Ich or velvet?!

[mrhasan]

Well basically, till yesterday night, I have lost:

3 lined chormis
1 blue throat trigger
2 clowns (one false perce and another platinum)

The only fish that is doing alright (no sign of illness) is the red hawkfish.

What I thought to be ich seems like it might be something else. For example, my platinum was perfectly fine with no white spot and eating in the morning. When I got back home at night, it looked like it was dipped in flour. So densely packed with white spots, stopped eating and basically gone in the morning. I do notice "whitish particles" floating around in the water (not hydroids) and sticking on the glass, mostly at night. I am thinking it might be velvet. Or something else.

Any idea on what it might be? Water is in pristine condition and corals are doing well (knock on the wood).

[AquaPin]

Sounds like Velvet to me. Did you add anything recently?

[mrhasan]

Few frags and a clown....but I think it was hiding. Can velvet be there like ich and suddenly attack? Because I was seeing whitish spots (didn't look like ich at that time so thought it might be due to scratches with the rock) on the trigger and chromis before adding the clown.

[Aquattro]

How long was the clown in QT?

[mrhasan]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

How long was the clown in QT?

Getting a QT is in my boxing day wish right now. I guess I needed a total whip out for three times to realize I need a QT.

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

Sounds very much like Marine Velvet. Sucks man.

[mrhasan]

Originally Posted by SeaHorse_Fanatic

Sounds very much like Marine Velvet. Sucks man.

Yah

How long should the tank be fallow? Should I leave the hawk if its well or take it out after setting up the QT?

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by mrhasan

Yah

How long should the tank be fallow? Should I leave the hawk if its well or take it out after setting up the QT?

I'd leave it 3 months after all the fish are out. Anything left alive can be a carrier. So you need to move it to QT and treat it. Then QT any new fish. Every new fish. Every time.

[mrhasan]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

I'd leave it 3 months after all the fish are out. Anything left alive can be a carrier. So you need to move it to QT and treat it. Then QT any new fish. Every new fish. Every time.

3 months

But yah, from now on, every fish get through QT first.

But I can add corals right (although there's a possibility of the plugs carrying the critters)? And without any bioload, how can I keep up with the corals? Add amino acids and stuffs? I hate coral foods, they make my skimmer go crazy.

[Aquattro]

I left my tank about 2.5 months, and just threw some pellets in once a week.