Fluconazole effects on SPS (acros specifically)

CMO · Jan 22, 2019

I've read through all the threads on Fluconazole treatment for Bryopsis (including the monster thread best i could) but still not comfortable as to whether I may safely use it in my SPS dominant reef. So, hoping we could start a more manageable side thread specific to fluconazole's impact (or not) on SPS and specifically acros.

To understand whether the reports by some of acro death are directly causal (vs. indirect) I'd really like to see some reports by those that tested their tank extensively throughout the treatment to potentially provide a better idea as to whether fluconazole itself can cause issues in some SPS or if the reports of coral loss are a side effect of nutrient spikes, alk swings etc. started by the fluconazole but preventable by regular testing and immediate correction of alk and nutrient issues etc. throughout the treatment.

saltyfilmfolks · Jan 22, 2019

Zero effect on acros here. I did get some cyano.

ikolbaba06 · Jan 23, 2019

Just went through fluconazole treatment at 20mg/gallon without any sps loss and it’s been 2 weeks. I did lose a mini maxi carpet anemone but that could be due to me raising the led intensity at the same time too quickly. But to get back on track I have sps dominant plus sps in a connected frag tank and no issue, frags and full colonies.
My small bryopsis patches were wiped out within like 2 days and the smaller hair algae patch is just about gone now too. I was amazed at how fast the bryopsis died but I’ve been dosing kno3 to increase nitrates and it has great side effect of decreased phosphates overall so it may have been weakened already. I used the fluconazole tablets as I’m a veterinarian and have easy access to them instead of the capsules.

ikolbaba06 · Jan 23, 2019

Oh and most of my sps are acropora specifically.

Heneee11 · Jan 23, 2019

Dosed my reef on 1st January, being very apprehensive also on the effects on my SPS. At the moment I can say it’s been very successful, with no loses. Picture from today.

D

Epic Aquaculture · Jan 23, 2019

Following along.

McPikie · Jan 23, 2019

I ran a course of it and suffered no SPS losses and my tank is SPS dominant

2018-06-21_08-11-39 by Phil Cookson, on Flickr

2018-06-21_08-11-58 by Phil Cookson, on Flickr

sde1500 · Jan 23, 2019

I don't have many SPS, had one large Monti colony when I ran my Flucanazole treatment. I actually added two acro frags about a week after I dosed the tank. No ill effects.

CMO · Jan 23, 2019

Thanks to all that have commented so far! Good to hear so many success stories. Keep em coming.

Heneee11 said:
Dosed my reef on 1st January, being very apprehensive also on the effects on my SPS. At the moment I can say it’s been very successful, with no loses. Picture from today.

D

Awesome tank and glade to hear it's going well!

Sir Chris · Jan 23, 2019

I just finished a treatment transferring to my new 75g. I really with I could have removed my Chaeto and Pom Pom algae, because I could definitely see breaking down and losing structure on both species.

Anything that is in the tank is treated so a separate treatment would be epic

bubbaque · Jan 23, 2019

I had the opposite happen for me. I did use the Reef Flux brand so it might be different than what others used. I am not sure if it was a direct cause of the medication or the spike in nutrients from the algae die off but I lost several corals and many other brown out. At first I thought it was the nutrient spike but my LFS experienced the same thing when they dosed reef flux and they said many customers of theirs was having the same issue. I started to search around and there are also YouTube videos of people who dosed reef flux have it bother some of their lps and softies. I would be very hesitant to dose that specific brand again.

Dpate · Jan 23, 2019

bubbaque said:
I had the opposite happen for me. I did use the Reef Flux brand so it might be different than what others used. I am not sure if it was a direct cause of the medication or the spike in nutrients from the algae die off but I lost several corals and many other brown out. At first I thought it was the nutrient spike but my LFS experienced the same thing when they dosed reef flux and they said many customers of theirs was having the same issue. I started to search around and there are also YouTube videos of people who dosed reef flux have it bother some of their lps and softies. I would be very hesitant to dose that specific brand again.

I’ve used reeflux with no detrimental side effects!

CMO · Jan 23, 2019

bubbaque said:
I had the opposite happen for me. I did use the Reef Flux brand so it might be different than what others used. I am not sure if it was a direct cause of the medication or the spike in nutrients from the algae die off but I lost several corals and many other brown out. At first I thought it was the nutrient spike but my LFS experienced the same thing when they dosed reef flux and they said many customers of theirs was having the same issue. I started to search around and there are also YouTube videos of people who dosed reef flux have it bother some of their lps and softies. I would be very hesitant to dose that specific brand again.

Aww bummer. What kind of nutrient spike are you talking? Also, do you think the nutrient spike potentially caused alk swings that could have been a factor? If I start NO3 and PO4 dosing from very low levels I get big alk drops if I don't immediately increase my alk dosing along with them. Any chance alk swings triggered by nutrient spikes is what might be causing issues for some?

CMO · Jan 23, 2019

Those of you that have reported successful treatments without loss would you mind sharing what brand of fluconazole you used?

Ultra Aquatics · Jan 23, 2019

bubbaque said:
I had the opposite happen for me. I did use the Reef Flux brand so it might be different than what others used. I am not sure if it was a direct cause of the medication or the spike in nutrients from the algae die off but I lost several corals and many other brown out. At first I thought it was the nutrient spike but my LFS experienced the same thing when they dosed reef flux and they said many customers of theirs was having the same issue. I started to search around and there are also YouTube videos of people who dosed reef flux have it bother some of their lps and softies. I would be very hesitant to dose that specific brand again.

I just finished Reef Flux and have several acros that RTN/STN’d during the process. Some turned a dark brown as well.

Alk consumption came to a standstill.

revhtree · Jan 23, 2019

Did any of you see loss of polyp extension at all?

bubbaque · Jan 23, 2019

CMO said:
Aww bummer. What kind of nutrient spike are you talking? Also, do you think the nutrient spike potentially caused alk swings that could have been a factor? If I start NO3 and PO4 dosing from very low levels I get big alk drops if I don't immediately increase my alk dosing along with them. Any chance alk swings triggered by nutrient spikes is what might be causing issues for some?

I check alk daily, so I know I didn't get a spike. @Rakie just dosed also and had something similar happen but not sure it's the cause.

Ultra Aquatics · Jan 23, 2019

revhtree said:
Did any of you see loss of polyp extension at all?

Yes it’s been about 3 days since I stopped treatment and a few have had 0 polyp extension.

Here’s one of my Milli’s

bubbaque · Jan 23, 2019

Also I probably have close to 200 different acros and not all of them showed issues. So those who have only have a dozen or so may never experience anything.

Rakie · Jan 23, 2019

bubbaque said:
I check alk daily, so I know I didn't get a spike. @Rakie just dosed also and had something similar happen but not sure it's the cause.

Was a double whammy probably. Got the new CalRX up right before dosing. Things were stable but I was keeping my alk high. I wish I had gotten a picture of my favorite coral.. Large chunks of flesh were just separating and floating off. I've never seen a coral die like that before, and that's how they all happened to die.