Marine Velvet (Feel Defeated Don't Give Up) 10 Month Reef Tank Update (Copper Treatment) How To

[@mmagscott]

As a fellow reefer i feel your pain.

[@ronaldlambertson2624]

I see people on reef2reef arguing they don't quarantine because they don't have the space, or it's too expensive, or they've never had a problem. I just shake my head. Some lessons have to be learned the hard way.

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

I never had a problem with space or it being to expensive. I was just always scared of killing the fish in quarantine. Boy did I earn my lesson. I will never not quarantine now.

[@ROTTERtube]

reef2reef is full of know-it-alls and bullies.

[@michaelcreasey6232]

Just found this video. I got Velvet in my tank just under 2 weeks ago. I got some coppersafe and manged to pull all the remaining fish from my DT. Unfortunately I lost both clowns my 3 tangs and another 6 fish and am gutted. This video has given me the strength to carry on and rebuild.

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

Thank you.

[@jeffreykneer8784]

Thank you for clearly laying out the facts and the cost of not quarantining. You inspired me to finally invest in a quarantine tank and medicating from the start. Thank you again for being so humble in your explanation, and I am sorry for your losses.

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

Thanks bud. Glad my loss is able to help you and others in the future to come.

[@iliasy1]

such honesty is rare these days!!!! thank you

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

I try and thank you for watching.

[@payno6643]

Bro i am in you're exact situation right now. A qt tank had been part of my long term strategy but i just haven't had the time. I keep telling myself the knowledge will make me stronger

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

Time is always an issue. The main reason I have not been able to make any newer videos.

[@ReelHardFishing]

I just went through Velvet and bacterial infection. Keep up good work bubba.

[@LuisRivera-bn9ts]

Thanks for this video, I can't tell you how important it is to quarantine your fish, I learned the hard way, I'm new in this hobby, and my local store where I was buying all my fish, (Blue Hippo Tang, Coral Beauty, Powder brown tang, Powder blue tang, and so much more was taking me for a ride. After losing so many fish and a lot of money I asked them for help and they kept telling me just to add Dr. Tim One and Only and that should fix my problem, Well I didn't know better and I just did what they told me to do and nothing worked. So I started to educate myself on saltwater fish, How to cycle your tank, and before adding fish you must quarantine them for 4 weeks, my wife always says quarantine is like a warranty after the 30 days you have to wait another week just to make sure it doesn't break. I purchased another Powder Brown Tang and had him in my 20gal quarantine thank for 30 days, I put him in my display tank, and after 3 weeks I saw a small sine of white spots on him, I immediately took him out of my display tank and place in back in the 20gal quarantine tank and added the Copper Power, I have the Sch level at 1.021 and the water temp at 72 degrees hoping this works. we'll see, I just hope that it didn't affect my display tank.

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

Good luck and sorry to hear about your trouble in your tank and fish. However you are going to want to fallow your tank while your fish are in quarantine.

[@NickM92]

Going through the same thing right now. Thank you for this video.

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

You are welcome. Good luck and I hope this helps you and all pans out good for you.

[@SlowMotionAct1]

Love the explanation… I just started QT

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

Thanks.

[@ROTTERtube]

Great video and correct. I got nailed with marine velvet when I started the hobby. Live Rock from the LRS brought it in. I didn't know what it was. I used one of their live rocks to seed the QT for bacteria, dosed half the recommended copper amount so as not to OD, and everything was fine after 6 weeks.

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

Glad to hear everything worked out. I QT everything now.

[@insanity4224]

Sorry for your losses.. just went through this myself and was lucky to save 8/11 fish. I purchased new plastic tubs and just used an air stone with copper for 6 days. It’s summer in Oz so no need for a heater. Seachem Stability for bio/ammonia. Then used the Hybrid TTM method. Fish are looking great and eating. I absolutely agree that LFS should be accountable and at the very least offer (for additional charge) full and comprehensive QT and conditioning to customers. I’m even considering offering this to local hobbyists now that I’m set up for it and to make the option available.

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

That would be amazing to offer that to locals. Sorry you last 3 of your fish. Around here it is tough to find any LFS that offer QT fish. None actually.

[@insanity4224]

@@PittsburghReefJunkie yeah it should be a standard, imagine buying a puppy and it could kill your pets from disease, no one would accept that as a standard.

