Velvet

[valley]

Hello, I had a pair of clownfish and a bi color blenny that died due to velvet 62 days ago. I’m seeing online that velvet usually dies out after 7 weeks. However, I’m a little worried that the counter may have restarted because I have been adding coral and inverts to the tank throughout these 62 days. When I found out that velvet was the cause of death I was told by my LFS and others on the internet that I can use this time to stock my tank with coral. I have only added an urchin but I have added multiple coral frags. Am I in the clear to add fish or do I have to wait another 7 weeks without adding coral/inverts?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hello, I had a pair of clownfish and a bi color blenny that died due to velvet 62 days ago. I’m seeing online that velvet usually dies out after 7 weeks. However, I’m a little worried that the counter may have restarted because I have been adding coral and inverts to the tank throughout these 62 days. When I found out that velvet was the cause of death I was told by my LFS and others on the internet that I can use this time to stock my tank with coral. I have only added an urchin but I have added multiple coral frags. Am I in the clear to add fish or do I have to wait another 7 weeks without adding coral/inverts?

With an outbreak, add nothing. Not good LFS advice but rather sales.
Please Post pics of infected fish under white light intensity, as while not impossible are fish that rarely contract velvet. If velvet, some things you will see are fish scratching body against hard objects, lethargic behavior, Loss of appetite and weight loss, Rapid, labored breathing, Fins clamped against the body, and typically stay at the surface of the water, or remain in a position where a steady flow of water is present in the aquarium.

 

[MnFish1]

I'm just going to answer your questions - - after a fallow period of 8 weeks (depending on the protocol) - it is safe to add fish.. If you add non-quarantined 'stuff' - there are 2 options 1) Ignore the fact that you added coral since it's a low risk or 2). extend your fallow period until 8 weeks after the last addition. As long as what you have added has no velvet attached, there is no risk

 

[valley]

Aww yikes. I think I’ll just quickly add a few more frags in this month and then go on the 8 week fallow period. I’m certain it was velvet because my fish died within 24 hours the same week that I added the blenny. I also noticed that the clowns were only using one fin and had white specks all over them. Thanks for all the help!

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Aww yikes. I think I’ll just quickly add a few more frags in this month and then go on the 8 week fallow period. I’m certain it was velvet because my fish died within 24 hours the same week that I added the blenny. I also noticed that the clowns were only using one fin and had white specks all over them. Thanks for all the help!

Just to point out some things here - that sounds more like ich and not velvet. Ich creates white spots on the fish while velvet causes the fish to breath very fast and die in a few days. Ich is many times more common than velvet is.

The fallow period you used is fine for either disease. Unless the corals came from a tank with an active infection, the chance of them bringing something in to the tank is pretty small. What is NOT a small issue is that any new fish you buy may well carry disease into your tank on their own. This by far is the most common way that diseases are introduced.

A good proactive quarantine helps prevent that (or buying pre quarantined fish).

Current Quarantine Protocol

2023 Quarantine Procedures Jay Hemdal David Scarborough Protozoans (Cryptocaryon/ich, Amyloodinium/velvet) and Metazoan trematodes/flukes are by far the most common parasites found on newly acquired fish. A carefully managed quarantine process can effectively eliminate these parasites before...

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Jay