How to tame Montipora?

[Miami Reef]

I almost made the title: “Should I add Montipora Eating Flatworms to my tank?”

I never thought I’d have this issue. I have red capped Montipora that is encroaching my prized acropora frags.

I’ve attempted to prune the Montipora by using bone cutters, but it’s proving difficult because the Montipora is encrusted on the rock like coralline algae, and is slithering closer to the acropora each day.

In addition, when cut, the Montipora leaves a slimy mass that could potentially irritate the nearby, expensive acropora frags.

I don’t really have any ideas on how I can maintain the Montipora. Any chemicals (kalkwasser, hydroxide) risks damaging the nearby acropora.

 

[shakacuz]

i was going to suggest kalk but i see you’re looking to avoid that…

honestly im unsure what else to suggest but im following along because im going to run into the same problem. glued a monti cap frag hoping it would grow upwards to the light/flow, but it took a hold on my rock work and it’s inching towards a branch rock i have that will house more acro’s

i hope we both could find a solution! that clam is too beautiful to risk!

 

[areefer01]

If you can remove the rock, that is one option. If the rock in question also has other corals that that probably won't work. So....

Epoxy. Get the coralline purple reef safe epoxy putty from ocean wonders, or whatever brand you prefer, and mix it up. Trim the Montipora back and as close to the rock as possible. Next form a somewhat thin, thick, patty of the epoxy putty and cover it up. Do not smash it all over the rock but focus covering the Montipora and leave a lip so you can come back to it after it cures to lift. After a couple days lift it off and the coral should be dead.

Another option is to knock it back as close as possible and cover it with the putty. This time smother it then add some rubble on top of it to make it look somewhat natural. Maybe add some rubble.

Hopefully this makes sense.

 

[JGT]

Roll up an epoxy worm and form a barrier on the edge of the Montipora. It will dramatically slow it down but will eventually start to grow up and on the epoxy. You can repeat this or cover the entire thing to kill it.

 

[JGT]

I break mine by hand and then suck up any slime with a turkey baster. I don’t see any repercussions on any of my other corals including acros.

 

[xAndrewx]

I use a very sharp chisel. I chisel it off as my wife siphons the pieces and slime up with a hose. We do this during water change time. The chisel is made for wood, but is sharp enough that I can just push it along and it will scrape the monti and a little layer of the rock it’s grown onto.

 

[billyocean]

There's room to kill it with kalk. I use 40 grams of sodium hydroxide in 500ml of rodi to make the potion. Mix in glass jar as it gets hot during mixing and fumes are stout. Once mixed it's fine. If all flow is turned off you can use a syringe (no needle) and be precise with it. Wait about 15-20 min and turn flow back on. I've done this right next to acros several times with no harm. You get it on the acro...of course it will kill that spot. 10 ml at a time is how I approached it. Hold tip on areas to kill and slowly apply. Anyhoo..just food for thought

 

[Miami Reef]

There's room to kill it with kalk. I use 40 grams of sodium hydroxide in 500ml of rodi to make the potion.

Kalk is calcium hydroxide (kalkwasser) (supplies alk and calcium)

Sodium hydroxide (an alk supplement) is different than kalk.

Can you tell me the exact recipe and ingredients? I like this approach. I think I have room now after I scraped off some montipora today.

@taricha @Garf

What recipe of kalkwasser and hydroxide would you use in my scenario? I’d like it to kill Montipora, but I think a thicker solution would be better in preventing damaging the neighboring corals.

 

[billyocean]

Kalk is calcium hydroxide (kalkwasser) (supplies alk and calcium)

Sodium hydroxide (an alk supplement) is different than kalk.

Can you tell me the exact recipe and ingredients? I like this approach. I think I have room now after I scraped off some montipora today.

@taricha @Garf

What recipe of kalkwasser and hydroxide would you use in my scenario? I’d like it to kill Montipora, but I think a thicker solution would be better in preventing damaging the neighboring corals.

I ordered sodium hydroxide from loudwolf. Added 40 grams to 500ml of rodi in Mason jar (outside). Swirled to mix and removed lid. The fumes are really strong during Reaction/mixing and glass was warm/hot. Let it rest for a bit and it's fine and no fumes. I use a syringe/injector like this to apply.

Plan for anything underneath where you apply if it can fall on it while applying. It won't go anywhere once applied with no flow. 15-20 minutes later restart pumps..it will blow around but it doesn't hurt anything by that point. It will bump ph momentarily and I assume alk so I work in 10-15ml increments on 125 just in case. I'm acro dominate btw.

 

[Big E]

Monti caps aren't super killers so they will usually grow around acros but I would be worried about your clam long term.

If it was me I'd kill the whole colony. Cover it will a some rocks and epoxy and this gives you a new spot for an acro or two.

If you like it you can save a few of the chips and place it in a spot low in the tank where it can't be invasive.
---------------

I won't keep any monti caps or encrusting varieties because they grow too fast and become invasive. The encrusters are the worse.

 

[Garf]

Kalk is calcium hydroxide (kalkwasser) (supplies alk and calcium)

Sodium hydroxide (an alk supplement) is different than kalk.

Can you tell me the exact recipe and ingredients? I like this approach. I think I have room now after I scraped off some montipora today.

@taricha @Garf

What recipe of kalkwasser and hydroxide would you use in my scenario? I’d like it to kill Montipora, but I think a thicker solution would be better in preventing damaging the neighboring corals.

5 to 10% dry sodium hydroxide to calcium hydroxide powder works great. As noted gets hot when you add the water. Leave the flow off for 1.5hrs. if you put the tip of the syringe as close as possible to the doomed area and force it onto the surface (like icing a cake) it sticks like poo to a blanket.

 

[Miami Reef]

I loved all of these suggestions.

I used all 4 approaches from this thread.

I trimmed the large Montipora in the last 2 photos with bone cutters, layered calcium hydroxide, and used epoxy. It’s completely gone. I’m getting new acros from @Big E (I highly suggest messaging him. He has amazing prices and loads of colorful and healthy acropora, Montipora, goni, zoas etc). I’m going fill that area with acros.


The Montipora in the first picture was too encrusted and covered a larger area. Fortunately, it was only on one rock. I removed the entire rock and will replace it with some dry ones.

Thanks guys!


The calcium hydroxide caused the Montipora to turn a gray dull color after a minute of being fully covered. I had to terminate the treatment because the clam flapped its shell which exploded hydroxide all over. No other coral was harmed since I quickly turned back on the powerheads to dilute the hydroxide.