Bryopsis on coral skeleton

[CatsandClowns]

Heyo!
Ive had a micromussa frag for many months now. When I purchased it from the LFS, it had a portion of its skeleton showing with just some apparent film algae growth. Since being in my system the polyps have grown to be able to cover the skeleton entirely. However, as of lately this has stopped since Ive begun noticing fern-like algae growing from where that section should be. Ive been pinching and siphoning this area out regularly and I'm lucky to have it localized in one area.. but, It is obviously preventing any actual growth to occur since the polyps touching the bryopsis cannot open completely. Also since its embedded in the skeleton I cant really pluck it from the roots. I am considering a flucanozole treatment. Im assuming this should be effective since there isnt a huge amount of bryopsis(knock on wood). Also nutrients are 0.2ppm NO3 and >0.08ppm PO4

Questions:
1)What brand for flucanazole do you have experience with and trust for results?
2)Is there anything else I should try before using flucanozole?
3) Does this treatment affect other types of algae(dino, film, ornamental red macro--assuming yes)?
4)Anything else I should be aware of?

 

[mcarroll]

you would be much better off with a dental pick and/or spot treating with peroxide.... or even chuck that piece. Why risk the whole tank??

any chance you can get a good close-up with white lights of the problem area?

while we're at it, can you tell us your ststem's test results and a little bit about how it's being cleaned and filtered? What's your cleanup crew like? (Be a specific as you can)

 

[CatsandClowns]

you would be much better off with a dental pick and/or spot treating with peroxide.... or even chuck that piece. Why risk the whole tank??

any chance you can get a good close-up with white lights of the problem area?

while we're at it, can you tell us your ststem's test results and a little bit about how it's being cleaned and filtered? What's your cleanup crew like? (Be a specific as you can)

I ended up just removing the coral. Looking at it now there is no physical way to remove it, it has prevented the tissue growth from covering the skeleton since the roots are so deeply embedded into it. As a result it began to grow a lot longer stalks, I just took the whole thing out I cant really bear to see it in the tank any longer, its a ticking time bomb. Well let's hope nothing has spread, lesson learned, don't try to save frags. Regardless NO3 and PO4 are 0.2ppm and 0.09ppm respectively, 4 small fish in a 38 gallon that I feed twice a day, tunze 9001 skimmer and filter floss that Im changing once weekly to keep NO3 up while i figure out what Im going to do with dosing. I do a weekly 10-15% water change where I scrape and blast rocks. Also have a dozen cerith and maybe 5 margherita, 2 nassarius, 4 hermits currently. I did run rowaphos when PO4 was much higher but that was months ago. I dont run any chemical media at the moment.

 

[mcarroll]

I ended up just removing the coral. Looking at it now there is no physical way to remove it, it has prevented the tissue growth from covering the skeleton since the roots are so deeply embedded into it. As a result it began to grow a lot longer stalks, I just took the whole thing out I cant really bear to see it in the tank any longer, its a ticking time bomb.

Aragonite is pretty soft, so it's easy to dig into with (eg) a dental pick...

Check where you buy art supplies and toothbrushes...usually <$10 for a set....you really only need one, sometimes the set will include things beside picks, that's ok.

Worst case scenario, a small masonry drillbit would let you hollow out the spot with very little effort.

Some folks would super glue over it....you can even do a combination, but IMO removing the material is enough.

Well let's hope nothing has spread, lesson learned, don't try to save frags.

A lot of frags probably are, maybe even most.

I think it's a judgement call, and you're doing fine...the lessons never stop coming at least if you're paying any attention – don't think of it in a bad way. :)

Regardless NO3 and PO4 are 0.2ppm and 0.09ppm respectively, 4 small fish in a 38 gallon that I feed twice a day, tunze 9001 skimmer and filter floss that Im changing once weekly to keep NO3 up while i figure out what Im going to do with dosing. I do a weekly 10-15% water change where I scrape and blast rocks.

When nutrient levels are so low, consider not doing a water change. If you *have to* do a water change for some reason (like scraping blasting the rocks) then modify it somehow so not impact nutrient levels.

In your case, you could do your siphoning work into a filter sock in a bucket, then put the water back in the tank.

Or, dose the new water change water with NO3 and PO4 up to your preferred target levels before adding the water to the tank. (Recommended: ≥0.10 ppm PO4;≥ 5 ppm NO3)

There are probably other modifications you can imagine, but the idea is the same....try not to drop nutrient levels on your system at all. Algae will always be the ones to capitalize on little disturbances like that.

Also have a dozen cerith and maybe 5 margherita, 2 nassarius, 4 hermits currently. I did run rowaphos when PO4 was much higher but that was months ago. I dont run any chemical media at the moment.

The nassarius and hermits are scavengers, so they wouldn't count toward algae control IMO.

I love Ceriths and Maraghita snails, but the truth is they they are some of the tiniest herbivore snails you can get....so that does limit your CUC's overall capability vs anything like the algae you're seeing.

I would consider adding a few "jumbo's" to your crew....a turbo or two, or at least a few trochus or astreas.

 

[CatsandClowns]

I ended up just removing the coral. Looking at it now there is no physical way to remove it, it has prevented the tissue growth from covering the skeleton since the roots are so deeply embedded into it. As a result it began to grow a lot longer stalks, I just took the whole thing out I cant really bear to see it in the tank any longer, its a ticking time bomb.

Aragonite is pretty soft, so it's easy to dig into with (eg) a dental pick...

Check where you buy art supplies and toothbrushes...usually <$10 for a set....you really only need one, sometimes the set will include things beside picks, that's ok.

Worst case scenario, a small masonry drillbit would let you hollow out the spot with very little effort.

Some folks would super glue over it....you can even do a combination, but IMO removing the material is enough.

Well let's hope nothing has spread, lesson learned, don't try to save frags.

A lot of frags probably are, maybe even most.

I think it's a judgement call, and you're doing fine...the lessons never stop coming at least if you're paying any attention – don't think of it in a bad way. :)

Regardless NO3 and PO4 are 0.2ppm and 0.09ppm respectively, 4 small fish in a 38 gallon that I feed twice a day, tunze 9001 skimmer and filter floss that Im changing once weekly to keep NO3 up while i figure out what Im going to do with dosing. I do a weekly 10-15% water change where I scrape and blast rocks.

When nutrient levels are so low, consider not doing a water change. If you *have to* do a water change for some reason (like scraping blasting the rocks) then modify it somehow so not impact nutrient levels.

In your case, you could do your siphoning work into a filter sock in a bucket, then put the water back in the tank.

Or, dose the new water change water with NO3 and PO4 up to your preferred target levels before adding the water to the tank. (Recommended: ≥0.10 ppm PO4;≥ 5 ppm NO3)

There are probably other modifications you can imagine, but the idea is the same....try not to drop nutrient levels on your system at all. Algae will always be the ones to capitalize on little disturbances like that.

Also have a dozen cerith and maybe 5 margherita, 2 nassarius, 4 hermits currently. I did run rowaphos when PO4 was much higher but that was months ago. I dont run any chemical media at the moment.

The nassarius and hermits are scavengers, so they wouldn't count toward algae control IMO.

I love Ceriths and Maraghita snails, but the truth is they they are some of the tiniest herbivore snails you can get....so that does limit your CUC's overall capability vs anything like the algae you're seeing.

I would consider adding a few "jumbo's" to your crew....a turbo or two, or at least a few trochus or astreas.

I am planning on raising nitrates to 3-5ppm using sodium nitrate which should arrive tomorrow. I probably should get more CUC as the ones I’ve got don’t bother with the glass for some reason