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

@@insanity4224 exactly. LFS don't really care I think a lot of the time. They know if your fish dies you will be back to buy another. But as long as it's allowed to happen it will always continue on. But you are correct in every way as far as you saying puppies would not be accepted. So why should fish or any other type of pet.

[@79monte]

I'm just coming out of this problem been there done this my fault as well love and learn had to tear apart my tank to get all the fish out left the tank fishless for 79 day's just to be sure am just now treating new fish in quarantine I feel ya

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

It really was a pain. All of the fish have been good since then. Hope all goes well for your tank.

[@jacklawer6389]

Nice video, thanks, hope all is going well

[@ikanMarine]

I put poly lab... need 2 times the recommendation amount.. it works!

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

No. I think it had to be the Coral Beauty angel. He was the last fish we added. But the remaining fish are in quarantine and look amazing and healthy now.

[@surfpanther]

So...something i learned about nitrates....they absorb into your live rock....so water changes dont do anything to lower it! I swapped all my sand and live rock and started from scratch and never had an issue again because I didn't let it go out of control. I would say nitrates are tougher than ich...tangs are great and coral but they dont lower it enough.... also you can Leach the nitrates out of the old rock by soaking it for a couple months in freshwater and once a week swapping water out of the buckets. It just takes a really long time. Took me like six months before I was testing the freshwater the old rock with soaking in and finally it registered zero....just a tip....lol

[@courtneypainter2394]

Going through same thing!

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

Sorry to hear that. It really is a pain. Best to quarantine first. Or get your fish from companies that quarantine everything, but the cost is usually higher, but justified.

[@courtneypainter2394]

@@PittsburghReefJunkie got me a quarantine tank up and going now . Treating my tank with cooper. So had to move all my corals. Definitely going to do it. Lost so so much money. And my beautiful fish! But not giving up! Thanks for the videos!

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

@@courtneypainter2394 hope all goes well. Don't give up. Unfortunately we learn from mistakes. Thanks for watching. Time has been keeping me from doing videos, sooner or later I need to get back.

[@georgezeritis2256]

Fantastic job! Cudos Sean

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

Thank you George. Thank you for watching. Hope to see ya around the channel.

[@GwonkReefkeeping]

Hang in there Sean. I truly know your pain. I picked up a kole tang from Petco a couple of years ago that I didn't notice that was sick. I can rightfully blame myself for that, and for not quarantining it. Turns out that it had velvet and it wiped out almost all of my fish. Petco acted like first class scum when I went back to them to complain. I even went as far as a BBB complaint. There response was to lie about the whole situation. From that point on Petco was dead to me. Never will set foot in one again. Velvet is REALLY rough. I thought that it was ich at first. But ich doesn't hit that hard that fast. I treated with copper, but wasn't as patient as you were. In the end it eventually stabilized. I understand the need for a schedule change. Don't worry, you put out quality content. Just keep it up, and we'll be happy when it comes out. Ed

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

Thanks Ed. And the last fish I got was the Coral Beauty Angel from Petco. All was good until then.

[@ManiacalMangoes]

I’m quarantining my first fish right now and am about to start dosing copper tomorrow. I wanted to give the Royal Gramma a few days to adjust first. Back when my dad and I had fish, we never quarantined and had almost all our fish get wiped out by ich. While setting this all up was a bit of a pain, I’m thinking it will be worth it. Went to a LFS a few days ago that people seemed to like and supposedly dosed copper in their display tanks….when I walked in a saw multiple dead fish in the tanks and fish with visible ich. Left immediately. Went to a big box pet store and their tanks were surprisingly in far better condition. Some LFS just suck .

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

It is a pain to set up, but it will be well worth it. Every fish I get will be in quarantine from now on. Just not worth loosing all my fish for one simple step I did not do. And yes you want to let new fish adjust in the QT before you start dosing your copper. Make sure they are eating first. And bring your copper level up slowly.

[@IGoDeafatRaves]

I'm sorry to hear about your loss. Having to say goodbye to our pets in a way can be very hard. I am glad to hear the fish you transferred to QT are doing better and I hope you never have to deal with this problem again

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

Thank you. It's a learning process. Just when you think you are good, something happens and you learn something from it. As long as I stay true with what I said and I always quarantine every fish I get, this should not happen again. Once again thanks Nick.

[@paularamos2545]

It does hurt and bad!

