Almost 100% fish loss, Velvet or Brook...

[leveldrummer]

Over the past week or two, I have gone from 15 fish to 2, Some disease took hold and knocked out my entire tank, all coral and invertebrates are fine and happy.

I have a QT setup, and will be transferring my remaining 2 fish into it for 12-14 week fallow period. I cant tell if the disease was brook or velvet, but it killed fast. A yellow coris wrasse and a red fire fish is all that is left, and both seem immune to the disease for what ever reason. otherwise they would be gone too.

I want to do a formaline dip/bath before placing them into QT to hopefully remove any remaining disease that they may be carrying. Does this seem like a good plan of action?

Does anyone know of a off the shelf medication I can find that contains formalin?

 

[snorvich]

Over the past week or two, I have gone from 15 fish to 2, Some disease took hold and knocked out my entire tank, all coral and invertebrates are fine and happy.

I have a QT setup, and will be transferring my remaining 2 fish into it for 12-14 week fallow period. I cant tell if the disease was brook or velvet, but it killed fast. A yellow coris wrasse and a red fire fish is all that is left, and both seem immune to the disease for what ever reason. otherwise they would be gone too.

I want to do a formaline dip/bath before placing them into QT to hopefully remove any remaining disease that they may be carrying. Does this seem like a good plan of action?

Does anyone know of a off the shelf medication I can find that contains formalin?

My empirical (but not literature denoted) guess for the number of fish that develop immunity (although only temporary) to velvet is 5%. However even those immune can still carry it so they should be treated. The fallow period for velvet is 6 weeks.

 

[Steveb]

You might check around to see if any of your LFS carry FishVet. They have a formalin product.

http://www.fishvet.com/Formalin-MS.htm

 

[leveldrummer]

My empirical (but not literature denoted) guess for the number of fish that develop immunity (although only temporary) to velvet is 5%. However even those immune can still carry it so they should be treated. The fallow period for velvet is 6 weeks.

I'm not sure whether its velvet or brook, so I'm going to fallow enough to cover y bases. Maybe 8 weeks then. I haven't decided, my main goal now is to get this e remaining two out and treated.

 

[Deinonych]

Ugh. Sorry for your losses; that's got to be hard to deal with. What do you think was the source of the disease?

 

[leveldrummer]

Ugh. Sorry for your losses; that's got to be hard to deal with. What do you think was the source of the disease?

Just plain stupidity and that "it wont happen to me" attitude. no doubt about it.

I just upgraded from a 58 into a 250 gallon deep dimension. I transfered 5 fish over from my old then, then started buying a couple fish a week, had some real nice tangs and angels, this and that, couple these guys, a few of those. Then BAM! Came home one day and a few fish were dead and another was barely alive. Next day that one was dead and another was dead and a couple more were looking rough. This pattern just continued till I have 2 fish left. They are immune to some degree or else they would be goners too, I just got a QT setup last night, and will be treating the remaining fish while the display sits fallow for an undetermined amount of time. :facepalm:

 

[snorvich]

I'm not sure whether its velvet or brook, so I'm going to fallow enough to cover y bases. Maybe 8 weeks then. I haven't decided, my main goal now is to get this e remaining two out and treated.

Was there any peeling skin? If so, it would be brook.

 

[leveldrummer]

Was there any peeling skin? If so, it would be brook.

Not that I noticed. But its certainly not ruled out. Some looked cloudy, some didnt, some had mild ich, some didnt, some where white when I found them and some werent. It happened so fast, with so many mild sypmtoms, it dont think I can get a positive ID. The differences between brook and velvet dont seem to great.

 

[snorvich]

The differences between brook and velvet dont seem to great.

Fallow period for either would be the same. Treatment would be potentially different with similarities.

 

[leveldrummer]

Fallow period for either would be the same. Treatment would be potentially different with similarities.

my research shows a formalin bath is a successful treatment for both followed by a long quarantine with observation. Do you agree this is a solid course of action?

 

[leveldrummer]

Is it a bad idea to place the fish into the quarantine tank before treatment?

My spidey sense tells me I should pull the fish from display, treat, then quarantine, but I won't have any meds till Friday, should I go ahead and remove them now? Or wait till then?

 

[ca1ore]

Ah, what a pain. It's funny (well not actually FUNNY) that most people I talk to QT for ich. Yet, ich is pretty mild compared to some of these other parasites. I have sporadic ich in my display, yet I still QT all new fish. Buddy of mine argues that it is not necessary, but things like velvet scare the bejeebies out of me.

 

[Gigantea]

Sorry for your loss. :-(

 

[tassod]

I feel your pain, although my losses were not as severe as yours, I lost 4 out of 15 fish. I've got all in a QT right now except for one that still eludes me now since last weekend. I am using CP (chloroquine phosphate) as treatment which would nail both brook or velvet or ich. Sorry for your losses.

 

[joshky]

Ah, what a pain. It's funny (well not actually FUNNY) that most people I talk to QT for ich. Yet, ich is pretty mild compared to some of these other parasites. I have sporadic ich in my display, yet I still QT all new fish. Buddy of mine argues that it is not necessary, but things like velvet scare the bejeebies out of me.

I'm with you, ich is like the least of my worries when it comes to parasitic infections.



@OP
Sorry for your losses, and good luck with your QT.

 

[usingthejohn]

Could it have been flukes?

 

[leveldrummer]

Could it have been flukes?

at this point, im really not sure, Most fish showed signs of a cloudiness, either some velvety type coating, or just a general hazy look to them, but not all did, it could have been a mix of several things. the two fish I have left seem perfectly fine, no stress, no signs of any sickness.

The powder blue had some minor ich when I got him, but he kicked it pretty quick and was looking awesome up until he died.