My angel has velvet

[FishEnthusiast]

Hi guys.

I noticed my big angel was acting kinda strange yesterday and this morning. I just noticed that one side of his dorsal fin has turned gold. I am pretty sure this is velvet. I don't have a clue how to treat this. Would salt help?

He is in a 55G with 6 boesmani rainbows, 4 dwarf neon rainbows, and 2 oto's(had 6 but 4 died for unknown reasons). I have some super ich plus that I could use. Unfortunatly I have to treat the entire tank as I don't have a hospital tank big enough for this guy.

I really don't want to lose him, please someone do you have any advice? He is about 5" long and 4" high if that helps any.

My readings are
ph 7.0
nitrite 0
ammonia 0
nitrate 0 (don't know why, after I finished cycling I never had a reading for nitrate)
temp 76 degrees

The other fish seem fine. I am going to try to take a pic, but my batteries are dying on my camera.

EDIT
Here is a pic, the gold that is on his fin is NOT supposed to be there

What has worked for you guys in the past? What is the best med that won't cost me a fortune as I have to treat 55G? Thanks everyone

 

[fishwatcher]

I would wait on someone else to give you more/better info, but just in case no one does, I use Fungus Clear by Jungle, They are fizzy tabs, you put one in for every 10 gallons. They come 8 to a pack for about $3. These have worked good for me. If this is gold velvet, that should work. My only concern if it is something else then you wouldn't want to treat it with meds that don't work. I don't know about the salt treatment, esp with the otos (they are scaleless, right?). Like I said, if no one else offers help, I'd try this.
I wish you luck! That's a beautiful angel!

 

[FishEnthusiast]

Thank you for your advice. My angel is beautiful thanks. I am not sure about the oto's. I can move them to another tank. I have 8 to choose from. I got some nox-ich that treats ich and velvet. I also got salt as I hate to be without it. I won't add it unless it will do some good. When I use salt to treat ich I usually add about 3 tablespoons per 5g. I have also turned up the heat a bit. Is there anything else I should do?

 

[fishwatcher]

As far as I know, that should handle it pretty good. I don't think velvet will kill them (at least not quickly) so you have time to try just the salt if you want, and see what that will do to it on it's own. If that doesn't do much you can try the medication. I would definitely move the oto's if you're going to use salt. You don't want it to bother their skin.
Please let me know how it turns out.
Good luck!

 

[FishEnthusiast]

My angel isn't doing too good. He is hanging out at the top of the tank, not moving much. He is actually right by the heater which is on, so I guess he likes the heat. I have started adding salt, but I think I should medicate. His body is so dark it is hard to see if it is on his body as well as his fins. He does have a bit of a sheen on him, I am not sure if it is his colour or more velvet. He has always had a bit of an irridescent sheen to him. I don't want to sound cruel, but if it was any other fish I probably wouldn't have bought medication, but this is my baby. I have had him for 3 months and he was the sole survivor of my poor beginner fish keeping skills. Every other fish in my 55 died from ich. He never even got one spot.

It is a bit of a mystery why he got sick right now. My water parameters are excellent and they always are. I do regular water changes, no new fish have been added. I don't get it. The only thing I have changed is I moved some of the decorations around in the tank. Yes I washed my hands before hand. He is so tame he will eat from my hand most times. Right now he is shying away from me a bit which is unusual. I just don't get it.

 

[fishwatcher]

There is a pinned topic on the top of the list under the Emergencies forum. It is all about illnesses (I believe it is listed as FAQs). Read this, as hopefully it can answer some questions for you. As for me, I'm all out of ideas. I'm sorry!!! I wish you the best of luck!!!

 

[Squishiebabe]

!! My fish might have this too! I noticed gold/yellowish behind the fins of my gupp, and i have no idea what it is....Velvet is a light dusting of tiny white specks, i thought.
I thought it just might be his colours, but he doesnt have any on his talk or anywhere, just the behind the fins (the ones closest to his gills)
Best luck, I'm gonna research all i can...

 

[black angel]

on the virw of the fish, is it the front half of the dorsal? if so it looks like natural colouring to me.

 

[abstract]

on the virw of the fish, is it the front half of the dorsal? if so it looks like natural colouring to me.

i hesitated, but was going to say the same exact thing....all fish change colors from time to time depending on mood, environment, and especially how the light hits them....from what i've read velvet isn't as much GOLD as it is RUST colored

 

[fishwatcher]

My female guppy actually got this gold coloring near her gravid spot a week or so ago. I actually treated her with fungus clear thinking it was velvet, too, but nothing ever happened... she never got sick and it never went away. Not sure what it is...

 

[abstract]

My female guppy actually got this gold coloring near her gravid spot a week or so ago. I actually treated her with fungus clear thinking it was velvet, too, but nothing ever happened... she never got sick and it never went away. Not sure what it is...

it is natural coloring...sometiems when i look at my female guppies they are completely gray...sometimes they have a yellow glimmer to their entire body and tail...sometimes the coloring is more intesne...as i said it all varies with environment

 

[Squishiebabe]

Yeah i guess it does, because some days i never see the same coluor twice, swish of a tail and its gone, and when the aquarium lights are on, the fish look really different.

 

[Whitey]

To me it just looks like natural colour, velvet is associated with rubbing itself on rocks, heavy breathing, loss of appetite and lathargic behavior.

Just in case u didnt know, if u did im sorry.

 

[WILDER]

Do you mean he is producing more slime coat the usualy as that can be a bacteria infection or parasite, you say he has darkened in colour that is a sign of a bacteria infection as well, and if he's hanging at the top of the tank he off it,is the fish flicking and rubbing on objects.

 

[FishEnthusiast]

I assure you that is not my fishes natural colour. He is shimmying shaking and trying to rub on objects. His fin looks like it was dusted in gold, he has never looked like that before. He now has little white spots that don't look like ich, but are similar. They are a bit smaller. I have been treating him for 3 days now and the gold is disappearing.

Before I noticed the gold on him, he was acting strange. This is a large fish, he has never changed colour before. It looked like someone spray painted him. I would not have posted here unless I was sure he was sick. He is not acting like himself, but the meds are helping, he is getting better. I can try to get a pic of the spots, but I am pretty sure my batteries are dying.

I can't get a pic that will show the spots, but I assure you he is sick. I guess cause I know my fish I can tell that the gold just doesn't belong there.