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

@@paularamos2545 it's a set back for sure. Just QT everything before you put whatever in your main display.

[@sinverrette9803]

I just got coppersafe.. my betta is dying and I'm in tears not knowing what to do..I keep hearing copper can kill him. That's my baby hsd him for a year. He was sick when we got him.. I've been doing aquarium salt, methylline blue and melafix..he normal would respond but noticed he looked ashy in the face, breath hard AF..I wonder if the algae in the other tank before transfer did it..he's in a tank by himself so glad I don't have to move him.

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

Sorry to hear about you Marine Betta. I don't know much about them mostly to the fact that I have never housed them. Maybe another viewer might be able to chime in and possibly give you a solution. Good luck and hope your betta gets better.

[@Algaewarrior]

Great video. I was scared to use copper at first too. I had a pygmy angel that got ich and was forced to put it through copper. Now that I know it was successful it gives me much more confidence for future treatments. Hanna is really the only way to go when it comes to copper testing. I also have an invert qt system since ich and other parasites can hitchhike on snail shells. 1 out of 3 of my lfs run copper in their fish system but I will still put them in observation for 2-3 weeks when I get fish from them. QT from now on. This is the way!

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

My question is how do you quarantine inverts? They are very sensitive and copper will for sure kill them.

[@Algaewarrior]

@@PittsburghReefJunkie I have a fishless system where I will put them in for about a month. The ich will die off without a fish host. I'm not sure about the life cycles of velvet, brook, and other fish diseases so it's more of a profalactic measure.

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

I will have to try that.

[@iliasy1]

You are super my friend!! but I still have one more question... so I'll start from the beginning. Say that there is already the main aquarium in operation, with its upper and lower ones..if we want to put a valuable animal in it, would you suggest that I quarantine it to avoid as much trouble as possible?? Thank you very much and I would really like your opinions!!!!

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

I would quarantine everything. No matter what. It's best for the animal, your wallet, and your feelings!! See you soon with more vids!!

[@mmagscott]

Perhaps we should copper test the water our LFS stores claim are medicated?

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

That would be amazing to do.

[@Reeftank1979]

What if you have one particular fish you just cant possibly get out unless I empty the tank?

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

If ya got corals, you got to get every fish out because medications will kill corals.

[@halidmalik6306]

Surprising thing is the fish store cant fight velvet they had 20 years of experiences I had experience going to the fish store wanna get couple of tangs the store owner did not stop me but what I saw a lot of dead fish within few days I got info from the customer some of the fish they bought have died and effect the other fish which are dying close call luckily I did not bought from them but when I came back to the store they said they could not fight velvet it’s just too strong I volunteer to help them restart over because the owner was like friend to me

[@Shaden0040]

Use the plastic bioballs for a quarantine tank if you have to.

[@tcmarineaddiction6609]

I'm experiencing this right now. Not sure if it's velvet or ich but I've lost my 2 spot bristle tooth tang a royal gramma and my male clown. The bristle tooth amd gramma died in the main display. The female Clown looks like somthing is peeling off her body they have been in copper 3 days now my hippo looks like absolute trash but is eating. My dejardini is eating seems to be doing ok and the rest of the stock that is left is a flame hawk, a diamond watchman goby a niger trigger, fiji devil damsel and a lemon peel angel. I have them all in a 30 gallon QT in copper on 3rd day now. When will I start to see a posative trajectory for them

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

That is hard to say. They may never recover depending how bad the situation is. My situation took about 7 days to see improvement. Also keep an eye on ammonia inside the QT tank. A lot of fish inside that together.

[@andrewsdrmike]

Damn Sean sorry to hear!

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

Thanks Mike. Its a road bump. I will get past it. Plus I learned how to use copper. I learned something new out of this. Not afraid of it anymore. I assure you this will never happen again.

[@andrewsdrmike]

@@PittsburghReefJunkie my 320.7 waterbox gets delivered later this month! Hope your tank settles in in 6 months. I’ll have a lot of coral to frag and distribute for the tank transfer!

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

@@andrewsdrmike lucky dog. I should be good to go by then. I want to see pics of that tank when it's up!!

[@andrewsdrmike]

@@PittsburghReefJunkie will do😎. Look me up on Fb so I can message you

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

facebook.com/reefjunkie/

[@wvureefer9924]

only plus to losing the butterflies is I can now keep my favorite coral (elegance) again..those butterflies destroyed lps corals and clams

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

Oh yeah they say if the fish have beak like mouths they will destroy coral.

