The Puffer Forum

I really don't know for sure. It is definitely a fine white powder that is attached everywhere including his gills, and in spots its clumped up into bigger amounts like salt I suppose.

I don't really know what velvet is I just read about it quickly:
# Symptoms: Scratchs against hard objects
# Fish is lethargic
# Loss of appetite and weight loss
# Rapid, labored breathing
# Fins clamped against body
# Fine yellow or rusty colored film on skin
# In advanced stages skin peeks off
Initially the fish rub against hard objects trying to dislodge the parasites. As the disease progresses the fish becomes lethargic, fins are held close to the body, appetite is reduced and the fish loses weight. A key symptom is difficult breathing, resulting in rapid gilling.

He is very weak and tired, breathing heavy, and it does kind of look as if he has a film on his skin, and he is also not eating or moving. In the picture you can kind of see a spot on top of him that is kind of yellow film.

So do you think it looks more like a yellow/rusty dusting or salt?

I am not sure what else to say. He has very fine pure white specs on the central portions of his body. There are a few areas that have white specs that seem large, which looks like they are clumped up together. He also has this deep brownish color all over him now and the front of his nose seems to be like a solid brownish color which is fading into the spots on his top. The spots which use to be black are now also looking brownish in color.

I just did an image search and found a picture of a clown loach that looks just like my puffer. If you look at it you can see the tiny white spots. So I guess it is velvet.

http://www.fishdeals.com/fish_diseases/oodinium_velvet/

Yes, I agree that it's velvet. If it was ich, we would actually be able to see the white spots from the picture you submitted (as ich is generally large enough to be clearly seen from that distance).

Unfortunately I can't help you with SW velvet, as I have neither the experience nor the knowledge.

Velvet needs to be treated with copper in QT, while the main tank remains fallow for 8 weeks.