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Thread: Vorticella Parasite (white mold/fungal) Treatment on Cherry Shrimps

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    Vorticella Parasite (white mold/fungal) Treatment on Cherry Shrimps

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    Background:

    My cherry shrimps were infested with these white fungal thing when I bought it from a LFS. I didn't check it at the LFS and came to know it only after settling them in my tank.

    Here's how it looks like.
    I have about 6 cherries infested with it, this one being the worst.



    Here’s another shot taken from a berried shrimp:



    I have posted another thread earlier on this and have received many advises, thanks to the great community here. Here's my previous thread.
    http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...-sign-of-aging

    I have created this new thread to summarize all the treatment I have done, hopefully to benefit anyone who is facing the same problem (driftwood touched ).

    If you like to read more on this parasite, here's one of the explanation from another forum.
    http://www.shrimpnow.com/content.php...tes-on-Shrimps


    The treatment(s):

    First and foremost, I have quarantined all the infected shrimps away from the main tank.


    1) API Pimafix

    For 5 consecutive days, I have dropped about 5 drops of this solution into my small quarantine tank (less than a litre I think) each day.




    On the fifth day, I did not see any obvious improvement so I went on with the next treatment.

    The instructions said treat it for 7 days before a water change though.
    So I am a bit impatient here, probably it will be cured on the 7th day but I just can't wait for it, somehow.


    2) Ocean Free Special Treated Aquarium Salt (Dip method)

    http://www.qianhu.com/default.asp?id=3&mnu=3
    I only need a small quantity and this is the smallest and economical pack that I can find in the LFS.

    I have prepared 2 tau-huay containers for this treatment.

    1st container (for quarantine)
    - with clean water taken from the main tank

    2nd container (for the dip)
    - with clean water taken from the main tank, then add 1 teaspoon of the aquarium salt.
    this is how it looks like after pouring the salt in. give it a good stir and it will be dissolved. I have used very high concentration by the way.




    Steps:

    1. scoop up the infected shrimp and put it into the 2nd container for 1 minute.



    Actually some lucky ones had enjoyed this "spa" treatment for more than 1 min because it took me quite a while to catch the rest of them (1 at a time) into the bath here.

    2. scoop up the cured (supposing) shrimp and put it into the 1st container.

    these were some of the shrimps after 2nd day of "spa" treatment.





    After the 3rd (last) day of dip, these are the photo of the 2 berried shrimps (I have 2 berried so far) taken from the main tank. One of it should be the one that was infected earlier (sorry but I can’t really tell which is the actual one). It can be seen that it is much better now.






    That's pretty much it.

    I am using an extra step/container here, as in the 1st container with the clean water, as a temporary quarantine area.
    If you are comfortable, you can do away with this and transfer the cured shrimp back to the main tank right after the dip.

    I am using this 1st container so that it is easier for me to observe (and monitor the progress) the cured shrimp. If I put it back to the main tank, probably I would not be able to tell which the cured shrimp is (if it's really cured) and monitor it.

    I did the above for 3 days, meaning 1 dip each day.
    From my observation, 1 dip is enough for those less infected ones. It seems to clear completely.

    The worst infested shrimp was not fully cured after the 1st dip, although it has been reduced substantially. So I have decided to give all (in case they quarrel on the inequality when back to main tank) an equal incentive , gave them the "spa" treatment for 3 days before transferring them back to their home (the main tank).

    It has been a week after the completed treatment now.
    All 5 shrimps were seen happily in the main tank.
    Frankly, I can't tell which the 5 are.
    I have 10 cherries in total; there are no dead bodies, so I presume all are happy.

    Yes, it's 5 instead of 6.
    1 of it actually died on the 2nd day of the dip.
    I have looked carefully and it seems it died due to molting difficulty, because I can see an obvious white strip/line break on its back (saddle area). I read somewhere that this is a clue that the shrimp died because of molting difficulty.


    Other notes / observation:

    For the 1st treatment, I wanted to get the JBL Fungol or Sera Tremazol actually but it was not available at my neighborhood LFS. So I bought the API Pimafix instead.

    For the 2nd treatment, I wanted to get the API Aquarium Salt but even the smallest pack is way too much. So I went to buy the smallest pack of aquarium salt available, other brands of course.

    Before this 2nd treatment, I have thought of going to another LFS which have the stock for Sera Tremazol. I didn't go for it after much consideration (and struggle) because it is not cheap.

