Bryopsis Cure: My Battle With Bryopsis Using Fluconazole

[mattgsa]

My blue tuxedo urchin eats bryopsis.

Interesting I have 6 Tuxedo urchins and I don't think they ever touched it. In fact, I'm not sure what they eat. Since putting them in they have doubled in size, however, there was been no change in the amount of algae in the tank.

 

[Acros]

Interesting I have 6 Tuxedo urchins and I don't think they ever touched it. In fact, I'm not sure what they eat. Since putting them in they have doubled in size, however, there was been no change in the amount of algae in the tank.

My tank is generally algae free, that might be forcing it to eat anything available.

Bryopsis grows pretty much only on one rock for me. The urchin goes and cleans it up every few days.

 

[Acros]

To add, my urchin might be a weird one. It also eats bubble algae.

 

[MartinM]

My urchins eat bryopsis and hair algae, but can’t keep up with it (there’s no other algae for them to eat though). I’m doing the fluconazole treatment currently as well. Multiple days in, less bryopsis and nothing is (too) peeved so far . I’m glad to have a cure!

 

[PeterEde]

I had a bit of a bryopsis outbreak and hit it with fluc. Haven't seen any return. But as the old saying goes.
Get rid of one issue and another will take it's place. Now I have a Caulerpa issue. Hoping my nudi, urchins and foxface will keep it at bay

 

[MartinM]

I have massive amounts of Caulerpa in my fuge of my 1000L system, and grape caulerpa as a pest in my 200L system after removing the fuge (which is back in now). I feel you haha

 

[MartinM]

Update on my experience: bryopsis is almost gone, SPS growth has increased noticeably (alk consumption is up 20% from the growth) zooas are obviously happier, and fuge caulerpa growth has slowed down a lot. My 1000L system is devoid of all algae except A few turf spots the urchin is consuming, and coralline (my 200L System is still a fun collection of various macros and sea grass, halimeda still growing like crazy). About one week into treatment so far, I’ll keep it going at least another week. NO3 is 1ppm in both and PO4 is .01 in both, so the nutrients are going to the coral and clams now and not the algae, clearly.

 

[wtdenk]

Considering starting fluconazole treatment myself.

Should I be concerned with how it will impact a yellow sponge? How about a lightbulb anemone?

 

[Acros]

Are there any fluc resistant algae?

Started fluc in my QT setup last Friday (day 3 now), no sign of algae dying off.

 

[shakacuz]

Are there any fluc resistant algae?

Started fluc in my QT setup last Friday (day 3 now), no sign of algae dying off.

i see some white parts on the algae. does indicate it is dying.

 

[Acros]

i see some white parts on the algae. does indicate it is dying.

Huh, I notice them now.. maybe it will just take a little longer than bryopsis.

 

[MartinM]

Considering starting fluconazole treatment myself.

Should I be concerned with how it will impact a yellow sponge? How about a lightbulb anemone?

Fwiw I have a variety of sponges that seem to be unaffected, along with carpet anemones, mag anemones, and BTA anemones.

 

[MartinM]

Are there any fluc resistant algae?

Started fluc in my QT setup last Friday (day 3 now), no sign of algae dying off.

That’s actually beautiful IMO, I’ve never seen that species before!

 

[Acros]

That’s actually beautiful IMO, I’ve never seen that species before!

It is definitely beautiful, but grows way too fast. Came on gulf live rock (been in tank since May 2021).

 

[MartinM]

Update: Bryopsis is nearly gone (completely gone in the display systems, some remnants in the sump). However, it’s starting to kill my grape caulerpa also. That’s a good thing in my 200L system where it was a pest, but not so good in my 1000L system where I have a lot of it in my refugium. In my 200L system I have over a half dozen species of macros as well as sea grass and the grape caulerpa seems to be the only one affected so far (even a species that looks very similar hasn’t been affected).

 

[LoneWolfReefer]

Thought I’d share the fun I’m having with what I believe to be bryopsis.

Greenish brown algae started showing up on my substrate a month or so ago. Did some research and concluded it was probably bryopsis. Nutrients were around 10 nitrates and .25 po4 prior to the algae showing up. After it showed up both were barely detectable via salifert.

I decided to try manual removal and a 3 day blackout while at the same time adding a chaeto refugium to the sump. After the 3 day blackout 90% of the algae was gone, and I hoped that the chaeto would outcompete the bryopsis but two weeks later we’re back to where we started. The chaeto has grown considerably though.

3 days ago I added 6 capsules of Reef Flux to the 60 gallon system and ordered a gfo reactor which will be here Friday. After 3 days I haven’t noticed any change in the suspected bryopsis. Nutrients show 2 nitrates via salifert, and .06 po4 via hanna. I suspect the nutrients are this low due to bryopsis.

Here are some pics of what I’m dealing with under white light. Under normal lighting it appears brown. Also it’s only on my substrate. I don’t know if my cuc is keeping it off the rocks or what.

 

[shwareefer]

Thought I’d share the fun I’m having with what I believe to be bryopsis.

Greenish brown algae started showing up on my substrate a month or so ago. Did some research and concluded it was probably bryopsis. Nutrients were around 10 nitrates and .25 po4 prior to the algae showing up. After it showed up both were barely detectable via salifert.

I decided to try manual removal and a 3 day blackout while at the same time adding a chaeto refugium to the sump. After the 3 day blackout 90% of the algae was gone, and I hoped that the chaeto would outcompete the bryopsis but two weeks later we’re back to where we started. The chaeto has grown considerably though.

3 days ago I added 6 capsules of Reef Flux to the 60 gallon system and ordered a gfo reactor which will be here Friday. After 3 days I haven’t noticed any change in the suspected bryopsis. Nutrients show 2 nitrates via salifert, and .06 po4 via hanna. I suspect the nutrients are this low due to bryopsis.

Here are some pics of what I’m dealing with under white light. Under normal lighting it appears brown. Also it’s only on my substrate. I don’t know if my cuc is keeping it off the rocks or what.

I don't see any bryopsis.

 

[LoneWolfReefer]

Yea those pics weren’t great. What about now?

 

[shwareefer]

Yea those pics weren’t great. What about now?

I'm going with probably. Looks shaggy, but still can't tell if it's fern-like. There's lots a variations though I believe. You can see the structure from this shot from my tank.

 

[MartinM]

+1 that it’s bryopsis. I had that on my sand also. Nothing outcompetes bryopsis and it drains all the nutrients from everything else!

I’ve finished treatments in both systems, and it was completely eradicated. Thank God for this treatment!