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Post by carlrs on Jan 25, 2007 19:22:08 GMT -5
I checked around on the internet and found what you were referring to o a couple of sites, one was about.com which tends to be information regurgitater rather than looking for new studies.
Yes velvet (Piscinoodinium pillulare) is a flagellate parasite with chloroplasts, while ich is a ciliate
Both have similar life cycles, but unlike ich, velvet can use its chloroplasts during dormancy to survive (which is where light can help), but in a full blown infestation, the parasites get their nutrients from the host and are NOT dependent on their chloroplasts.
Copper (& methylene blue) is one of the effective treaments because of this, as it kills both dormant (destrying the chloroplasts) and kills the free swimming stage as well. This is why the Medicated Wonder Shells are one of the best treatments for FW velvet.
Back to lighting, this may help with low infestations just like salt does with ich in low infestations, but in a full blown infestation, just like salt it is overrated. As I mentioned earlier, I have witnessed this first hand in my Aquarium maintenance business, even with lights off!
Carl
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Post by carlrs on Jan 25, 2007 21:54:16 GMT -5
Here is an up to date article that was provided to me from advanced aquarist (who also said the same thing I said when I posed the light question to him) www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/health/othprotist.shtmlHope this helps I will try and write more remedial article about this in the near future. Carl
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