Sodium hydroxide for killing pests

[five.five-six]

I’ve had an outbreak of RBTAs. My fault, about a year ago my ALK dipped and I spiked it back. Had on rainbow nem for about 4 years and it was a model citizen but now I have about 8 kids and they are terrorists. Foots are way down deep in the reef structure, I’ve had experts tru and get them out but haven’t gotten a one. What’s an appropriate water / salt mixture ratio for killing these things? I’ve done one already. Plan is to do 1-2 each week

TIA

 

[jabberwock]

Have you tried the Nem Canon?
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/safe-and-easy-diy-way-to-remove-nems.861213/

 

[five.five-six]

Have you tried the Nem Canon?
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/safe-and-easy-diy-way-to-remove-nems.861213/

I have not. I hate killing coral but I also hate coral killing coral in my tank. Circle of life and all but this is a captive ornamental feature in my home.

 

[andrewey]

Try the nem cannon. I've done similar things in the past to move nems with good success (although not as simple or ingenious as the aforementioned nem cannon!) and I've been able to rehome the nems.

 

[five.five-six]

I have no idea how I would get at that foot. Most are worse than that one. That one was just easy to photo.

 

[jabberwock]

Tap them to shrink them up, then apply the Nem Canon.

 

[rishma]

I did a lazy version of the nem cannon last month, no sponge, just the 2” pipe jammed around the anemone anchor point.. In 2 days the anemone was caught.

I skipped the sponge part because I totally forgot about it. I could not remember where I saw the pipe idea and didn’t remember it was called nem cannon. Probably would have been easier!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

You could likely inject them with something lethal such as sodium hydroxide or maybe even saturated salt solution, but then it might be dead and stuck down in the rocks, which could be much worse than leaving them alone.

 

[five.five-six]

You could likely inject them with something lethal such as sodium hydroxide or maybe even saturated salt solution, but then it might be dead and stuck down in the rocks, which could be much worse than leaving them alone.

I did one 2 weeks ago, that was my fear. Turns out it wasn’t that bad. The skimmer did have a distinctly more putrid skimmate 2 days later. But the tank as a whole didn’t seem to be significantly disturbed.

I did 2 yesterday and depending on how that goes I may do 1, 2 or 3 in a few weeks.

I’m using a salifert tritiation syringe to inject them. First one I snuck the tip inside its mouth. The results were instantaneous.


I’m shutting off the flow several minutes before treatment and leaving it off for 30 minutes after. In using sodium hydroxide on other pests in the past, I’ve found that even the smallest drop will cause instant necrosis to any coral tissue it contacts.

 

[Miami Reef]

I think you can easily remove the anemone after squirting kalkwasser or hydroxide on it. Wouldn’t the food detach?

Ps: your tank is stunning.

 

[five.five-six]

I think you can easily remove the anemone after squirting kalkwasser or hydroxide on it. Wouldn’t the food detach?

Ps: your tank is stunning.

The thing is the foots are buried so deep in the reef structure they are impossible to get to. The rocks were epoxied in place years ago and by now with all the encrustation, it’s pretty much all one big rock. Getting it apart would require a hammer and chisel or masonry saw. Stupid metal halide lighting.