| Velvet (Piscinoodinium pillulare) is a flagellate | | | | of malaise. Velvet moves fast, faster than Ich. If |
| parasite with chloroplasts, while ich is a ciliate, both | | | | you're unwary, you may not realize the fish is |
| have similar life cycles, but unlike ich, velvet can | | | | being attacked by Velvet until it begins to lose its |
| use its chloroplasts during dormancy to survive | | | | glossy shine and seems to have patches of |
| (which is where light can help), but in a full blown | | | | yellowish to golden-brown or rusty-colored varnish |
| infestation, the parasites get their nutrients from | | | | (which is where the term 'Velvet' came from). If |
| the host and are NOT dependent on their | | | | you turn out all aquarium and room lights and |
| chloroplasts. | | | | point a flashlight at the fish, this will make Velvet |
| This is an area of some controversy as some old | | | | more visible. |
| school methods claim light and salt will treat and | | | | Velvet can also settle out in the gills, where it will |
| cure velvet, this has been proven false along with | | | | send down a root like extension into the gill lamella |
| the assumption that this is a parasitic algae (due | | | | and dissolves cells then absorbs their contents. |
| to having chloroplasts), this is not true. This is a | | | | This causes extreme gill itch and swelling. In really |
| flagellate protozoan. | | | | serious infections, the gill cover may also become |
| This parasite is more resistant to higher salt levels | | | | swollen. Fish can be killed by Velvet in a few days, |
| than ich (Ichthyophthirius multifilis) and uses the | | | | either directly from suffocation in the Gills or from |
| chloroplast to produce nutrients (via chlorophyll | | | | secondary bacterial infections. |
| and light) when a host is not available or to | | | | Treatment: |
| supplement nutrients derived from the host. It | | | | Copper Sulfate is one of the effective treaments |
| should also be noted that Marine Oodinium | | | | because of this, as it kills both dormant (destrying |
| parasites do NOT have chloroplasts | | | | the chloroplasts) and kills the free swimming stage |
| What Are These Parasites? | | | | as well. |
| Piscinoodinium pillulare are flagellate protozoa, | | | | Methylene Blue (this should be buffered or used in |
| single-celled organisms that move around by | | | | a hospital tank) is also very effective and has the |
| thrashing their whip like flagella. There are many | | | | added bonus of being a hemoglobin transfer agent |
| species of flagellates that are part of the normal | | | | for the blood just when the fish need it most. |
| intestinal fauna of fishes, and many more kinds of | | | | Acriflavin, and to a slightly lesser extent, malachite |
| free-living flagellates make a living in the mucus of | | | | green and formalin are also useful |
| fish gills and skin, without attaching themselves or | | | | This is why the Medicated Wonder Shells are one |
| causing trouble, but even some ordinarily harmless | | | | of the best treatments for FW velvet. |
| ones can become pathogenic in stressed hosts. | | | | These medicated blocks contained buffered |
| Piscinoodinium pillulare is not harmless; it puts down | | | | copper and methylene blue, two of the better |
| a root like extension and can burrow into the skin | | | | treatments for this infestation along with |
| or gill tissues. Giardia lamblia is a similar flagellate | | | | malachite green and Acriflavin. These blocks also |
| protozoa in humans that can cause severe acute | | | | add electrolytes and calcium, both essential to |
| diarrhea which may lead to a chronic diarrhea and | | | | good healing |
| nutritional disorders. | | | | Back to lighting, this may help with low |
| Identification; | | | | infestations just like salt does with ich in low |
| Look for fish that scratch or 'flash' their bellies in | | | | infestations, but in a full blown infestation, just like |
| attempts to scrape their gills against stones or | | | | salt it is overrated. |
| gravel. | | | | I have witnessed this first hand in my Aquarium |
| Rapid respiration or fish that hide or sink to the | | | | maintenance business, even with lights off! |
| bottom and clamp their fins, in classic symptoms | | | | |