    Going forward, I will use this salt treatment should I see another outbreak. Those uninfected cherries (that have been in the main tank) seems to have been infected slightly but I didn’t quarantine them along with this batch. I am hoping it will go away completely soon, otherwise I have to pamper them with another round of luxurious treatment.


    Sidenote, 2 shrimps were spotted behaving intimately on the 2nd day of dip, as if “bidding some goodbye” before moving into the Operation Theatre.




    FAQ:

    Q1. Are you saying Aquarium Salt is the only treatment for Vorticella Parasite (white fungal)?

    A1. No. There are many other treatments available and I did not try all. I am also not a scientist or veterinarian, neither do I speak a shrimp language to check with them if all is well so as to conclude this treatment (which was not meant to be a conclusion anyway). I am just a hobbyist trying my means to help my shrimps. I did the 2 treatments as mentioned above and it seems to put a smile on them (cured visually), especially with the Aquarium Salt. I am not sure if there are side effects, as in shorten lifespan, cause infertility etc. You can try it at your own discretion.

    Q2. Okay, if it is not the only treatment, are you saying Aquarium Salt is the best treatment for Vorticella Parasite (white fungal)?

    A2. No. Again, there are many other treatments available and I did not try all. There could be other treatment simpler and better than this. If you have come across any, please share it here so that we can learn from it. I find it easy using this Aquarium Salt dip method because I just need to prepare a small container with this Salt mix, give the shrimp a dip and then transfer it back to the main tank.

    Q3. You said you are using Ocean Free Special Treated Aquarium Salt. Should I get exactly this product? Btw, are you promoting it or affiliate with them?

    A3. Firstly, I am not promoting the product or affiliate with the company. I found this product by chance. If there is a smaller and cheaper product, I would have bought that instead. If you are trying other products, please share it here so that we can learn from your experience too.

    Q4. Can I use this Aquarium Salt treatment on all shrimps/fishes then?

    A4. I don't know. I tried this on my Cherry Shrimps only. If you have done any successful attempts on other shrimps/fishes, please share it with us. Thank you.

    Q5. I am so happy! My shrimps are cured using this (or other) method. What can I do to share my joy?

    A5. Please shout it loud wherever you are now. (just kidding, but I will not stop you in doing so).
    You may share your joy simply by replying to this post. We will be delighted to see another successful treatment. Please also share your experience if you have done it another way.

    Q6. I am very upset and furious at the same time! My shrimps died while using this method. What should I do now?

    A6. I am sorry to hear that. You have done what you think it's best for your shrimps. Please share your experience here so that we can learn from it.


    Credits:

    This method is not invented by me. I gathered it from various sources and advises. All I did is to give it a try and shared my experiences here.

    The credits goes to (whom have rendered valuable advice from the other thread):
    xconnect, leefhker, huizhong, Navanod, crystal, Loudness and Xmant

    and GeToChKn (from another forum), who have convinced me (by reading his post) to use the Aquarium Salt method.
    http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/sh...=146903&page=3
    from 14L to 8L tank.

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    Re: Vorticella Parasite (white mold/fungal) Treatment on Cherry Shrimps

    Thanks for sharing.

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    Re: Vorticella Parasite (white mold/fungal) Treatment on Cherry Shrimps

    Quote Originally Posted by armourshrimp36 View Post
    Thanks for sharing.
    Not a problem, and thanks for reading.

    Btw, your signature is interesting, Super Eye.
    Do you have any tips in spotting those shrimplets? I think I have 2 shrimplets hiding around (from a berried shrimp bought from LFS) and it is always so difficult to spot it, let alone counting it. It's so eye straining and I am talking about a small tank only.

    do you happened to have tips on taking photos of shrimplets also? mine is a camera phone and it is impossible even in macro mode.
    from 14L to 8L tank.

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    Re: Vorticella Parasite (white mold/fungal) Treatment on Cherry Shrimps

    Very nicely done, good job!
    Just curious. Do you actually see any dead parasites in the salt bath?

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    Re: Vorticella Parasite (white mold/fungal) Treatment on Cherry Shrimps

    Quote Originally Posted by Navanod View Post
    Very nicely done, good job!
    Just curious. Do you actually see any dead parasites in the salt bath?
    Thank you.

