Caulerpa Prolifera? Can’t beat it :(

[Patty McDanger]

I’ve tried manual removal, hydrogen peroxide on the rocks, low nutrients... and it still comes back every time. None of my fish or CUC seem to view it as food. Anyone had any luck eradicating?

1 year old Reefer 350 (72 gal display 20 gal sump)

35ppm
Nitrates 1-2
Phosphate <.1
Calcium 430
PH 8.1

I have a chaeto fuge in the sump with a tunze fuge light which maybe isn’t enough?

 

[MnFish1]

Many tangs eat it. I have found the best way is taking the rock out of the tank, scrubbing it and local H2O2. Trying to pull it also can work - but often the little areas that are left on the rock start growing again. Also - bare rock is going to 'grow' something. If you can get more coral, etc - it all block it out somewhat - at least make it easier to manage. I have also had times where I have had a little piece that would grow in a thread - I would just pull it out, and eventually - it just disappeared.

 

[Patty McDanger]

Unfortunately my Tomini Tang has decided she is not a fan of it. I do like your advice of adding more corals though. Any excuse to add corals seems like a solid plan of action!

 

[MnFish1]

Unfortunately my Tomini Tang has decided she is not a fan of it. I do like your advice of adding more corals though. Any excuse to add corals seems like a solid plan of action!

It takes time - but just manually pulling it off also helps (just like fish eating it) - but its a pain. Brushing to me (unless you do it outside the tank) - just spreads the pieces around more, etc and results in more growth

 

[Patty McDanger]

Yeah it’s been a year long battle that is super frustrating. Not sure if I am ready to go the chemical warfare route and dose something to get rid of it but getting to that point.

 

[Daddy-o]

It started as a tiny good looking patch on our rocks. In a short time it was going crazy. We tried pulling it out with tweezers, but it would grow right back. We ended up taking the rockwork apart and soaking the rocks in white vinegar for about 10 minutes and rinse in RO, then back into the tank. It went pretty fast. We started on one side of the tank, and then worked our way across, rebuilding as we went. Only lost one coral.
Cheers! Mark

 

[Patty McDanger]

I fear I’m going to have to try something like this. I did it a few months ago but only sprayed the rocks with hydrogen peroxide. It helped but some algae pieces must have survived. I worry that your method might also kill off all of the helpful stuff (bacteria, micro fauna, etc)... did you dip the rocks, coral and all?

 

[Daddy-o]

Just the rocks - not coral. It will kill the micro fauna

 

[ScottB]

Each time I pull some out of my refugium, I toss some into the tank for my one spot foxface. My giant orange shoulder tang will play with it a little while the tomini, kole, and hippo ignore it completely. I have 2 Foxface and they both eat it happily. (separate tanks)