Eliminating Blue Clove Polyps with Fenbendazole

Sallstrom · Mar 4, 2018

In Sweden some people have started to try Fenbentazol(Axilur is the name in Sweden) to get rid of Acropora eating flatworms.

Since we have both AEFW and clove polyps in some tanks at work, Fenbentazol is probably someting we will try soon.

Great tread! Tagging along.

/ David

Peanut · Mar 4, 2018

Sallstrom said:
In Sweden some people have started to try Fenbentazol(Axilur is the name in Sweden) to get rid of Acropora eating flatworms.

Since we have both AEFW and clove polyps in some tanks at work, Fenbentazol is probably someting we will try soon.

Great tread! Tagging along.

/ David

very interesting

menglish · Mar 4, 2018

Can anyone comment on whether macro algae in the sump will be affected?

NU2REEFIN · Mar 5, 2018

The treatment absolutely kills Linkia Starfish.

NU2REEFIN · Mar 8, 2018

Ok so here’s my update. I treated Friday Mar 2nd at 1:00pm. Not sure if this made any difference but I mixed the Fenbendazole as Peanut suggested but rather than just putting the 40oz in my case in, I used a Aptasia X applicator and put some of the water directly on the cloves first. As I updated above the Polyps showed a decrease in size 24 hours in. After about 72 hours most of the Polyps were gone, there were a few stragglers that were gone at the 84-ish hour mark. I did a 15% water change 2 days sooner than the original post that Peanut referenced. Six days in there are no signs of any polyps remaining. Now here’s the casualties, I lost my Linkia and over the six days my turbo snails slowly died as well. I have seen no I’ll effects to anything else that includes a clam, various euphylia, sps, fish, nassarius snails, conch, zoas. Favias, bubble tip nems, rock flower nems, brittle stars and bristle worms. I will update in the next week or so as well.

menglish · Mar 8, 2018

This is very good news, for you and me both. I am afraid i will have to do this soon and would like to know how to proceed.
Sounds like I will have to remove my GSP, leather and turbo snails.Did i miss anything else?
Keep us updated.

much thanks

moiy24 · Mar 9, 2018

How about the die off I have a lot of gsp and clove polyps, will that dying spike up ammonia or nitrate?

Peanut · Mar 9, 2018

moiy24 said:
How about the die off I have a lot of gsp and clove polyps, will that dying spike up ammonia or nitrate?

remove as much of the gsp as you can ahead of time...then just do a massive water change when done

Peanut · Mar 9, 2018

NU2REEFIN said:
Ok so here’s my update. I treated Friday Mar 2nd at 1:00pm. Not sure if this made any difference but I mixed the Fenbendazole as Peanut suggested but rather than just putting the 40oz in my case in, I used a Aptasia X applicator and put some of the water directly on the cloves first. As I updated above the Polyps showed a decrease in size 24 hours in. After about 72 hours most of the Polyps were gone, there were a few stragglers that were gone at the 84-ish hour mark. I did a 15% water change 2 days sooner than the original post that Peanut referenced. Six days in there are no signs of any polyps remaining. Now here’s the casualties, I lost my Linkia and over the six days my turbo snails slowly died as well. I have seen no I’ll effects to anything else that includes a clam, various euphylia, sps, fish, nassarius snails, conch, zoas. Favias, bubble tip nems, rock flower nems, brittle stars and bristle worms. I will update in the next week or so as well.

nice. sorry about the Linkia

NU2REEFIN · Mar 12, 2018

menglish said:
Can anyone comment on whether macro algae in the sump will be affected?

So far and I think I’m in the clear nothing looks different about my Chaeto.

Antlrman · Mar 21, 2018

I'm having trouble with this. My results suck and my BCP infestation continues to come back. Here is what I did:
I have 220 gal DT. 50 gal Sump. Full reef dominant SPS
First go around I set up a 10 gal quarantine tank. I treated that water only and moved the LR from DT tank to that tank to treat. After one week back in DT the BCP came back.
So then I treated the DT. I used 1 full packet of Fenbentazol 250mg. All BCP and GSP shriveled up. 1 week later BCP opened back up.
So I treated again, same result.
I have one packet left, so I will treat again today. But I am worried I have some super strain!! Very frustrating when seeing everyone else is having good results.

