Probable Velvet

[SilverShark93]

Hi all

I have (just yesterday) acquired a nice group of 7 zebra plecos (5 adults, 2 18-month olds). I have been tentatively excited about this, simply because I wanted to minimise disappointment if anything went wrong in the 4 hour trip or settling them in (I'm not usually this pessimistic!)

The tank they were in when I collected them was quite dark and its only this morning when the tank lights came on that I noticed a very fine gold dust on one of the females fins and a slight gold tinge to one of the younger ones sides and to the odontodes on one of the adult males.

I havn't seen freshwater velvet before but this seems to be affecting my new zebras

Can anybody suggest a suitable treatment which is effective in warmer temperatures (29-30C) which isn't likely to kill off the zebra plecos? What are people's experiences with melafix/white spot treatment? I'm a little wary of introducing copper to the tank

Can anybody help?

[Stevie.K]

Hi there, not too sure if they could off got the disease so soon after you got hold off them due to the stress off being moved
I have been lucky & have never had any probs like this with zebs before, but have before with loaches.
Temp wise 30 is ok & keep the lights off the tank, I have used King British before & this soon got rid off it, also eSHa EXIT Anti Whitespot give Jo at Rare aquatics a call & she wil help you out & advise you.
I wondered who got these from David in Liverpool I think? I was tempted
Hope the fish recover ok, Zebs are hardy & should be ok, keep us posted.

[SilverShark93]

I did indeed get them from David in Liverpool - was well worth the drive and he seems like a nice guy

I'm not very good at identifying the males from females at the moment and although there are supposed to be 2 males and 3 females, I do wonder if the ratio is 3 males and 2 females instead - could be wrong though!!

I think its normal for a slight goldish furry appearance along the sides of these plecs, just as my flash pleco naturally shows a gold colour around his odontodes - correct me if im wrong about this being normal for the zebras!! What worried me was the powder/dust-like gold on the pectoral fins of a female and the nose of a juvenile.

Since I have a sandy substrate - which the largest male and the 2 youngsters appear to love - I thought it would be unwise to not treat them for velvet in case the spores ran riot! I am using eSHa EXIT, picked some up from work yesterday.

Will keep you posted