Bryopsis Cure: My Battle With Bryopsis Using Fluconazole

[Jose Mayo]

Getting ready for my 3rd treatment. I say 3rd and by no means am I implying it doesn’t work. This is 3 different tanks. It worked perfectly on the first 2

I have a question for this 3rd one. I’ve seen a few people mention they left phosguard in or running. I have a bio reactor with phosguard in. Can I leave it or has there been any major issues.

Thanks for the help

There are many reports of people who have left their GFO online without any harm in the treatment results. I believe that Phosguard, even if it is based on aluminum, also will not interfere with the effects of Fluconazole and may help in the elimination of phosphates released by algae death.

Best regards

 

[Acartia]

Algae dying, but slowly. Nothing else affected. Added 400 mg in my 20 gallon. 14 days later did a 10 gallon water change and added another 400 mg. So, from day 14 on, I have 400 mg plus whatever remains after the water change (maximum of 600 mg but likely less due to fluco degradation).

 

[Jose Mayo]

Algae dying, but slowly. Nothing else affected. Added 400 mg in my 20 gallon. 14 days later did a 10 gallon water change and added another 400 mg. So, from day 14 on, I have 400 mg plus whatever remains after the water change (maximum of 600 mg but likely less due to fluco degradation).

These algae appear to be Cladophora sp, or "turf algae," but it seems to be dying, albeit slowly. Maybe a reinforced "cleaning crew" would help it go faster.

The strategy of maintaining Fluconazole concentration in exchange water may be good, but with this extended treatment time it is important to keep an eye on the parameters to avoid surprises.

With the best wishes of success,

Best Regards

 

[Acartia]

These algae appear to be Cladophora sp, or "turf algae," but it seems to be dying, albeit slowly. Maybe a reinforced "cleaning crew" would help it go faster.

The strategy of maintaining Fluconazole concentration in exchange water may be good, but with this extended treatment time it is important to keep an eye on the parameters to avoid surprises.

With the best wishes of success,

Best Regards

Thanks Mayo. I am going to have to hand in my marine biologist card for mixing up bryopsis and chladophora. But, in my defence, I studied copepods and tintinnids.

 

[Jose Mayo]

Thanks Mayo. I am going to have to hand in my marine biologist card for mixing up bryopsis and chladophora. But, in my defence, I studied copepods and tintinnids.

Well ... your eye is watching the specimen, mine is just looking at the pictures, so ... I trust your objective criteria more than my mere impression.

(but that looks like Cladophora, it seems to me)

Best regards

 

[Acartia]

Well ... your eye is watching the specimen, mine is just looking at the pictures, so ... I trust your objective criteria more than my mere impression.

(but that looks like Cladophora, it seems to me)

Best regards

Given that it is still alive, I concede defeat.

 

[Jose Mayo]

Given that it is still alive, I concede defeat.

My intention is not to compete with friends, but to join forces. Let's beat together!

Best regards

 

[Rostratum]

Hi everybody,
The treatment in my tank is going great. Today is the 8th day and the Bryopsis is falling apart in big pieces.
I haven't noticed any bad effect.
I can even report a good effect. I don't have to clean the glass. It stayed clean for more than a week now and I usually had to clean it every 3 to 4 days.
I have a question, should I remove it manually now after 8 days when it looks really bad or I have to wait for it to fall apart completely?
I will post pictures when the treatment is finished and the tank is free of Bryopsis.
Thank you

 

[Jose Mayo]

I have a question, should I remove it manually now after 8 days when it looks really bad or I have to wait for it to fall apart completely?

Bryopsis should not be pruned; this may favor his return, through forms of regeneration from his protoplasm, see below:

Life without a cell membrane: regeneration of protoplasts from disintegrated cells of the marine green alga Bryopsis plumosa.
Kim GH1, Klotchkova TA, Kang YM.
Author information
Abstract
When the multi-nucleate giant cells of the green alga Bryopsis plumosa (Huds.) Ag. are injured, the protoplasm is extruded from the cells and can generate spontaneously numerous new cells. The cell organelles aggregate rapidly in seawater and become covered with a gelatinous envelope within 15 minutes. A lipid cell membrane is formed inside the envelope within 9 to 12 hours and about 15% of the original cell membrane is recycled to make the membrane of new protoplasts. Cytochemical studies using Nile Red and various enzymes revealed that the primary envelope is initially composed of polysaccharides, and then transformed into a polysaccharide-lipid complex. Fluorescein diacetate staining showed that the primary envelope has some characteristics of a cell membrane including semi-permeability and selective transport of materials. The aggregation of cell organelles appears to be mediated by two kinds of materials, one present in vacuolar sap and the other on the surface of the cell organelles. About a thousand new cells were generated from a single disintegrated branch and 40% of them eventually developed into mature plants.

