Identifying Velvet vs Ich
Velvet: fine gold/rust dust over body, often more visible under flashlight at 45° angle.
Ich: discrete salt-like white spots, individually visible, typically on fins first.
Treatment Protocol
Lights OFF for 7 days — Oodinium parasites contain chlorophyll and need light.
Raise temperature to 82°F (not as high as ich treatment due to weaker fish at this stage).
Dose copper-based medication or formalin-malachite green.
- ✦Velvet kills fast — start treatment within 24 hours of identification
- ✦Do not feed during dark treatment days
- ✦Add air stones — sick fish need extra oxygen
Aftercare
After 7 dark days, restart lighting at 30% intensity for 4 hours/day. Build back to normal over a week.
Continue medication for 14 days total even after symptoms vanish.
Common Sources
New fish from pet shops (especially mollies, killifish, bettas).
Stress + poor water quality triggers velvet outbreaks in established tanks too.