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?
Probable Velvet
Re: Probable Velvet
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.
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.
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Re: Probable Velvet
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
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