I need some help here please on Velvet Disease

[DesertBubbles]

I am a newbie and I bought 2 clown fish from a well known store with good rep. However, I did not quarantine them. One died was fine one day next gone. So following day I go and buy another so they can be a pair. The next day the one I had from first 2 two died. Then a sailfin died. All seemed OK. I thought it was from new tank cycling. But then about 3 days later (yesterday) I had 2 more fish die and this am another. I am down to 4 fish. Pretty sure the clowns brought in Velvet. I have many corals and an anemone. So the treatment options for treating the tank seem nil. Copper kills corals and no light kills corals. I don't have the money to buy another set up. The 4 fish left are 3 chromis and a sleeper gobe. I am tempted to take out and flush so they die quick. MY question is if there are no fish in the tank for a month and I do weekly water changes will the parasite die off with nothing to feed on, or do they feed on anything left in the tank? I have been searching for hours on it and see only that they feed on the slime coat of the fish and then invade the gils and lungs and fish dies. Is there anybody out her that can help guide me on this. Will it go after the corals? I do have 2 starfish and conch, snails and hermit crabs. Everything else seems unaffected. But my understanding is it goes from one fish until it dies then finds another host/fish. Thank you for any input or help it will be greatly appreciated.

 

[snorvich]

With velvet, the safe fallow period is six weeks.

 

[Mrscribbled]

It needs a fish host to live, but instead of flushing the remaining fish, I'd use this as an opportunity to learn how to correctly treat fish. Regardless, you will need to set up a QT now or later, otherwise this will happen again. All you need is a ten gallon tank, heater, and an established bio filter. Instant Ocean Bio Spira works great. All this will cost much less than the money you've spent on livestock. Craigslist is great for finding used equipment.

 

[Deinonych]

It needs a fish host to live, but instead of flushing the remaining fish, I'd use this as an opportunity to learn how to correctly treat fish. Regardless, you will need to set up a QT now or later, otherwise this will happen again. All you need is a ten gallon tank, heater, and an established bio filter. Instant Ocean Bio Spira works great. All this will cost much less than the money you've spent on livestock. Craigslist is great for finding used equipment.

+1

No reason to send fish to certain death when you can give them the opportunity to live.

 

[Newsmyrna80]

I am a newbie and I bought 2 clown fish from a well known store with good rep. However, I did not quarantine them. One died was fine one day next gone. So following day I go and buy another so they can be a pair. The next day the one I had from first 2 two died. Then a sailfin died. All seemed OK. I thought it was from new tank cycling.

Your tank has not cycled? Stop buying fish! You are exposing these fish to a horrible life/death. Wait until the tank has completely cycled. You can not rush anything in this hobby.

 

[Mrscribbled]

Your tank has not cycled? Stop buying fish! You are exposing these fish to a horrible life/death. Wait until the tank has completely cycled. You can not rush anything in this hobby.

The anemones and coral would be dead if the tank wasn't cycled.

 

[jennmac415]

Im sorry but I take offense to someone that even suggests they would flush their fish "so they die quick"...seriously? I think this OP has bigger issues than just velvet if they are going to be sucessfull in this hobby. A different mindset to begin with. JMO. ..

 

[MrTuskfish]

Im sorry but I take offense to someone that even suggests they would flush their fish "so they die quick"...seriously? I think this OP has bigger issues than just velvet if they are going to be sucessfull in this hobby. A different mindset to begin with. JMO. ..

I agree, our hobby doesn't consider fish as disposable learning tools. You need a quarantine/hospital tank. If you aren't willing to treat sick fish, I'd consider another hobby.

The clowns could have brought in brooklynella too, they are very susceptible to it. What makes you suspect velvet? How long has this tank been running? What is the current ammonia reading? I wouldn't buy any more fish until you do a lot of reading and learn the basics. Read the stickies on our forum and a couple of good books on the hobby.