velvet or white spot

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Baz Bluck
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velvet or white spot

Post by Baz Bluck » Sun Feb 19, 2006 2:46 pm

Does anyone know if clowns are vulnerable to the disease velvet. If so I may have been misdiagnosing my clowns. If they are susceptible to velvet is the treatment the same as that for white spot anyway.
Baz

shari
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Post by shari » Sun Feb 19, 2006 3:11 pm

Here's a link to 'velvet' -- Piscinoodinium

http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/h ... tist.shtml

You'll have to check yourself. Try turning off the tank and room lights and shining a flashlight onto the fish. If you see the glimmer of a goldish sheen that should not be part of the fish, you may be dealing with velvet rather than ich.

hth

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Emma Turner
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Post by Emma Turner » Sun Feb 19, 2006 4:59 pm

Baz,

Like Shari says, you'll have to check your fish under the right conditions. It is particularly visible when the fish is viewed head-on. The spots are much smaller than those found with whitespot, the fish appearing as if they have been sprinkled with a fine gold dust. You would also expect to see the fish scraping themselves against the decor, and with increased gill movements (although this would also be the case with whitespot).

I would say the best treatment for Velvet available in the UK would be Waterlife's 'Protozin' which also treats whitespot.

Hope this helps,

Emma
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Baz Bluck
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Post by Baz Bluck » Mon Feb 20, 2006 12:09 pm

Thanks for the info I will have a look later at them in the dark, all my fish are rubbing themselves against the decor no sign of spots at the moment. I am treating with protozin.
Baz

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Emma Turner
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Post by Emma Turner » Mon Feb 20, 2006 1:00 pm

Hi Baz,

Just a quick check - you are using the Protozin at half dose for your loach tank aren't you?

Emma
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Baz Bluck
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Post by Baz Bluck » Mon Feb 20, 2006 4:24 pm

Well Emma that was a bit of a problem for me as the pictures on the box are of clown loach which led me to believe that it would be safe for them. After reading on this forum that you should only use half the dose on some medications I was unsure so thought I would only use half the dose and if it didnt work then I would use full strength. Am I wrong again? I thought for the sake of my mates this would be prudent, please dont tell me I have prolonged their suffering.
Baz

Baz Bluck
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Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2006 12:53 pm
Location: Northampton England

Post by Baz Bluck » Mon Feb 20, 2006 4:29 pm

Emma,
Tried the lights out torch test - I have decided that it must be white spot. The Police have now left after my neighbours reported I was being burgled, they agree and think its white spot as well.
Baz

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Emma Turner
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Post by Emma Turner » Mon Feb 20, 2006 7:50 pm

:lol: Ha ha!!! You crack me up!

Well, you will be relieved to know that you have DEFINITELY done the right thing in dosing with Protozin at half strength, as loaches are particularly sensitive creatures and will not tolerate the full dose in one go. The bottle or leaflet that comes with the treatment says something like Use at half strength for scale-less fish, which Botiine loaches, such as Clowns are classed as.

Having said that, Protozin is quite biodegradeable, so you can dose the tank with two half doses, added 12 hours apart. This is the safe equivalent to one full dose in a 24 hour period, but separated by 12 hours so it is not all added in one go. You can carry out this procedure for 3 days (so 6 lots of half-dose treatment in all, spaced 12 hours apart), leave for 2 days, and then dose again on day 6.

Out of interest, what temperature is your tank running at? If all your fish in the tank can tolerate it, try increasing it to around 84 deg C, as this will help to speed up the whitespot cycle, and the treatment is more likely to work more quickly.

Good luck,
Emma
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shari
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Post by shari » Mon Feb 20, 2006 11:28 pm

So, did the coppers get you all the way to the station house? :lol:

Glad to hear it's not velvet, which is harder to treat. :wink:

Try the 1/2 and 1/2 dose as Emma suggested, with a good gravel vac inbetween. Gets rid of lots of tomonts and the clean water will help. Leave your water level lower so there's plenty of surface agitation for oxygen exchange, and be sure to continue treatment until several days after all signs of ich are gone. (including flashing, and spots) You should be able to beat this. Don't give up, OK?

Baz Bluck
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Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2006 12:53 pm
Location: Northampton England

Post by Baz Bluck » Thu Feb 23, 2006 11:28 am

Emma, Shari, thanks for the help. I am running my tank at 85 and all occupants seem very happy. Have done a bit of a hoover and tidied up a bit - now for the fish tank. Will continue treating as suggested. Thanks again.
Baz

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Emma Turner
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Post by Emma Turner » Thu Feb 23, 2006 11:48 am

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Keep us posted on how the fish get on!

Emma
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