Eliminating Blue Clove Polyps with Fenbendazole

[Dburr1014]

So today I continued my battle against the blue clove polyp. I have been experimenting with boiling tank water and hydrogen peroxide.
I microwaved tank water and placed a rock in it for about 5 minutes. Then dosed h2o2 all over the polyp for a few more minutes. Then scrubbed with a toothbrush. Rinsed with water and back in the tank.
This pic is after. Frammer is ticked a little but will be fine. The rock was covered up to where the skeleton starts.


This pic is another one I have to do. The rock was just as covered.

 

[pixelhustler]

Just wanted to share another very successful experience. Fenbendazole is extremely effective.

In my case, I dipped a rock absolutely covered with brown clove polyps and some jack-o-lantern Leptoseris in 1g of saltwater with .10 ml of 10% (100mg/g) Panacur paste, measured with a 1ml syringe. Dropped an airstone for circulation and dipped for a bit over 1h. Within a few hours, the polyps were shriveled and they completely melted away within a week or so. Leptastrea remained unaffected.

I used the dose recommended for multi-day, in-tank treatment for a short 1h dip, so I would definitely not use it in a tank with any leathers or sensitive softies. This stuff is killer

 

[pixelhustler]

What do you guys use for fenbendazole? I can't find any Thomas's fenbendazole anywhere. Any recommended alternatives?

I used Panacur in paste form

 

[mjt82]

I feel some of your pain. That being said, I dosed 4 grams. 2 grams on Super bowl Sunday and 2 more grams the next day. I have a 180 gallon reef. 2 weeks later I started to put carbon and poly filter pads along with big water change. 2-30 gallon changes within a week of each other. I was hoping this routine would pull out much or all of the fenben. Started adding snails. They’re thankfully doing great. Added a small leather it’s still closed after two weeks. My zoas in the tank that were present during the dosing are coming back. I’m doing another water change tomorrow. Fyi. no blue clove polyps have returned. Yay! Good luck.

Are you still clove polyp free? How heavy was your infestation?

I'm wondering if the severity of the infestation correlates to the degree of effectiveness of treatment - Maybe if you can remove as many polyps as possible manually prior to treatment, the treatment will be more effective. Has anyone experienced this to be true?

 

[Reefman71]

Strange this post came up! Mine have returned, all over the place again.

 

[Reefman71]

I was polyp free for about three months.

 

[mjt82]

I was polyp free for about three months.

@Reefman71 - What was your treatment regimen? I've read nearly all of this thread, but I can't specifically remember yours. Also, how bad was your infestation?

 

[Reefman71]

@Reefman71 - What was your treatment regimen? I've read nearly all of this thread, but I can't specifically remember yours. Also, how bad was your infestation?

I use this. Three different times now and I’ve also use the dog dewormer Pancur. I’m starting to think I’m not using enough.? This is the third time or the fourth that they’ve come back. They all die or wither up and then come back? I leave it in the tank for about two weeks.

 

[mjt82]

I use this. Three different times now and I’ve also use the dog dewormer Pancur. I’m starting to think I’m not using enough.? This is the third time or the fourth that they’ve come back. They all die or wither up and then come back? I leave it in the tank for about two weeks.

Looks like @Glenner’sreef used a pretty hefty dose - I think I read 4 gm in a 180 gallon tank. Makes sense to me that the density of the infestation may have something to do with effective dose, as well. I think I'm going to go with Pancur, myself. Is your Fish Bendazole expired, by any chance?

 

[Reefman71]

I’ve got a 125. Some of my snails have lived, which leads me to believe I’m not using enough. I’ve also have two star fish that I have survived. These things suck!

 

[mjt82]

Hmmm... That is possible, based on my reading. I'm setting up a small tank to house my few leather corals and snails until I'm done with the treatment. It looks like there haven't been any troubles with crabs, SPS, LPS, or mushrooms.

 

[nkyreef]

Didn't think this thread was still alive. Mine came back too about 6 months after my second time dosing the tank. I went ahead and dosed my usual and after a week they were all gone again. Might just turn it into a yearly routine and except the fact I can't have sea stars. I used Pancur C for anyone looking to do the same.

 

[Reefman71]

I

Didn't think this thread was still alive. Mine came back too about 6 months after my second time dosing the tank. I went ahead and dosed my usual and after a week they were all gone again. Might just turn it into a yearly routine and except the fact I can't have sea stars. I used Pancur C for anyone looking to do the same.

How much per gallon are you dosing? I’m starting to think like you as well. So I think I’m just going to have to learn to live with.

 

[nkyreef]

I

How much per gallon are you dosing? I’m starting to think like you as well. So I think I’m just going to have to learn to live with.

Total water volume estimated to be between 110-120 gallons. I dose the whole 1 gram packet which contains 22.2% fenbendazole. I usually dose once then 2 days later dose again. Then a large water change 5 days later. Usually they're gone by then. I've gone longer between doses and water changes but it made no difference.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

Are you still clove polyp free? How heavy was your infestation?

I'm wondering if the severity of the infestation correlates to the degree of effectiveness of treatment - Maybe if you can remove as many polyps as possible manually prior to treatment, the treatment will be more effective. Has anyone experienced this to be true?