    Hmm.. good question. I will look out for it if I need to do this again.
    I think it's time for me to invest on a magnifying glass. Everything is so tiny in this shrimp world, too straining for my eyes.
    Probably some manufacturer should make some shrimp tanks with magnifying-effects glass.
    from 14L to 8L tank.

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    Re: Vorticella Parasite (white mold/fungal) Treatment on Cherry Shrimps

    Benibachi has this glass orb that can magnify, but it gave me a headache after awhile...

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    Re: Vorticella Parasite (white mold/fungal) Treatment on Cherry Shrimps

    wow..nice share there..! glad things turn out quite well for you..

    no need to thank me ..i did nothing much also.. credits go to you for actually proving a method actually works( which will be beneficial for future shrimpkeepers if they are to face this problem)
    Last edited by reiner09; 6th Sep 2012 at 18:13.
    Aspiring to be.

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    Re: Vorticella Parasite (white mold/fungal) Treatment on Cherry Shrimps

    very nice sharing here! great!

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    Re: Vorticella Parasite (white mold/fungal) Treatment on Cherry Shrimps

    Shall I sticky this?

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    Re: Vorticella Parasite (white mold/fungal) Treatment on Cherry Shrimps

    Quote Originally Posted by Navanod View Post
    Benibachi has this glass orb that can magnify, but it gave me a headache after awhile...
    Oh! I'll look out for this at the LFS. Don't think I'll buy, just curious to see how the magnifying works well (or wonders) for me.

    Quote Originally Posted by leefhker View Post
    wow..nice share there..! glad things turn out quite well for you..

    no need to thank me ..i did nothing much also.. credits go to you for actually proving a method actually works( which will be beneficial for future shrimpkeepers if they are to face this problem)
    Credits definitely goes to you guys. I know nuts about these and couldn't have known more about it without the information that you guys have shared. I took all advise into careful consideration before approaching 1 treatment at a time. Cheers bros.

    Quote Originally Posted by huizhong View Post
    very nice sharing here! great!
    Thank you once again, bro.

    Quote Originally Posted by Navanod View Post
    Shall I sticky this?
    That would be great!
    from 14L to 8L tank.

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    Re: Vorticella Parasite (white mold/fungal) Treatment on Cherry Shrimps

    Have fungus on your cory / platy instead?

    Check out this thread for the treatment. Credits goes to Cyberkinetic.
    http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...n-planted-tank.
    from 14L to 8L tank.

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    Re: Vorticella Parasite (white mold/fungal) Treatment on Cherry Shrimps

    Very informative sharing. Thank you for that.
    ~~Steven ~~
    Another Liverpool Fan In Singapore
    2ft Tank ~~~Terappin Moonlight Gourami~~~
    4ft Tank ~~~Oto Nerite Snail Platy Zebra Danio Glass Bloodfin Cardinal Tetra Albino Cory Khuli Weather Loach Rainbow Shark~~~

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    Re: Vorticella Parasite (white mold/fungal) Treatment on Cherry Shrimps

    Quote Originally Posted by xXXXx13 View Post
    Very informative sharing. Thank you for that.
    Not a problem bro. Cheers.
    from 14L to 8L tank.

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    Re: Vorticella Parasite (white mold/fungal) Treatment on Cherry Shrimps

    In addition to the above, to remove vorticella, one can use Sera Costapur 1 drop per litre of water, it will be gone by 5th without relapse. Or 0.7drop of formalin per litre of water.
    silane

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    Re: Vorticella Parasite (white mold/fungal) Treatment on Cherry Shrimps

    Quote Originally Posted by silane View Post
    In addition to the above, to remove vorticella, one can use Sera Costapur 1 drop per litre of water, it will be gone by 5th without relapse. Or 0.7drop of formalin per litre of water.
    Thank you so much for sharing, bro.

    Do we drop these solution into the main tank or a quarantine tank?
    If it's the main tank, do we need to do water change after that?

    Thanks.
    from 14L to 8L tank.

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    Re: Vorticella Parasite (white mold/fungal) Treatment on Cherry Shrimps

    What I did was dosed on a tank that was pretty bare, it was a new setup, as good as quarantine tank. They arent need to change water, as both active content formaldehyde, react with O2 to form CO2 and H2O.

