Invasive purple clove polyps

[DothanReefer]

I am glad to see a similar thread to what I have been dealing with for years.

I would echo everyone's statement that if you do have this move quickly and kill them as fast as you can... they spread like wildfire.

Typically i have been re-curing rocks that get the scourge but also treating with a calk mixture applied for a prolonged time has had success for me in the past as well. Need to leave it on with no flow and then siphon it off.

Any other tips/tricks from others would be very welcome.

I put rocks from display that were covered by these PCPs into sump (no light in there) for almost 2 years and when I pulled them up to replace the rocks in display that were covered in these buggars, they never died!! Just went clear and came right back, covering the "new" rocks within a week!! dang, I hate these things...

 

[MoshJosh]

If it makes anyone feel better I have introduced these into my tank on purpose and they wont grow haha

Note sure what it is about my tanks, but if I figure it out I will let you know. If I had to guess I would say super low nutrients, but that wont work for a lot of people. . . I also swear I watched a Halloween hermit eat a colony of these once. . . though may have been algae on the rock and the polyps were just casualties. . .

 

[DothanReefer]

If it makes anyone feel better I have introduced these into my tank on purpose and they wont grow haha

Note sure what it is about my tanks, but if I figure it out I will let you know. If I had to guess I would say super low nutrients, but that wont work for a lot of people. . . I also swear I watched a Halloween hermit eat a colony of these once. . . though may have been algae on the rock and the polyps were just casualties. . .

Dude, take them out!!!

 

[MoshJosh]

Dude, take them out!!!

Nah they have been in there for months and months at this point. They aren't even the ones I added, those are long gone. Every once and a while a polyp pops up but then disappears. Think I can count the number of polyps on both hands. . . watch I have jinxed myself and now I will have an outbreak.

 

[MoshJosh]

If it makes anyone feel better I have introduced these into my tank on purpose and they wont grow haha

Note sure what it is about my tanks, but if I figure it out I will let you know. If I had to guess I would say super low nutrients, but that wont work for a lot of people. . . I also swear I watched a Halloween hermit eat a colony of these once. . . though may have been algae on the rock and the polyps were just casualties. . .

I do wonder, if not halloween hermits might there be a coralivore that would take special interest in these polyps. I would think they would be easy picking for the right fish.

 

[DothanReefer]

Nah they have been in there for months and months at this point. They aren't even the ones I added, those are long gone. Every once and a while a polyp pops up but then disappears. Think I can count the number of polyps on both hands. . . watch I have jinxed myself and now I will have an outbreak.

Man...I wish I could go back to where you are...no doubt I'd fry those suckered asap!! Can't believe you're playing poker with these f'ers!!

 

[DothanReefer]

I do wonder, if not halloween hermits might there be a coralivore that would take special interest in these polyps. I would think they would be easy picking for the right fish.

Haven't found one yet. But I have an aiptaisa eating filefish on the way...maybe he'll develop a taste? Prob not but who knows...lol

 

[MoshJosh]

Man...I wish I could go back to where you are...no doubt I'd fry those suckered asap!! Can't believe you're playing poker with these f'ers!!

Well initially I wanted them. Saw an SPS tank that was thriving but all rock work was covered in cloves. . . looked super cool (think I saw it on a Tidal Gardens video), but they just never took off for me. I might consider attacking them if there is an indication that the table have turned, but as of right now they spring up and disappear.

 

[MoshJosh]

Haven't found one yet. But I have an aiptaisa eating filefish on the way...maybe he'll develop a taste? Prob not but who knows...lol

urchin? maybe even a not reef safe one temporarily. Also I wonder if clown gobies or certain types of blennies could get a taste. My old bicolor used to love polyps!

Also butterfly fish and maybe a puffer?

Obviously with all these suggestions they may go after the desirable corals as well, but maybe the reefing community could find a critter that has a sweet tooth for these things so that collateral damage could be limited.

 

[Dburr1014]

Take the rocks out, boil tank water or rodi water and squirt them. Follow up with a tooth brush or stiff brush and then h2o2 and let sit for a few minutes. Rinse with tank water, back in the tank.
This can be done once a week until all gone.

 

[Cali9dub]

As an unintended bonus my Klein’s butterfly cleared out the purple clove polyps after eating all my aiptasia. I thought I’d never see them gone !!

 

[Reefifier]

any update on how this turned out long-term? i'm dealing with the same issue and wondering what direction to take for elimination...TIA

This is an old post, but I see people suggesting boiling water and Lugols iodine. I use a kalwasser paste to eliminate aptasia, unwanted zoas and cloves such as this. Mix to a thick liquidy consistency and put in a syringe with a large bore needle tip, apply to the undesirable with the pumps off. Wait 30 minutes and restart the system. Make sure you don't get it on the corals you want to keep. As the pumps come on some disolves into the water, but that just adds some calcium and doesn't effect other coral.

 

[willisd]

This is an old post, but I see people suggesting boiling water and Lugols iodine. I use a kalwasser paste to eliminate aptasia, unwanted zoas and cloves such as this. Mix to a thick liquidy consistency and put in a syringe with a large bore needle tip, apply to the undesirable with the pumps off. Wait 30 minutes and restart the system. Make sure you don't get it on the corals you want to keep. As the pumps come on some disolves into the water, but that just adds some calcium and doesn't effect other coral.

I do the same, but siphon off as much as possible with airline tubing (or slightly bigger) before turning the pumps on