarium in an effort to remove the parasite. In severe infestations, the skin may peel away in strips. Lack of appetite and lethargy usually accompany these other symptoms.



Cause:

The dinoflagellate Oodinium pillularis. This parasite feeds on the flesh of the fish, destroying the cells of its skin and can even infect its internal organs. This parasite is highly contagious due to the fact that it can survive up to 24 hours without a host. When without a host, they drop to the bottom of the aquarium, where they multiply and wait to find a new host.



Treatment:

Because Oodinium is extremely contagious, all fish, and the aquarium they inhabit, should be treated. Recommended medications include Paraform, Acriflavin, Quick Cure, and Formalin.

 

[Def]

<shrug>

I've had velvet on a plec (in quarantine fortunately), and it was like I described, not like the article you posted. YMMV.

How do you rid the tank of this disease after the fish all die?

With great difficulty. Velvet is far nastier than ich. I was fortunately able to sterilize the tank after the plec died (all hail quarantine tanks). I would guess that your fish are going to die and there's nothign you can do about it. Sterilize the entire tank, and consider destroying the filter media and replacing it too...

 

[Hels]

thanks for the replys! the tank size is 96l... its been set up 6 months plus... i've very recently changed it from a community to a lank tang, african cichlid but the tank has always been set up and with fish...plus stats have been fine all the way through.... so i guess it must be stress?