Treatment for Velvet

[DiscusJimmy]

Hi All,

I am conducting a treatment for Velvet disease using “Sera Mycopur” (started today). The active ingredients per 100ml are:

Acriflavine 210mg
Copper chloride 11.8mg
Copper Sulphate 71.9mg

It explains on the instructions that this is a 3 day treatment, dosing the full amount (1ml per 20litres) each day.

I would like some advice from all of you wonderful experts on:

1- Length of the treatment i.e. the possibility of having to repeat the treatment again and could I safely conduct a “back to back” treatment, or is there a need to give a rest / recovery period.

2- Conducting water changes during the treatment, as I like to change out 50% per day. However I seem to remember reading that with copper sulphate the dose needs to be increased gradually.

My tank parameters are:

160 litre tank with 5 discus adults...I know at the moment it’s too small and I am getting a 650litre tank before Christmas! Hence the water changes.

Ammonia – 0
Nitrate – 0
Nitrite – 0
GH – 3
KH – 4
pH – 7.6
water change water pH 7.8 after 24hrs aging

Cheers,

Jim

[pcsb23]

Not used that specific med before so not really able to advise, copper sulphate is a traditional, and still effective treatment, usually I would expect to treat for 5 to 7 days at discus temps so don't understand their treatment regimen. This is one parasite that can still be treated with salt in some cases so that may also be an option, 1 to 3 grams per litre. And any salt will do, iodised or not. I use Tesco cooking salt fwiw.

[DiscusJimmy]

Cheers for the reply,

The instructions were quite vague, but from what I understand I have to increase the medication incrementally over 3 days but after the final dose leave it in the water column for 4 more days. This would be a full week of medication with a 95% WC at the end.

Have you had good success with salt treatment? The only reason I am using the copper sulphate + Acriflavine method is because it targets the parasite at all stages, not just the swimming stage..

I am not liking the lack of water changes and the water is stained luminous yellow, which I think will make any water testing for the big 3 difficult to near impossible.

[DiscusJimmy]

Just as a thought, if I were to change out 50% of the water tomorrow and add a dose and a half to replace the lost med and the dosage increase. Would that be an option?

I'm not sure if the med breaks down over a 24hr period so I could risk an overdose, but I'm not sure what impact this med will have on the filter media.

[pcsb23]

Just as a thought, if I were to change out 50% of the water tomorrow and add a dose and a half to replace the lost med and the dosage increase. Would that be an option?

Yep, that would be an option.

I'm not sure if the med breaks down over a 24hr period so I could risk an overdose, but I'm not sure what impact this med will have on the filter media.

Not significantly in terms of break down. Acriflavin can have an adverse effect on a filter but if the filter is mature the effect should be negligible. Copper is toxic if overdosed. This med won't affect the parasite (in any real terms) when it is encysted btw.

I've had good success with salt previously.

[DiscusJimmy]

Thanks for the advice Paul,

As I've already started the treatment I better complete the week. I will change 50% each day though.

If the treatment fails then I'll have a bash with the salt.

Jim

[pcsb23]

Good luck, it is usually easily sorted