Any tips on battling velvet in a reef tank?

[Megan Mathis]

I have been battling in my reef tank what i thought was ich that came from a very well known vender 2 separate times now. The first time i had a die off but it went away and other fish seemed healthy. Any ich medicine i have dosed in for the previous time and for this time seem to not work. It seems that the strongest have survived the first round.

A month later i brought some new fish thinking that i eradicated ich due to prolonged treatment. The new fish i add to the reef drop like flies. The eyes and fins on the fish seem to get covered with the parasites right before they kick the bucket. It seems to be small almost tiny white specs on the body and tail. The results are the same as i quarantined a chromis.

It makes sense that the parasite has come back because it is velvet and not ich which i have been treating for.I have been reading some methods on getting rid of velvet but it seems it would kill corals. I have a lot of live rock so catching fish is a issue for a freshwater bath. If anyone has tips on what they have done to battle velvet in a reef tank that would be awesome.

I do have a Uv sterilizer up and running.

 

[ReefQueen]

As far as I know, going fallow is the only way to get it out the the DT if there are corals in the tank. Let's wait for the experts to chime in. @melypr1985 @Humblefish

 

[melypr1985]

That would be correct. The only way to get ich AND velvet out of your tank is to go fallow and treat the fish in a QT. Here is a link with more detailed information and treatment options https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/velvet-amyloodinium-ocellatum.217570/

 

[Kyl]

None of the vendor "reef safe" additives will work, save your hope and money. Go fallow, QT going forward or play Russian roulette every time you add anything wet to the tank.

 

[Flippers4pups]

I'm no expert on velvet, but it's like ich. Something like 24 hours after it becomes free swimming it needs to find a host or it dies. A week fallow would be good, I think?

 

[melypr1985]

I'm no expert on velvet, but it's like ich. Something like 24 hours after it becomes free swimming it needs to find a host or it dies. A week fallow would be good, I think?

No, velvet requires 6 weeks fallow and ich requires 76 days.

 

[Flippers4pups]

No, velvet requires 6 weeks fallow and ich requires 76 days.

For it to complete it's cycle completely, right?

I've never had an outbreak of velvet, knock on wood.

 

[4FordFamily]

Correct, go fallow 76 days and remove/treat existing fish with copper or CP. Sorry, no easy way.

 

[Megan Mathis]

Hahaha thank you guys that was very helpful. I will go fallow for 76 days to play it safe. As a marine biologist i havent battled with this specific parasite in a reef tank before. Its always been the common ich for work. I am also upgrading to a 90 gallon reef in the next month and will dip what i can in addition to waiting 76 days.