Best regards

 

[Rostratum]

So even now after 8 days of treatment and is literally falling apart in big pieces I should not pull it away from the stones. I will not touch it then. Thank You Doctor Mayo. Best regards

 

[Greenstreet.1]

To the FLUCONAZOLE expert is this the same thing ?

 

[terriblesarcasm]

To the FLUCONAZOLE expert is this the same thing ?

I sure hope so, I'm on day 3 of my treatment with the above posted fluconazole.

Can anyone confirm?

Some other people seem to have posted some reaction within day 3 and I don't seem to be noticing anything.

I determined my algae to be bryopsis after peroxide and nylon brush had 0 effect on this algae. It has a root structure, some of it seems to have feathery fern like 'leaves?' it also used to be green but most has since turned whitish (I had left it for a bit because I thought it was GHA and had read that GHA turns white when it is dying...) and some brown.

 

[Greenstreet.1]

I sure hope so, I'm on day 3 of my treatment with the above posted fluconazole.

Can anyone confirm?

Some other people seem to have posted some reaction within day 3 and I don't seem to be noticing anything.

I determined my algae to be bryopsis after peroxide and nylon brush had 0 effect on this algae. It has a root structure, some of it seems to have feathery fern like 'leaves?' it also used to be green but most has since turned whitish (I had left it for a bit because I thought it was GHA and had read that GHA turns white when it is dying...) and some brown.

Trying to get the right thing before I make the move and it’s wrong but I got a reply over in the qt section and it was told to me that this is all good so will be adding it to tank and fish meds collection since they say its also good for fish.

 

[terriblesarcasm]

Trying to get the right thing before I make the move and it’s wrong but I got a reply over in the qt section and it was told to me that this is all good so will be adding it to tank and fish meds collection since they say its also good for fish.

Awesome, thanks for the follow up. Much appreciated.

Can anyone give me any insight as to whether they think my algae is indeed bryopsis?

 

[Jose Mayo]

I sure hope so, I'm on day 3 of my treatment with the above posted fluconazole.

Can anyone confirm?

Some other people seem to have posted some reaction within day 3 and I don't seem to be noticing anything.

I determined my algae to be bryopsis after peroxide and nylon brush had 0 effect on this algae. It has a root structure, some of it seems to have feathery fern like 'leaves?' it also used to be green but most has since turned whitish (I had left it for a bit because I thought it was GHA and had read that GHA turns white when it is dying...) and some brown.

This looks like Calothrix sp ("white haired algae" WHA) to me, they are filamentous cyanobacteria, not algae. The response to Fluconazole is random, perhaps more by altering the context than by direct action on Calothrix.

Best regards

 

[b4tn]

I am on day three of treatment. So far no ill effects on any coral or fish but I dont see any difference in the GHA either. I read that some see immediate results the next day. I had a few areas where the tips turned white and some was just as green as before. I added 1 cup of GFO to my reactor also and it still seems to be growing. Its only been 3 days. Crossing my fingers.

 

[saltwater newby]

I’m on day 11 of the treatment. Still no skimmer only continued my regular nopx regimen. I was thinking running some GFO on my reactor to lower phosphate levels. Will that be ok if i didn’t start the treatment with the GFO initially?

 

[bcarl77]

Day 15

Day 2

Don’t think there is too much change? Should I manually remove some of it or just need more time? Nitrates were up a bit but phosphates have been 0.

 

[Jose Mayo]

I’m on day 11 of the treatment. Still no skimmer only continued my regular nopx regimen. I was thinking running some GFO on my reactor to lower phosphate levels. Will that be ok if i didn’t start the treatment with the GFO initially?

There is no report that causes problem in running the GFO.

Best regards

 

[Jose Mayo]

Don’t think there is too much change? Should I manually remove some of it or just need more time? Nitrates were up a bit but phosphates have been 0.

Perhaps doing a partial water exchange by dosing Fluconazole in the exchange water at the same rate as the first dosage would help lower nitrates and keep the action on algae. Some GHAs take longer to be eliminated.

Best regards