Peanut · Mar 21, 2018

Antlrman said:
I'm having trouble with this. My results suck and my BCP infestation continues to come back. Here is what I did:
I have 220 gal DT. 50 gal Sump. Full reef dominant SPS
First go around I set up a 10 gal quarantine tank. I treated that water only and moved the LR from DT tank to that tank to treat. After one week back in DT the BCP came back.
So then I treated the DT. I used 1 full packet of Fenbentazol 250mg. All BCP and GSP shriveled up. 1 week later BCP opened back up.
So I treated again, same result.
I have one packet left, so I will treat again today. But I am worried I have some super strain!! Very frustrating when seeing everyone else is having good results.

do you stop skimming and carbon while treating?

Antlrman · Mar 22, 2018

Peanut said:
do you stop skimming and carbon while treating?

Yes I did, no skimming and no carbon during treatments. I ordered a different brand that will treat with this go around. Maybe it was the brand I used. I don't know.

Antlrman · Mar 22, 2018

Peanut said:
do you stop skimming and carbon while treating?

It did knock them back some, not nearly as thick. I would say prob 50% die off. But it didn't wipe them out like others are reporting.

Peanut · Mar 22, 2018

Antlrman said:
It did knock them back some, not nearly as thick. I would say prob 50% die off. But it didn't wipe them out like others are reporting.

keep in mind that what I dosed and documented at 1mg per gallon was actually 1/2 the dose that Max Draco documented of 2mg per gallon. Maybe you need the full 2mg per gallon for what you have.

NU2REEFIN · Mar 22, 2018

My brown cloves came back as well. Not near as many but came back still. I decided to just remove all the corals I could and tear out the infested rock. I wasn’t really wanting to treat again. I think maybe If I upped the amount I treated with I could have eradicated them but didn’t want to do it again.

SashimiTurtle · Mar 23, 2018

I have what I think to be purple clove polyps growing on the largest rock in my tank. I'm considering trying this treatment next week. Is it just the astrea snails that are affected? I also have cerith, nerite and nassarius in the tank. Also, anyone have experience with their asterinas? Will they make it thru?

View attachment 20180216_170410.jpg

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Nanoreefwannabe · Mar 24, 2018

By the sound if it I am really up a creek then... my tank is infested with bcp..
My tank is only 5g
My tank is a sanctuary of gorgonians (8 different ones, 5 different species) and leathers, and my prized to me coral blue ridge coral (which by the sound of it won't fair well either)
And my tank is home to a couple sexy shrimp... sounds like I have to tear down and still do the treatment on top of that....i would also like to add that I also have no skimmer.... at least water changes are easy... lol

Anyone know the effect uit will have on the brc? As it has fully encrusted a good bit of my rock and I really don't want to kill it since it took me 8 years to find a piece...

And a close up of the little turds...

SonRK · Apr 16, 2018

I dosed to get rid of green star polyps that were invading my tank. I lost all my (brittle?) star fish. I found their remains / skeletons near the rock. I also accidentally overdosed but never pulled carbon (chemi pure) from the tank

It's about 12 weeks now. I know that the rock can absorb the medication and continue to release it. I think about 8 weeks ago I tried to add a soft coral and it died, so I think it was still leeching in my system. Anyone have success adding back snails / softies / Star after medicating ?

cincyreef · Apr 17, 2018

SonRK said:
I dosed to get rid of green star polyps that were invading my tank. I lost all my (brittle?) star fish. I found their remains / skeletons near the rock. I also accidentally overdosed but never pulled carbon (chemi pure) from the tank

It's about 12 weeks now. I know that the rock can absorb the medication and continue to release it. I think about 8 weeks ago I tried to add a soft coral and it died, so I think it was still leeching in my system. Anyone have success adding back snails / softies / Star after medicating ?

It's been since mid January for me, and I'm still not able to keep snails alive for more than a few days. Kinda sucks, as my algae isn't retreating on it's own lol

SonRK · Apr 17, 2018

I wondering if it just replacing the live rock is the solution now...

Which would have fixed my green star polyp issue in the first place as well ;Clown