Finally cured bryopsis!!!

ahiggins · Sep 20, 2016

So after trying:
peroxide treatments
magnesium treatments
moon snails
manual pulling
drying the rock
cooking the stuff

I finally found something that eradicated ALL of my bryopsis!
Cowrie snails!!
I bought 2 for my 25 gallon tank last week. Ive noticed they on/around some patches of it throughout the week.
When I woke up this morning...I had to do a double take. All of the patches are gone

If youre at your wits end with bryopsis, try it!

PS. Man are these things ugly! and expensive ($12 per snail!)

Salty1962 · Sep 20, 2016

Where did you get them?

Rjramos · Sep 21, 2016

Salty1962 said:
Where did you get them?

Yea and what type are they? I've read that money or ring cowries are the only ones that are reef safe. I've been battling bryopsis in one of my tanks too.

ahiggins · Sep 21, 2016

I got them from my LFS as a last resort. Bought 2 for my 25 gallon cube. After they cured it in that tank, I moved one to my 10 gallon.
On this site, it looks like either the chestnut or money cowrie:
http://www.marinelifephotography.com/marine/mollusks/gastropods/cowries/cowries.htm

I did notice he was walking over some zoas the other day but none of them were affected a few days later so...guess its fine.

ahiggins · Sep 21, 2016

This is the chestnut one. It looks more like this because of the brown whereas the money cowries look all white with a small tan bit

Salty1962 · Sep 21, 2016

Does anyone know where to buy the Ring or Money Cowries? LA doesn't have them in stock and I can't find them anywhere else. Thx for the help.

ahiggins · Sep 21, 2016

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=497+526+567&pcatid=567

Although I got mine from the LFS, these are the same.
I do worry about the "temperate" climate though...wonder if they will survive in my 78 degree water for a long period of time.

Salty1962 · Sep 21, 2016

ahiggins said:
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=497+526+567&pcatid=567

Although I got mine from the LFS, these are the same.
I do worry about the "temperate" climate though...wonder if they will survive in my 78 degree water for a long period of time.

I've read that they won't last too long in a 78~81 degree tank but I'm sure there are exceptions. I hope at least, I've had a bear of a time with my bryopsis:mad:

ahiggins · Sep 21, 2016

LOL honestly, I really dont care right now whether they last or not.
They served their purpose of getting rid of bryopsis. I freaked out for a good hour when I couldnt find any in the tank haha it was a good freakout moment

Good luck with yours-I know how frustrated I was after multiple failed attempts.

Salty1962 · Sep 21, 2016

Just in case anyone's interested, Inland Aquatics has the Gold Ring Cowries in stock, $7.99 each. I'm going to give a couple a try and see if they help. I hope they last long enough to make a dent in my tank. TBC

ahiggins · Sep 22, 2016

let us know how it goes

ahiggins · Sep 22, 2016

looking at the pic....it may be what I have. ring/money/chestnut all look so similar!

LetItReef · Sep 22, 2016

Would like to get one too and hope not to bother Lps.

revhtree · Sep 22, 2016

NOT rebutting you in any way but are you 100% confident that these snails took care of the bryopsis and are you 100% sure you had bryopsis? If so this could be a game changer!

ahiggins · Sep 22, 2016

I decided to get them as a last resort (it was between them and red moon snails) because my LFS had said they MAYYYY eat it...whats the harm right? lol
I totally get why you have to be 100% sure. I will take a pic next time they are out and about so someone can identify rather than me guessing which they look most like haha
All previous attempts to cure it were ~2 months ago and previous to that.
About 3 weeks ago I let the mag start falling from 1680 back down to normal and decided to go a more natural way. My normal is about 1480-1500. At the time I stopped, the fronds in 3 spots were about 4 inches long. Mind you I only had 3 patches-about 3-4 inch in diameter. Smack dab in the middle of my tank. Everytime I walked by, oh look....its growing >.<

So about a week ago I got my water tested:
mag: 1510
alk: 10.2
calcium:420

I put those 2 snails in at that time. (right on top of the patch hehe)
about 3-4 days later I walked by and didnt see any fronds anywhere! (by the way, identified the bryopsis on here with the help of a quite a few people)
on day 5, even the fronds that were growing under my hammer were gone. At that point I moved one to my 10 gallon tank. They stay hidden during the day so I only saw them once actually on the patches.
Im in the process of seeing if it grows back but nothing yet

Also, neither of them were interested in any coral-I have hammer, acan, palys, zoas, a few "easy" sps, mushrooms, rock nems.

Salty1962 · Sep 22, 2016

ahiggins said:
let us know how it goes

Will do. If nothing else they will help keep the other algae in check. I have more than enough to go around

Salty1962 · Oct 5, 2016

Salty1962 said:
Does anyone know where to buy the Ring or Money Cowries? LA doesn't have them in stock and I can't find them anywhere else. Thx for the help.

Update: I purchased 2 Money Cowries, or Golden Ring Cowries, to try out. So far there is no bryopsis gone. They're small but so far they are eating my other nemesis, Red Turf Grass. May order a few more to see how much they can clear out and keep it gone. Will update as time passes.