Pest Type: Disease
Scientific Name: Amyloodinium ocellatum
Treatment: Copper sulfate is an effective treatment for marine velvet, however, some fish such as clownfish, bannerfish, and other saltwater fish don’t tolerate copper sulfate very well. Symptoms of copper poisoning are popeye, rapid respiration, and balance problems.
Identification: Velvet may initially start out looking just like ich, with salt or sugar-like “sprinkles” visible mostly on the fins.
Within days or sometimes just hours, these tiny white dots will spread all over the fish’s body, covering it in “dust.” This dust may look grey-gold colored if viewed at the right angle and under the right spectrum of light. For this reason, it may be difficult to see velvet on a yellow or light colored fish (look from an angle, not directly from the side). However, sometimes a fish’s body will look “dirty” or show “dark areas” just before velvet appears.
Prevention: Maintain High Water Quality, Quarantine New Arrivals, Feed Your Fish A Good-Quality Diet.
