BlackFin Sharks

Question
QUESTION: Karen I had to tell you your a genius! As a last effort I removed the sharks and put them in the baby guppie tank (sacrificing a couple of babies I'm afraid) threw a towel over the tank to get maximum heat for 6 hours and when I got up and expected dead fish there they were acting like they've never been sick. I can't believe that fish that  were so sick can come back like this. Also remember I said it didn't look like ich..well it wasn't, it is velvet and I don't know much about it ..do you? Thank you thankyou this was really affecting my enjoyment of my fish and I was thinking of tanking the whole thing, no pun intended. Thanks again.
ANSWER: Hi Sandy, thank you and you're welcome!

I'm so glad to hear your sharks have been doing better in the baby guppy tank. But sorry to hear they have velvet. This parasite isn't as common as ich but appears as a fine gold/white powder as comparision to the salt-sprinkles that ich appears as, symptoms to velvet also include rapid breathing! Velvet can be treated with the medication I have used before called "MARACIDE" made by Mardel Brand.
Velvet often occurs if a fish has been exposed to ammonia or nitrite problems or even nitrate excessive nitrate. But it can be introduced with newly added fish.

You must begin treatment right away and this is an very infectious disease unfortunately. Also the velvet parasites use photosynthesis so keeping the tank dark (perhaps with the lights off) can further help in treatment.

Velvet is a terrible disease that can attack fast and hard, with high concentrations in the gills causing the greatest harm to the poor fish. Don't give up on your little sharks, all you can do is try your best to get them better!

I really hope this helps and Best wishes,
Karen~

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Karen, Your cautious optimism was well placed. My poor babies died a terrible death. Now my red capped oranda (red and white) has yellow on his scales so I suspect the velvet has travelled between tanks via food that I took out of the shark tank and gave to the goldfish. I went and got the Maracide yesterday and am treating everyone and they all seem to be doing fine. My question is if I do a water change and I've already did a treatment do I put more Maracide in, and does the yellow scales sound like velvet to you even tho their fine, and where did this come from in the first place and how do I avoid it again? When you do a water change should you make the water a little warmer bordering on hot to avoid ich from a to cool temp.? Lots of questions cause I don't want to go through this again. Thanks a mill. Sandy
ANSWER: Hi Sandy!
I'm very sorry to hear about that....
Your Red-cap Oranda could very likely have gotten Velvet from the food you took out of the shark's tank. Vevlvet is very contagious. The yellowing coloration on the oranda's scales is very suspicious and it may be best that you do treat them as you are doing nicely already. Water changes are extremely important with any disease treatment. It is recommended by long-time aquarists to change up to 90% of the water once or twice a day, everyday if possible. Or at least 50% if you cannot manage such a large change otherwise. When you do the water change, simply redose the medication.
It's fine to make the replacement water a couple degrees warmer to your tank's temp, but dont make it hot. But if you can you should really try to match your tank's temp as close as possible. Whatever you do, don't add water that is cooler than your tank's temp.

Remember, I can never say for sure if your fish are truly sick without being able to see them. You are the best judgement on if the yellow scales are a natural coloration or truly the velvet parasite which should appear as a fine gold/white dusting like powder. Your goldfish may have been lucky and not even have velvet, but if you think you should treat then do so definitely. All fish are suceptible to velvet but goldfish are particularly so.
Nobody knows for sure, but it is said that Velvet parasites are present in aquariums all the time. But it is only when a fish is stressed by poor water conditions or rapidly flucuating temperature that the velvet parasites may attack.

Make sure you have removed the carbon from your filters and it can help to add the appropriate amount of aquarium salt to your tank water. Salt can help improve gill function and can discourage some of the velvet parasites. Like with anything, watch for goldfish for signs of any stress to the salt. Aquarium salt is very beneficial and safe but you must always be careful.

Velvet is quite rare and usually only appears when the water conditions are poor or the fish themsleves are stressed severely by other situations such as being bullied by another fish or being transported. Quarantining all new fish in a seperate aquarium and doing your very best to maintain your aquarium to it's optimum will prevent this disease from re-occuring, in fact it will prevent most ALL illnesses from ever starting up.

I really hope this helps and as always, feel free to write with anymore concerns!
Best wishes and I'm sorry again that you lost your sharks,
Karen~


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Karen its not a dusting on the g.fish but individual scales. They are glancing but have done that forever. No one bullies they love each other(thank God) and all are eating and acting normal but I am treating with what you suggested anyway. The worry is exhausting. As you can see I'm up at 3 in the morn to treat feed and check on them.Can they just start to change color? Also it says not to add anything else with Maracide, what if theres also a fungus in the tank? Cripes I talk to you more than my best friend lol. Thanks again. Sandy

Answer
Hi Sandy!
The velvet is tricky because it can appear as a "film" on the fishes scales also. Maybe looking at some pictures of fish that have velvet can help you determine better-
 
- Closeup of Clown loach with Velvet-

http://www.fishdeals.com/fish_diseases/oodinium_velvet/photos/velvet.jpg

It's very possible for any goldfish to begin changing color. You'll see a perfect example on this link, it shows a solid black oranda changing into a calico! Here's the link-

http://www.kokosgoldfish.com/GoldfishChangingColor.html

The yellow coloring could be nothing, but it might be better to be safe than sorry and go ahead and treat your goldfishes.

You do have to be careful with velvet and other parasitic diseases like ICH because with them can follow secondary infections. So watch for that. But we still aren't sure if your goldies have velvet or not... Most MARDEL products are designed to work together and be compatible. I think they mean not to use other medications from 'other' sources other than Mardel. But like with any treatment, you must use it at your own risk unfortunately.

Let me know how things are going if you like,
Karen~ best of luck!!!