[@wvureefer9924]

@@PittsburghReefJunkie yeah rolled the dice pyramids and zosters were supposed to be reef safe though..oh well

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

I have always just steered clear of butterflies. Favorite is the copperband but are just to hard to keep a much needed food source for them. Pearlscale is another favorite of mine but once again a coral killer.

[@calsuff2522]

Did you have any media in your HOB in QT ?

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

Only media we had in there was the plastic bio media and a small piece of pinky filter to catch debris. We did not use carbon.

[@calsuff2522]

@@PittsburghReefJunkie do you have to constantly do water changes to keep ammonia down? I’m currently starting up a 10g qt for my two clownfish that may have velvet. And looking for all advice as I’m going to run Coppersafe as well.

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

@@calsuff2522 we just did a 10 percent once a week. 10 gallon would only be a 1 gallon water change. Dose bacteria before the fish go in. And you will have to add coppersafe to the water each water change to keep it at the proper levels. And test copper to keep an eye on it.

[@calsuff2522]

@@PittsburghReefJunkie thank you!

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

@@calsuff2522 you are welcome.

[@AbsoluteZero6714]

Did you find out the fish that brought ich and velvet into the tank?

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

No I have not. But I have a suspect in mind.

[@paularamos2545]

I just got it too from petco… I have to say ddduuuuuuu to myself ..these places send out bulletsso we spend more more ant then more…myn came from a snail do I have to take etching out of my tank

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

@@paularamos2545 sorry to hear this Paula. You need to take all of your fish out and move them into quarantine for 76 days while your main tank that has velvet can let the velvet die off. Snails and inverts can stay. Treat the fish with copper. Do not treat the tank with inverts with copper.

[@wvureefer9924]

got 2 wrasses from LA ended up with velvet lost these fish in order exquisite wrasse, labouti wrasse, copperband bf, pyramid bf, zoster bf, tomini tang, mystery wrasse, solon fairy wrasse...all in the span of 2 wks.. only fish left in my system tang, pintail fairy wrasse, and melanarus wrasse.. very defeating..just got to push through it

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

That is disgusting!! Not even thinking the money you lost. Just the fact that you helplessly watch fish die and a lot of times it's too late to try to help. Wish vendors and fish stores would just take the time to sell healthy fish. I would if I owned a store. It's my reputation on the line if I did.

[@wvureefer9924]

@@PittsburghReefJunkie yeah all of these fish were yrs old partially my fault for not qt but had to make a call since the labouti wrasse from LA spent 3 days in a box do to fed ex delay I just did not want to stress it more w/ qt so I used an acclimation box in tank for a few days never again all other fish were qt from day tank went up

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

Maybe in that situation it would be good to have a small 10 gallon of just saltwater and of course heater and filter just to keep any shipped fish in to reduce stress, start eating good. Then throw them in quarantine with medications, ect. I am glad you brought that up because I may have to set something like that up in that sort of event.

[@AbsoluteZero6714]

Sorry to hear about your losses. They must have hurt. Which 2 fish did you get from LA that brought the ich?

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

@@AbsoluteZero6714 thank you. Not really sure what came from LA but the last fish I added was the coral beauty Angel. Got that from Petco. Should have known. From now on all my fish will come from TSM Aquatics.

[@ikanMarine]

350gallon... i use 8 bottle... 3 weeks. Everything work fine.. ick dissappear till now ..

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

I take it that you ich came back?

[@lkapitan8232]

Wow Sean, that is nightmare, sorry you are having to go through this. Positive is that you learned a lot and now passed it on to us and there is a lot of very useful data in there. I wrote some notes from this and put it in my "what to do if - " file. Thanks, p.s. sent you an e-mail.

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

Yeah I dont like the set back. However If I dont share the bad then how can I help anyone else when all everyone would see is how good my tank is always doing. That would be just a little too fake. And yes I am happy you were able to take something from this video.

[@lamontwatts9398]

Damn right

[@MrJSpicoli]

Velvet is the worst. QT your fish people.

[@Shaden0040]

Cycled bioballs contaminated the quarantine tank.

[@PittsburghReefJunkie]

What was crazy Pup, the ceramic bio balls were not cycled. They layed dead from my old system a few years ago. Rinsed them clean to use.