    Formaldehyde at higher concentration harms BB.
    silane

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    Re: Vorticella Parasite (white mold/fungal) Treatment on Cherry Shrimps

    Quote Originally Posted by silane View Post
    In addition to the above, to remove vorticella, one can use Sera Costapur 1 drop per litre of water, it will be gone by 5th without relapse. Or 0.7drop of formalin per litre of water.
    I meant 5th day.
    silane

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    Re: Vorticella Parasite (white mold/fungal) Treatment on Cherry Shrimps

    Thanks silane.

    Have you also tried dosing it into an established tanks with lots of plants and fishes?
    Or the preferred way is to transfer the infected ones to a quarantine tank and dose it there.

    I am asking so that it will be a good reference for those who might want to give this method a try.

    Cheers.
    from 14L to 8L tank.

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    Re: Vorticella Parasite (white mold/fungal) Treatment on Cherry Shrimps

    Thanks for the information.

    I have tried 2 medications in a planted tank with shrimp to fight vorticella with no effect.

    Seachem Metronidazole - Another post had said vorticella was a protozoan (true) and Metronidazole would kill protozoans. From Seachems Metronidazole website it seems this medication could be used in a freshwater tank. I was hesitant to use Metronidazole because it is an antibiotic. I used the medication at recommended dose for 3 times. No reduction of vorticella. Stopped the medication. Researching discussion groups, on the Seachem site, the advice by Seachem representatives is; Metronidazole is best used when mixed with food, and not for use in the water column, and mostly in saltwater. The recommendation for freshwater is Seachem Aquazole. This is also indicated on the Aquazole web page. Seachem should have placed this information on the Metronidazole web page. The shrimp did seem less active. It did produce dark green spot algae on the leaves of the anubia, and make the leaf edges wavy.

    Seachem Aquazole - Started 1 week later. Aquazole is 50% Metrozidazole and 50% potassium. Continued for 2 weeks at recommended dosage. No reduction of vorticella. Stopped treatment. Shrimp were more active than with Metrozidazole alone. The medication did stain the rock background green, and increased the spot algae growth on broad leaf plants. No negative effects on shrimp or plants. Plants seemed to be greener, probably due to potassium. 2 weeks of 50% water changes every 3-4 days to remove medication. Few adult shrimp deaths during molting.

    For me, Metronidazole or Aquazole did not have an effect on vorticella. They are expensive, did not mix well with water, and they are antibiotics.

    Months later the anubias and other slow growing plants are plagued with the dark green algae. Before the medication there was minimal algae growth in the tank.

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    Re: Vorticella Parasite (white mold/fungal) Treatment on Cherry Shrimps

    Sorry to hear that it does not have an effect and thank you so much for sharing your experience.

    I hope the parasite were removed in a way or another.

    Cheers bro.

    Quote Originally Posted by tess View Post
    Thanks for the information.

    I have tried 2 medications in a planted tank with shrimp to fight vorticella with no effect.

    Seachem Metronidazole - Another post had said vorticella was a protozoan (true) and Metronidazole would kill protozoans. From Seachems Metronidazole website it seems this medication could be used in a freshwater tank. I was hesitant to use Metronidazole because it is an antibiotic. I used the medication at recommended dose for 3 times. No reduction of vorticella. Stopped the medication. Researching discussion groups, on the Seachem site, the advice by Seachem representatives is; Metronidazole is best used when mixed with food, and not for use in the water column, and mostly in saltwater. The recommendation for freshwater is Seachem Aquazole. This is also indicated on the Aquazole web page. Seachem should have placed this information on the Metronidazole web page. The shrimp did seem less active. It did produce dark green spot algae on the leaves of the anubia, and make the leaf edges wavy.

    Seachem Aquazole - Started 1 week later. Aquazole is 50% Metrozidazole and 50% potassium. Continued for 2 weeks at recommended dosage. No reduction of vorticella. Stopped treatment. Shrimp were more active than with Metrozidazole alone. The medication did stain the rock background green, and increased the spot algae growth on broad leaf plants. No negative effects on shrimp or plants. Plants seemed to be greener, probably due to potassium. 2 weeks of 50% water changes every 3-4 days to remove medication. Few adult shrimp deaths during molting.

    For me, Metronidazole or Aquazole did not have an effect on vorticella. They are expensive, did not mix well with water, and they are antibiotics.

    Months later the anubias and other slow growing plants are plagued with the dark green algae. Before the medication there was minimal algae growth in the tank.
    from 14L to 8L tank.

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