Help removing out of control palys

[A. grandis]

Does anyone have any suggestions how to remove these nuisance palys? I tried cutting them off and they always seem to regrow. Aiptasia X just irritated them. Kalk paste I thought worked but it just took them longer to return than anything else. It is a converted FW tank with rocky 3d background so removing the entire back ground is not an option plus some are on rocks. They came on a rock and being a noob at the time I thought they would be a nice addition since I had nothing else in the tank. Cleaner water has seemed to thin them a little but no where near eliminating them.

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Too many! Safest way is to remove the rock, give to your LFS, and replace it. Not worthy the time to deal with.

 

[exnisstech]

They are on a 3d background which would require the tank to be broken down to remove and I can not do that. The vinegar injection seems like it may be working do I'll plug along with that doing few at a time. They aren't hurting anything I just don't like the look of them all over the back.

 

[A. grandis]

Forget the vinegar. It's either removing each one by hand or removing the rock. Good luck.

 

[ScottB]

If ur going the vinegar route be careful about how much & how often you treat.

Read a few threads on carbon dosing, because that is what you are about to do. Thousands of us carbon dose, but there are consequences if you overdose. Some good. Some not so good.

 

[resortez]

Too many! Safest way is to remove the rock, give to your LFS, and replace it. Not worthy the time to deal with.

+1. Believe me, I’ve witnessed & readhorrific effects when cutting or removing those types of paly. Why risk exposure to a toxin that you have no clue how your body is going to react to. It also affects the water chemistry & corals in your tank. A couple of bucks worth of coral can end up costing hundreds or thousands in a worst case scenario. I would take grandis advice & trade it for a new shiny piece of live rock or a new coral. You avoid all that work & get something new. My 2 cents. Good luck.
I think there was a recent post here of an entire family being hospitalized in the UK for removing or cutting into those types of paly. The coral released the toxin & the toxin was so strong, it can cause harm just by breathing it. Don’t quote me on this but for sure the family became ill from that specific species.

 

[exnisstech]

I think I'll put on some gloves and use a curved pair of forceps and pinch them off at the base and see what heppens. Will do a few each day so not too much is released into the water even tho the total water volume is about 350 gal. The ones I used vinegar on seem to be making a comeback already. I don't think the toxin from these is bad as I have plucked quite a few off bare handed using my thumb and fingernail before I knew about paly toxin.

 

[sixty_reefer]

You could always put a request to fellow reefers for zoa eating nudibranches, this would of been my way to deal with it as it’s safer. Once they munch on it they will eventually perish and you can add zoas again

 

[mfinn]

I think I'll put on some gloves and use a curved pair of forceps and pinch them off at the base and see what heppens. Will do a few each day so not too much is released into the water even tho the total water volume is about 350 gal. The ones I used vinegar on seem to be making a comeback already. I don't think the toxin from these is bad as I have plucked quite a few off bare handed using my thumb and fingernail before I knew about paly toxin.

I really think you run a greater risk of exposure to whatever toxin these guys may have but cutting them or pinching them off. They will grow back.
Not saying they do have a lot or not much at all.
IMO if removing all the affected surfaces can't be removed, then doing something like dissolving them in a caustic solution like a kalk paste, is what worked for me.

 

[exnisstech]

Update. I opted for manual removal last weekend. I used curved forceps and grabbed at the base and pulled them off. Since the background if artifical they were not embedded like the would be on live rock. I have a few stragglers but will get to them later. I changed out my carbon afterwards and have seen no ill effects so far.

 

[Reefman71]

I mix some kalk with RO water into a slurry. Turn off all flow for a little while. Use a syringe from a test kit, put a little on each paly. Not all at once, they will melt away. A little at a time. After 15-20 minutes, turn my return pump back on. Wait longer for powerheads. If any any gets on a coral that I don't want it, just wave my hand over the coral until it dissipates.

Do you run carbon while you’re doing this? Sounds like a good idea

 

[dieselkeeper]

No, tank is a 210 gal. No need to worry about parameters. Doing a little at a time is key. Just watch when all power heads come back on that the kalk doesn't get blown onto a sensitive coral.

 

[Reefman71]

No, tank is a 210 gal. No need to worry about parameters. Doing a little at a time is key. Just watch when all power heads come back on that the kalk doesn't get blown onto a sensitive coral.

So leave it on there? I was thinking about siphoning it off after 20 or 30 minutes

 

[dieselkeeper]

So leave it on there? I was thinking about siphoning it off after 20 or 30 minutes

You can siphoning it out. I've never tried that. See if the palys come back.

 

[mcshams]

I know palytoxins can be bad, but previous work as a chemist has me convinced that if you protect yourself well enough you can remove them. When we removed some I had full arm gloves. Lab goggles and a common N95 mask. I looked like I was cooking meth in my own home I'm sure, but I really did not want to get sick. Using long-arm curved forceps and simultaneous small-flow siphoning, I just pulled them off one-by-one. Worked fine. Being careless might get you sick, but we should be able to handle them with necessary precautions.

 

[Reefman71]

You can siphoning it out. I've never tried that. See if the palys come back.

I appreciate the feedback, I just ordered some kalk. Thanks again