Help!! Caulerpa outbreak

[ShawnSaucier]

Hello everyone. I'm in dire need of you're knowledge in dealing with this situation. I have a Marineland 60g cube, mixed reef. I travel quite a bit for work and I have some one that comes by twice a month to do water changes. Being a "nice" guy, he had added a few rocks with some lovely shrooms as a gift. Well the gift has kept on giving. I now have a caulerpa (spelling?) outbreak in my tank. I came home from my last trip with this stuff everywhere. It was not present for the last year, and now it's choking out some of my corals. I've hand picked as much as I can out, but as you know, it just keeps coming. I'm almost to the point of just buying new dry rock and starting over, but that would mean losing quite a bit of my corals that have started covering the rocks I have. Very frustrating. I don't feel that purchasing a tang or foxface for this size of tank would be wise, but that seems like the other option. Please, if any one has any thoughts on how to fix this.....:cry:

 

[skinz78]

Hey Shawn, welcome to R2R!

Do you know exactly which type of Caulerpa you have?

I once had an outbreak of Sawblade Caulerpa and the only thing that I could find that would eat it was a Sailfin Tang. Sure your tank is a bit on the smallish side for a Tang but you may be best off adding one. I suggest a Tomini Tang for smaller tanks.

 

[ShawnSaucier]

I believe it is grape caulerpa

Hey Shawn, welcome to R2R!

Do you know exactly which type of Caulerpa you have?

I once had an outbreak of Sawblade Caulerpa and the only thing that I could find that would eat it was a Sailfin Tang. Sure your tank is a bit on the smallish side for a Tang but you may be best off adding one. I suggest a Tomini Tang for smaller tanks.

 

[Tab28]

I had a yellow tang that loved grape macro so much it cleared my entire tank of and would revisit older growth sites waiting for new shoots.

 

[skinz78]

Yeah I would try a Bristletooth Tang and see what it does.

 

[ShawnSaucier]

Thanks every one for some suggestions. What about a Kole Tang? My LFS has a small one..

 

[uchin]

Emerald crab will take care if it.

 

[Tab28]

I have a kole tang. Most Tangs should but as most of us know all reef fish are hit or miss with what they eat. My LFS let me bring in a small bit of maco to see if a tang would eat it. It did so I got it. Kole Tangs are a smallish tang alittle bigger than a bistle tooth but I think prettier.

 

[skinz78]

Yes a Kole Tang would be a good one too. That is a great suggestion on bringing some of the algae into the lfs to see if their fish will eat it.

 

[ShawnSaucier]

Ok, I've purchased the Kole Tang. I'm hoping this will work. I'm at my wits end, and have been keeping the BRS site open, tempted to order all new rock. Thanks everyone

 

[skinz78]

Keep us posted on how it go's! You should take some before and after pics and post them up?