So the first week in February I will be “Blue Clove Polyp” FREE!!! for one year. I’m thinking as I read some of these newer posts that some of you are dosing too little. Panacure C x 4 grams over two days is exactly what I did. I did not manually remove any of the polyps prior to dosing. They covered close to 1/2 of my 180g tank. 72 x 24 x 24 footprint. None of my fish were affected by the medication. I even had 2 wrasses at the time and both came through it perfectly along with 10 other fish, tangs, clowns, mandarins, anthias and cbb. My tank now in its 11th month since has coralline growing everywhere. Zoas, Gonis, Gorgonians, Ricordia Floridas are growing and reproducing. And just recently seen positive growth on some sps. Very excited as you can imagine. Again 4 grams may just be the key to success. I definitely recall reading numerous posts regarding dosing fenben and it was significantly less than 4 grams. Good luck. If I can answer any questions please feel free.

 

[Reefman71]

So the first week in February I will be “Blue Clove Polyp” FREE!!! for one year. I’m thinking as I read some of these newer posts that some of you are dosing too little. Panacure C x 4 grams over two days is exactly what I did. I dud not manually remove any of the polyps prior to dosing. The covered close to 1/2 of my 180g tank. 72 x 24 x 24 footprint. None of my fish were affected by the medication. I even had 2 wrasses at the time and both came through it perfectly along with 10 other fish, tangs, clowns, mandarins, anthias and cbb. My tank now in its 11th month since has coralline growing everywhere. Zoas, Gonis, Gorgonians, Ricordia Floridas are growing and reproducing. And just recently seen positive growth on some sps. Very excited as you can imagine. Again 4 grams may just be the key to success. I definitely recall reading numerous posts regarding dosing fenben and it was significantly less than 4 grams. Good luck. If I can answer any questions please feel free.

Thanks for the info! I’ll give it another shot and see what happens. I must not be using enough because it took two days for them to start to wither up. On day 4 or 5 when I could no longer see them.

 

[mjt82]

So the first week in February I will be “Blue Clove Polyp” FREE!!! for one year. I’m thinking as I read some of these newer posts that some of you are dosing too little. Panacure C x 4 grams over two days is exactly what I did. I dud not manually remove any of the polyps prior to dosing. The covered close to 1/2 of my 180g tank. 72 x 24 x 24 footprint. None of my fish were affected by the medication. I even had 2 wrasses at the time and both came through it perfectly along with 10 other fish, tangs, clowns, mandarins, anthias and cbb. My tank now in its 11th month since has coralline growing everywhere. Zoas, Gonis, Gorgonians, Ricordia Floridas are growing and reproducing. And just recently seen positive growth on some sps. Very excited as you can imagine. Again 4 grams may just be the key to success. I definitely recall reading numerous posts regarding dosing fenben and it was significantly less than 4 grams. Good luck. If I can answer any questions please feel free.

I think you're on to something there, @Glenner’sreef - It makes sense to me that the dose needs to be sufficient to cover the population of the polyps... Too little, and the medication will be metabolized by some (but not all) of the polyps, which will leave some polyps unharmed and another boom.

I think I'm going to remove as many polyps as I can, and hit the tank with a 4 gm dose (2 gm, followed by a second 2 gm dose, like you did), and see how things do.

Question: How long did you wait before doing water changes/adding carbon after your second dose?

 

[Oshanickreef]

just to be clear. what exactly will this stuff kill?

anemones, mushrooms, inverts (starfish, shrimp, crab, snail, pods), BCP, leathers, softies?

I have them completely infested in my sps tank. i notice they dont hurt the SPS but they can if the sps is weak. i am transferring tanks soon and am thinking about removing all my inverts and anemones to see if i can save them while killing the BCP. just worry about letting a little bit slip through treatment and then i will have this same problem down the road.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

I think you're on to something there, @Glenner’sreef - It makes sense to me that the dose needs to be sufficient to cover the population of the polyps... Too little, and the medication will be metabolized by some (but not all) of the polyps, which will leave some polyps unharmed and another boom.

I think I'm going to remove as many polyps as I can, and hit the tank with a 4 gm dose (2 gm, followed by a second 2 gm dose, like you did), and see how things do.

Question: How long did you wait before doing water changes/adding carbon after your second dose?

Waterchanges began around 2 weeks later after dosing 2 grams on Superbowl Sunday and then 2 more grams the following day, Monday. At that time I began weekly rotations of carbon and Poly pads.
Prior to dosing I removed 2 clams, 2 large gorgonians, all snails and crabs ricordias and gonioporas.
Creatures that died in the tank were every bristle worm large and small, I’ll take that as a “w” lol. All the Asterina stars. While doing water changes, I vacuumed out star and worm carcasses, put them in a blender with some cream cheese and continued to celebrate no more Blue Clove Polyps. Seriously though the vacuum part of that was necessary. Did I miss anything?

 

[Glenner’sreef]

Continuation:
If I recall, it was 4 to 8 weeks later I began to reintroduce a couple of Turbo snail from my (holding tank) frag tank. They lived. Continued with water changes.