Re-stocking Dilema

[jnc914]

About 3 weeks ago velvet wiped out a majority of my livestock. Prior to the outbreak i had purchased a Diver's Den Achilles Tang that has been in a 40 gallon breeder QT for almost 6 weeks now. The fish is very healthy and thriving in the QT, and it took me months to finally get a healthy specimen. Besides the Achilles, I have a 6" Chrysurus that survived and a false perc. that will be returning to the 300 gallon DT. My issue is, i want to start re-stocking my tank. However I am nervous about putting the Achilles in and then trying to stock the tank. i have read about their aggression and worry that every new addition to the tank is going to get harrassed and possibly killed. Do I keep the Achille's in the QT or should i chance it.

My additions will be a GoldFlake Angel, Blue Line angel, a Regal Angel, a Declivis or Tinkers Butterfly, a Golden Butterfly, and possibly a Purple tang. It will take a bit of time for my LFS to procure these fish, however i don't want to cramp the Achilles in the 40 gallon QT. any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks in advance.

 

[jnc914]

Slow night here on RC. No experience or suggestions?

 

[cl2ysta1]

i'd add everything at once. my achilles was such a jerk he tried to kill clownfish

question though about velvet... I may be wrong, but I was under the impression it was never out of a system once it had it ? is that not true

 

[jnc914]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13079503#post13079503 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cl2ysta1
i'd add everything at once. my achilles was such a jerk he tried to kill clownfish

question though about velvet... I may be wrong, but I was under the impression it was never out of a system once it had it ? is that not true

I am starting to think there is not a full proof way of getting velvet out of a system once it is in there. I bought a QT for the two fish that survived. I used tank water from the display, and then did a treatment of Cupramine. The water had been in hypo, so after adding the cupramine, I started to raise salinity after a 2 week treatment. I did not see any velvet or ich, so I thought I was out of the woods. Well, low and behold, yesterday my Chrysurus has velvet!!!! This after using copper. Once I saw this, I completely emptied the display. Time to start over. The only fish that is abolutely clear of any disease is the Achilles from Diver's Den.

 

[snorvich]

The Life Cycle of Amyloodinium ocellatum

* Free-swimming cells called dinospores are released from a mature cyst and go in search of a host fish. Typically these cells can survive seven to eight days without a host, but in lower tank temperatures at around 75-80 degrees, some strains may last up to 30+ days.
* Once a host is found, typically heading for the soft tissue inside the gills first, the dinospores lose their swimming capabilities and become non-motile parasitic trophozoites. At this stage they turn parasitic, as each attaches to the host fish by sending out a filament for feeding.
* After deriving nutrition for 3 days to a week the trophozoites become mature and drop off into the substrate, may remain hidden in the mucus membrane, or sometimes be deeply imbedded in the tissue of a host fish, where at this point each forms a type of hard shell covering.
* Inside each encrusted cyst the cells, now called tomonts, reproduce internally by non-sexual division. Upon reaching maturity in about five days, each cyst ruptures and releases hundreds of new free-swimming dinospores to start the cycle all over again, but in much large numbers.

How Does an Aquarium Become Infected?

* Primarily by not quarantining new fish before introducing them into an aquarium.
* Ocean water, invertebrates, live rock, sand and algae can be carriers of these organisms in any form of their life cycle.

Reinfection will occur no matter how effectively the fish have been treated if oodinium is not eradicated from the main aquarium, which can be accomplished by keeping the tank devoid of any fish for at least 4 weeks. For fish-only aquariums hyposalinity can be applied, and to speed up the life cycle of the organisms, elevate the tank temperature to 85 to 90 degrees, which will help to eliminate all cysts and dinopsores in 3 weeks.

Several days prior to returning the fish to the main aquarium clean all filtering equipment, change any filtering materials, and do a water change.

 

[jnc914]

Steve,

So copper doesn't have any effect on the free floating stage of velvet? Are my two surviving fish basically doomed? Since I emptied the tank and will be putting in brand new tank water, I do not want to add these fish back to a "clean" system if there is any chance that the velvet is still on the fish.

 

[jnc914]

Can anyone else shed light as to the effects of copper on velvet. I am still having no luck eradicating it from my Chrysurus Angel that is currently in a QT treated with Cupramine for the last 3.5 weeks. I am starting to think that the fish will never get healthy. I would hate to lose this fish, but I am getting discouraged.

 

[Chibils]

I don't know what to say. I haven't had any experience with velvet.

 

[jnc914]

This strain of velvet that has been in my tank seems to be unstoppable. Besides wiping out some of my more $$$ fish, it seems resistant to copper. The angel will be in Cupramine for a month this thursday, and it seems like the velvet goes away for about three days and then comes back and covers the angel. Most velvet kills within two week span, but this is now at least 6 weeks that the Angel has exhibited symptoms. I am guessing the copper has weakened it a little bit, but has not eradicated it.

 

[LargeAngels]

What is the copper level and what test kit are you using? I've never had a problem treating velvet with Cupramine, no matter what the level of infestation. It's been one of the best things I've ever purchased and has saved many fish.

IME goldflakes, bluelines and regals are not very aggressive. I don't have an achilles, but if it is like my PBT then it will give them a very hard time for a while so I would remove the achilles and allow the others to establish. Treat all the angels for flukes.