Treating Velvet?

catfishacr

Gambusia
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Jun 3, 2014
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Iowa City, IA
I'm pretty sure my fish have velvet. Its so fine I cant get it show up on pictures. I bought a gold nugget pleco the other day and didn't notice it had velvet until it was to late. My pleco and silver dollars are covered in a light dusting of gold colored spots, mainly on the fins. Another way to describe it, it looks like they are covered in fine saw dust. My LFS said to treat the tank with Algaefix and that will cure the issue. Seems odd but he seemed really confident, so I'm giving it a try. Has anyone else used this treatment for velvet? Is there anything else I should be doing? Thanks so much

Water: 0 Ammonia 0 Nitrite 20 nitrate 8 ph 81 temp


I posted about this an another thread but thought id open a thread dedicated to this. hope that is okay..
 

Wailua Boy

Potamotrygon
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I would not recommend algaefix, try API General Cure...Velvet can also treated with salt. Copper would do the trick but would be my last pick as treatment.
 

catfishacr

Gambusia
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Jun 3, 2014
355
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I was going to use general cure. my LFS convinced me that it wouldn't work. He explained that velvet has a algae component and using algaefix would take care of it. I dosed the tank last night with the algaefix. I'm going to add some salt today, just trying to find a container:) Can i use algaefix and general cure together? I might dump in some general cure tomorrow if there is no improvement. thanks
 

catfishacr

Gambusia
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Jun 3, 2014
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Iowa City, IA
Ok I added some aquarium salt. Its getting worse and spreading to other fish. My Catfish are freaking out and swimming all over the place. I have good pictures but cant get them uploaded, can one of the mods help me get pictures uploaded?? I get a read caution sign when i try to upload them? Is there anything else I should be doing to treat this elvet, I trust my LFS guy saying this algaefix will work but cant find anything online that says it can be used to treat velvet. I have some general cure. If i get impatient can i use the general cure and the algaefix together??
Thanks Alot :)
 

Aquanero

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You can use API quick cure which is a combination malachite green & formalin. Read the instructions for dosing scaleless fish. This should be used in the main tank. A bath consisting of one teaspoon of methylene blue per five gallons of water can also be administered daily for 20 minutes. This should get rid of it, but please dose carefully as catfish are more difficult to treat. If you have a high bio-load and or an acidic pH a lower dose would be recommended. If in doubt error on the side of caution.

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Yuki Rihwa

Redtail Catfish
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Algaefix? I think the LFS mistaken with Meflafix :D hehehe both products are from API.
 

Wailua Boy

Potamotrygon
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I would do a 50% water change to remove the algaefix before applying any medication, either of the medications suggested should take care of it. Your catfish could be irritated by the algaefix.
 

Aquanero

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Algaefix? I think the LFS mistaken with Meflafix :D hehehe both products are from API.
Other than oodium utilising photosynthesis for energy production it is not something the active ingredient in algafix (which I can't spell) can kill. However it is important that a tank being treated for velvet should be kept dark and treated for 7 days.

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catfishacr

Gambusia
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Jun 3, 2014
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Iowa City, IA
aquanero thanks for your reply's. I've been researching quick cure by api and cant find that product by API. ive been trying to find quick cure by any brand. I come across quick cure by Aquarium products or maybe Kordon but have read that is has been discontinued. Can you provide a link of what your talking about :D I'm going to go the LFS tomorrow if they don't have any quick cure is there something else that would be effective? I've read copper safe is effective but read conflicting reports if it safe for catfish or not? General Cure says it treats velvet but read reports that is not that effective?

Thanks so much for the help

As far as the algaefix he meant algaefix, I was told that velvet has a algae component to it and treating the tank with it will kill the velvet in a roundabout way. He had a better explanation but the chemistry of it all was over my head. :) He sounded very confident and said he had been using this treatment for years. Anyhow, I trust what your saying and the velvet is still spreading fast. id rather be safe and add a proven method to make sure I save my fish.
 

Yuki Rihwa

Redtail Catfish
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hehehe I was joking about the name, I have no experiences about velvet treatment. I hope everything turn out ok for your fishes, good luck.
 
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