Paly Coral Extermination?

[Sharkbait19]

Okay, so there’s only so long until palys go from looking nice to being complete pests. They are now overgrowing even my largest corals. It’s hard to believe this started a year ago with only two tiny hitchhikers.

Manually cutting them back is seemingly impossible, so I’m going to have to rely on some chemical methods. Without harming neighboring zoas, lps, and leathers, is there any way I can exterminate them (or at least a decent portion of them?)

As you can see, they’re taking over my clove polyps and leather coral. My goal is to remove these ones and isolate the rest to their own location.
Any tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

[mdb_talon]

Not sure my way is "good" but it generally works fairly well for me though it is tedious. I start by setting up siphon hose into a filter sock in my sump. Then using a small pair of needle nose pliers i try to grab the mat and pull it off and suction it out with the siphon. On some this works great and huge chunks of them stick together. On others its more a polyp by polp thing and a pain.

In some cases i use cheap disposable scalpels to try to shave them off the rock/etc.

Finally when i am done there is usually some flesh or polyps i cant get out with the other methods and i use super glue gel liberally all over them.

 

[Sharkbait19]

Do you take the rock out of the water or leave it submerged?

 

[Timfish]

I would be hesitant to siphon them into a sock in a sump, a lot of the slime and mucus will flush through and go back into the system at the least promotuing changes in algae. I use stainless steel straws to remove them and thier slime into a bucket then dump in a commode.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Okay, so there’s only so long until palys go from looking nice to being complete pests. They are now overgrowing even my largest corals. It’s hard to believe this started a year ago with only two tiny hitchhikers.

Manually cutting them back is seemingly impossible, so I’m going to have to rely on some chemical methods. Without harming neighboring zoas, lps, and leathers, is there any way I can exterminate them (or at least a decent portion of them?)

As you can see, they’re taking over my clove polyps and leather coral. My goal is to remove these ones and isolate the rest to their own location.
Any tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Are you talking about Palys or clove polyps?

I don't see a polythoa in that entire photo but I see quite a few clove polyps on different areas.

 

[OrchidMiss]

I had good luck with using F Aiptasia. The same way you would use it for aiptasia.
After about 10 minutes with all flow turned off, I carefully removed the rock and pulled off 90% of the palys. Make sure you have eye protection and wear gloves. A pair of tweezers and toothbrush as well as a cup or so of clean tank water helped.
Took me about half an hour or so, but they seem to be under control.

 

[Reefahholic]

 

[Sharkbait19]

Pa

Are you talking about Palys or clove polyps?

I don't see a polythoa in that entire photo but I see quite a few clove polyps on different areas.

palys
You can see all the small green circles - those are the captain jerks in question. There are also cloves and Xenia nearby.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Pa

palys
You can see all the small green circles - those are the captain jerks in question. There are also cloves and Xenia nearby.

Holy cow. I though that was all shadow around the rock and corals. Maybe a shadow, didn't see the hundreds of circles.

 

[dvgyfresh]

Holy cow. I though that was all shadow around the rock and corals. Maybe a shadow, didn't see the hundreds of circles.

This is exactly what happened to me;Hilarious;Hilarious

 

[OrchidMiss]

This video should be pinned.

 

[GHOSTLY]

treat it like aiptasia or if your ghetto like me use a rusty knife and syringe

 

[Sharkbait19]

Holy cow. I though that was all shadow around the rock and corals. Maybe a shadow, didn't see the hundreds of circles.

Yep…and that’s not even half. When both heads of the toadstool are closed you can see them all.
I like them, just not when they are smothering other corals.
I like the idea of siphoning then out. Then I can glue them to plugs and start selling!

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

This is exactly what happened to me;Hilarious;Hilarious

RwR

 

[Reefahholic]

This video should be pinned.

From day one I’ve never added these corals in my system and never will. Palythoa’s are like a bomb waiting to go off. They’ve sent many people to the hospital including neighbors and dogs. Not sure if anybody has died yet, but I’m sure some have come close. Not worth it.

 

[OrchidMiss]

From day one I’ve never added these corals in my system and never will. Palythoa’s are like a bomb waiting to go off. They’ve sent many people to the hospital including neighbors and dogs. Not sure if anybody has died yet, but I’m sure some have come close. Not worth it.

I learned my lesson the hard way as a new reefer. I have since been able to keep them contained to a minimum, but will not add them to any of my tanks again.
I was almost enticed by a beautiful purple one I saw during these amazing sales that have been going on, but quickly reminded myself that nothing good will come of it.

 

[Reefahholic]

Sanjay had a rock with palythoa’s on it. This was back before anybody knew how dangerous they were. If I remember correctly the rock nuked some stuff in his system, but he didn’t know what caused it. Coincidentally, he happened to pick that rock out because he had too much in the system. He threw it outside in the yard all winter and it was snowed on and everything. That spring a buddy came over and asked him if he still had that rock because he needed a rock for his system. He said sure it’s still out back in the yard. The next morning the guy calls and says…all my fish are dead! It was then that a lightbulb went off for Sanjay. He now knew it was the rock that had the Palythoa’s on it.

 

[Reefahholic]

I found the Sanjay story!

Go to 32:48

 

[GHOSTLY]

I found the Sanjay story!

Go to 32:48

Acro galore!