Cures for Marine Velvet

Marine velvet is the common term for Amyloodinium ocellatum, which is a parasite that often affects marine aquarium fish. Fish that have picked up these parasites look as if they have a fine coat of powder on them, and they may refuse to eat. They may also scrape themselves on rocks to get rid of the infection or gasp for air. Quick treatment of marine velvet is essential to your aquarium's health.

  1. Copper

    • Copper is the most common treatment for marine velvet, and it also has the benefit of being inexpensive and widely available. However, it is important to make sure that the right dosage makes it into the aquarium, as a dose that is too low is useless and one that is too high will kill your fish.

    Chloroquine Diphosphate

    • A single dose of chloroquine diphosphate will rid a tank of its infestation within about 10 days. While it is safe for fish, it is toxic to friendly algae and invertebrates that might be living in your tank. This treatment can also be difficult to find.

    Freshwater Bath

    • Submerging your marine fish into fresh water for about five minutes can remove the parasite from your fish. Though the fish will become reinfected if it is placed back in an infected tank, this can provide the fish with some relief. This is a stressful procedure for a fish and should only be undertaken after careful consideration of how healthy the fish is.

    Hydrogen Peroxide

    • Hydrogen peroxide is a newer treatment that has been suggested for marine velvet. However, at this point, it is highly experimental and not recommended for the beginner or even intermediate aquarium keeper, as an improper dosage has the ability to wipe out a tank.