Bryopsis fluconazole- Carlos Dangers journey to paradise.

[Carlos Danger]

I posted some pictures already but here are some more to show the positive ID of Bryopsis. I currently am running a Reef Savvy rimless, 263 gallon. 90 long by 30 wide by 22.5 gall. My sump is a 100 gallon Synergy Reef sump. Its actually the same sump as Ryan's sump in the BRS videos the Reef Savvy 160.

I have a strong mix of SPS, LPS, corals, inverts, pretty much everything in there. The tank is about 3 years old mature. My parameters are as follows:
Nitrates at around Between 2-5 parts per million
Phosphates usually run at around .01-.05 on the Hannah.
Salinity @ 1.026
ph @ 8.0-8.3
Alkalinity I keep at 7-7.5 usually pretty steady with the Dastaco.
Calcium holds at 420-435

 

[Carlos Danger]

I am re-posting some of the pictures as to not plug up or clog the main forum on this issue. I pulled my Clarion, my gem, but left my black tang in my DT. I tried getting him but he still has this spot I can't get to. I have the pills in a cup and will add it here pretty soon. I hope it goes well. I've run Zeovit for years and have never had a problem until I got this one Oregon tort that was a huge, ( the size of a basketball) colony. I think I brought it in that. Soon after that I noticed just one little small spot. Foolishly I used my brush to clean it (in the tank). About a month later I noticed a couple other areas that over about 8 months or so have spread to about 7-8 1 inch spots and recently has spread to my sump. I'm really against chemicals as I've never dealt with Cyano much accept a couple real small areas that I siphoned out and went away over 3 years.

 

[Carlos Danger]

Oh, and for what its worth, here's the pills right before I put them in. I have a 263 gallon rimless with a 100 gallon sump and dosed 4800 mg a little on the conservative side with accounting 20% for rock and sand and mechanical. I could have done 5,200 mgs but we'll see how this goes. As notated in earlier posts I took a syringe and applied that with the mixture beforehand on the significant patches that are throughout the tank. I'll wait 1 1/2 hours before turning on the return pump and starting the circulation throughout the tank. Thats the game plan as I sit here and observe.

 

[Carlos Danger]

I have a few tangs, angel, mandarin, some anthias, blennies, chromis, wrasse's, etc. I think I have around 20 fish. Here's a picture of some of the fish that I was able to get out and into quarantine. I have a 90 gallon which isn't big but for a couple weeks should be o.k.

 

[Carlos Danger]

FWIW this is part of the salt I use. I split this salt with the Tropic Marin Pro Reef. I use it on my other tanks as well so I don't think its the cause of the Bryopsis. Actually, I run my parameters the same on all 4 tanks i have, (including quarantine) as my 4th tank and have had no other issues with Bryopsis or any other type of algae. I know it was introduced into my tank from a coral I received and it took hold from there. I'm not too savvy on the notorious Bryopsis algae so when I saw it i just manually removed it. From there a couple weeks to three weeks later it took hold in another spot in my tank. Fast forward approximately 8 to 10 months later and it has spread to about 6-7 different areas in my tank. Here's some pictures of my other tank its a 120.

 

[Susan Edwards]

following. Fingers crossed. I ended up adding an additional cap a few days later as I too started conservative. With no fish in the system at present, I just went for it.

 

[Carlos Danger]

following. Fingers crossed. I ended up adding an additional cap a few days later as I too started conservative. With no fish in the system at present, I just went for it.

Oh boy! Hopefully I wasn't too conservative. I'm still a little paranoid because of the livestock. So for the first time around I'm trying to take baby steps so that when I'm where you're at I might have the courage to add more or do another round if needed. LOL!;Nailbiting

 

[Carlos Danger]

I just wanted to update the post for day 2. I contemplated adding the fluconazole during the day because of how the light breaks down the plant as its taken into its system. But it seemed a consensus to add during the night when fish would be less stressed out. Anyways, its day two and don't see any difference in the bryopsis. Everything in the tank including coral and livestock seem to be unaffected as far as I can tell.

 

[Susan Edwards]

By the way, lovely tank! I saw some results right away, seems most not until around day 4 0r 5. Hang in there. If needed, add a bit more if you were very conservative in your dosage

 

[Carlos Danger]

Thanks. Yeah! I hope so. I think I may add another 600-800 mg in a week if I don't see any improvement. I'll be waiting with baited breathe until day five while keeping my fingers crossed. LOL!

 

[Scorpius]

I have a wire type Bryopsis and I'm up to 4,000mg in a 70 gal total system. I can't seem to knock it out 100%. Hopefully 4,000mg does the trick.......

 

[Carlos Danger]

Wow! Hopefully thats 4,000mg total over a few weeks to a month, right? Hows your livestock, inverts, and coral handling it? Im going to see where 5000mg gets me and I'll probably do another round of 5000mg in a few weeks if its not completely gone. I have the fern, plant like bryopsis which I hear responds well to the Fluc. We'll see I guess. Good luck with your tank and let me know how it goes.

 

[Carlos Danger]

I have a wire type Bryopsis and I'm up to 4,000mg in a 70 gal total system. I can't seem to knock it out 100%. Hopefully 4,000mg does the trick.......

I know sometimes depending on what type it is, etc. results can vary. Its crazy how some people such as Black Pearl have it and dose one time and in 5 days its completely gone and in other cases it takes much longer. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, but hopefully I'm not in that 60-90 day boat. LOL!!

 

[Scorpius]

Wow! Hopefully thats 4,000mg total over a few weeks to a month, right? Hows your livestock, inverts, and coral handling it? Im going to see where 5000mg gets me and I'll probably do another round of 5000mg in a few weeks if its not completely gone. I have the fern, plant like bryopsis which I hear responds well to the Fluc. We'll see I guess. Good luck with your tank and let me know how it goes.

