# first time with marine ich/velvet



## im_a_clownfish (Sep 19, 2005)

Hi all!

I am battling my first strike of saltwater ich or velvet. Its little silver dust like specles so not sure what it is - its not dense like a velvety covering so maybe not velvet? Then again, they are a more greyish specle than white, but aren't on the gills yet as I know thats where velvet starts..

Since I have a reef tank with corals and inverts Im not sure how to cure the problem. 99% of the options I find are not reef safe.

As for raising the temperature, or hyposalinity, I don't have a quarantine tank to put all of my inverts and corals into so that idea is out...unless the corals will be okay the inverts may be able to fit into another tank...
Will high temp harm inverts as well as corals?
will hyposalinity harm inverts as well as corals?
Reason, I ask, is that my inverts can probably be put in another tank but i dont know about my corals.

Will a single freshwater dip and or a single formalin dip/bath (if I can get the fish out of my reef tank - which I dont think I can) cure saltwater ich?

I have heard/read that there are reef safe ich and velvet cures out there like fish-vet ecolibrium or revive, chem marin stop-parasite, sano aqua remedites, etc...

It was so much easier with a freshwater fish only tank - I just used copper to nuke the parasites and that was that!

Ugh!!!

help!


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

unfortunately there is no real way to kill ich without a qt. Qt doesn't need to be large... and the setup is basic. What size tank did you have again? 30 gallons? You could probably fit all your fish into a 20 or less if you had too... just put some pvc for structure and use one of those cheapo hob filters and cheap heater you get with a start up kit. Then you can nuke those parasites with copper, daily baths, or other non reef safe meds

btw, hypo salinity and high temps can hurt/kill corals and inverts. Any reef safe med is a ich safe med... usually getting very few RAVE reviews.

also to keep water quality in check, I'd do water changes daily.


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## im_a_clownfish (Sep 19, 2005)

thanks for the help!

however, because of the 6 fish in my 65 gallon tank, i think it will be way easier to put the inverts and corals into their own tank (i have a 10 gallon that they can stay in for a week or 2 - dont have THAT many) and then do the hyposalinity and high temp in the main tank.

How high does the temp have to go to kill velvet or ich? I've heard 80, but also 85 or 90....90? wow! wont that kill my fish too?

I know the salt level has to go down to .010 for at least 7 days...

Are there any medicines that wont harm my liverock if I do take the corals/inverts out of there temporarily? I know i cant use copper as it sticks around forever....

I have metronidazole and was wondering if I could put that in the main tank AFTER removing my inverts and corals, since its easlily removed with carbon, and after about 8-10 days, put massive amounts of liquid carbon and carbon bags (in the filter) to remove it. will the protein skimmer remove this too?

OR, can I soak their food in metronidazole? this would eliminate the harm on the reef inhabitants...but would soaking their food in it only help for internal parasites, which ich is not?

this seems like a lot less work than the whole hyposalinity thing.....


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