Velvet

[Jaws]

Well it looks like my fish were infected with velvet after I added some live rock from another hobbyist's tank. I managed to catch all the fish from the display tank, quarantine them, and treat them. My question is, if I fill the display tank back up with just freshwater for a week or so, will that kill whatever parasites were in there? The tank was fish only with recently cycled live rock so I realize that's all dead rock again, which is fine, but I want to make sure no parasites survive as well.

[Aquattro]

Theoretically, yes. Never tried it myself.

[Craigdillman]

Also I think you can go fallow for some time too and velvet will die out

[Jaws]

Yes but that's 3 months and I'd rather be certain. Is there any chance they can survive in freshwater at any stage in their cycle does anyone know?

[Aquattro]

3 months worked fine for me.

[Jaws]

You had corals to care for though too. Since I don't, I'm just wondering if leaving freshwater in the tank for a week will do the job so I can start cycling again and hopefully don't have to wait another 3 months to re-add the fish.

[Aquattro]

Well, everything I know says yes, fresh water will kill it. anything that lives in SW will be affected by the osmotic difference of FW. In the case of protazoa, I would imagine very quickly.

[Jaws]

Let's hope so. I just wish there was a way I could find out for sure.

[Craigdillman]

can't velvet live through hypo ? I'm not sure but i thought it was resistance to that thats why people just do TT or copper and velvet doesn't get affected by hypo

[Craigdillman]

Just hate to see you nuke your whole tank with FW if u dont have too