I dosed 20 capsules all at once this afternoon. I've dosed several times already just not this strong. No issues with any livestock.

 

[Carlos Danger]

Just out of curiosity, (because I'm in the midst of this myself), how long has it been from when you first started to now? Are you adding it at night? How many times have you dosed your tank from when you started to now. Some people push it with the frequency and dose but also are the ones that reported some losses. Im ordering some more pills tonight from payless pets. Its only been a couple days but of course I haven't seen any differences yet. Although I couldn't help myself and dosed another 2 pills today which is 2 days later which brings my total up to 5200 mg.

My tank is 260 gallons plus sump so we'll see how it goes. Keep me posted with yours I'd like to compare notes and see how it goes. I heard the Dinos and Cyano set in after a few weeks so I hope that doesn't happen but we'll see.

 

[Reefltx]

Just curious, why did you pull some of your fish?
I thought the treatment was pretty much safe for all live stock.

 

[Scorpius]

Just out of curiosity, (because I'm in the midst of this myself), how long has it been from when you first started to now? Are you adding it at night? How many times have you dosed your tank from when you started to now. Some people push it with the frequency and dose but also are the ones that reported some losses. Im ordering some more pills tonight from payless pets. Its only been a couple days but of course I haven't seen any differences yet. Although I couldn't help myself and dosed another 2 pills today which is 2 days later which brings my total up to 5200 mg.

My tank is 260 gallons plus sump so we'll see how it goes. Keep me posted with yours I'd like to compare notes and see how it goes. I heard the Dinos and Cyano set in after a few weeks so I hope that doesn't happen but we'll see.

I've lost count. I've put two orders into Payless total. so around 60 capsules total now. I'll know in a few days if increasing milligrams per gallon has an effect, but I'm not holding my breath as I removed a piece of live rock about a month ago and this algae still had some green several days later from sitting outside.....

 

[Carlos Danger]

Just curious, why did you pull some of your fish?
I thought the treatment was pretty much safe for all live stock.

I did hear it was safe for pretty much everything. Although in the main thread there's been a few people that have lost a fish or two. Some of which was because they were dosing everyday instead of the "One and done dose it outlines at the beginning." But a couple other people said they followed the directions to the t and one guy lost a fox face which who knows for sure, coincidence? Another person reported losing a cole tang.

I think I was just nervous because the fish I didn't want to even take a chance with are a gem tang, Clarion Angel, but my black tang stayed in the DT and is doing great. All my other fish seem to be fine. I have some clown fish, couple wrasse's, Stigmata blenny, target mandarin, chromis, etc. I have pretty much everything else under the sun in there and they seem to be fine. The only thing really initially was the serpent star which seemed a tad bothered and a pistol shrimp that fired off in succession that I didn't even know was in there as it hasn't made any noise in the last 6 months. Im keeping an eye on my Harlequin shrimp and Linkia I've had for 2 years.

Its crazy how some people say 1 week and its all gone while others need to do a second dose and even a third. All the algae in there is the fern like "classic Bryopsis" and am hoping it starts to die" As of today,(2 days in) I see no visible difference in any of it yet. I dosed 5200 mg total so I'm going to let it ride for at least 2 1/2 weeks then if I have to re-dose a second time.

My protein skimmer has been off so I'm waiting until day 5 then I'm going to turn it back on without the cup. FWIW the fish I pulled out probably would have been fine but looking at the 60 40 odds that have been reported I didn't want to chance it. I think most people on the 211 page main Bryopsis Cure thread haven't had the high octane livestock that I've had so I figured better safe than sorry. LOL!!

 

[Carlos Danger]

I've lost count. I've put two orders into Payless total. so around 60 capsules total now. I'll know in a few days if increasing milligrams per gallon has an effect, but I'm not holding my breath as I removed a piece of live rock about a month ago and this algae still had some green several days later from sitting outside.....

So over 30 days then? Has it made a dent in it yet? I would have thought it should have taken care of the Bryopsis and GHA with that count of pills. It is possible that maybe that "wire type algae" is something more resistant than the text book normal Bryopsis.

Are you sure its a type of Bryopsis? Is that the only type left to kill? Did you have any other type of algae that was taken care of with the Fluc? Has it started its decline yet, i.e, turning white, losing its anchor point to the rock, etc. I'd be interested to know.

I know for some it took about 45-60 days with different types of algae's together. The text book Bryopsis should go first, then the GHA takes a couple weeks longer. I know @Susan Edwards has been fighting hers for a while now and is just now shaping up. Although I think she is going to do another round (14 or 15 days in) and I think has a mix of GHA and Bryopsis. I think as long as your on top of your nutrients and parameters going a few more weeks is doable. Keep fighting the good fight!!

 

[Carlos Danger]

Update!! Its day 2 officially. I was thinking ok everything looks good until I checked the refugium. I've had a Lynkia starfish for 2 years and when I took a flashlight to look this is what i found. He's pretty good sized and as notated from day 1 the starfish definitely seemed irritated.
R.I.P big blue.
I also noticed some of this xinia looks to be affected as well. Im not a big fan of it anyways so I guess chalk it up to collateral damage. I'll keep noting any other examples as they come up, hopefully not anymore from this point forward.

I just think anyone who places starfish in their heart of hearts should seriously place their little starfish friends in another tank. I wonder as well if this affects the tiny little astria starfish in a similar manner. I should be so lucky. Its always the things "pests" you want gone that always stick around no matter what you put in your tank!