Pests wiped out my reef tank in 2 weeks

frizzayyyyreef · Mar 21, 2022

As stated I received a coral that had zoa eating spiders and later had nudibranches Possibly worms etc this mushroom coral rock was loaded bc my tanks been fine for a year I lost all my coral ….question is do I give up ? People recommended it on this site but nobody answered my question….what if I drain the tank for a week straight ? I know beneficial bacteria will die but won’t all the pests ? Can they live without water ….does this make sense to anyone? I don’t wanna start over new rock sand all that don’t have the funds ty!!

frizzayyyyreef · Mar 21, 2022

Would obviously put fish in small qt tank for that week but I’m thinking all those things that ate my coral will die no?

Ricox · Mar 21, 2022

It would be hard to get rid of everything. Also, you might have to restart the cycle after meaning you won't be able to add the fish back in straight away. I would just leave everything in there and try to deal with the pests and just wait a while before adding corals again. You can also try different fish and inverts to help eat and get rid of some of the pests. Don't give up!

bnord · Mar 21, 2022

What fish do you have?
Never had your present problem but i have learned from these dark times and you will too

dedragon · Mar 21, 2022

the smell it would produce in your place would be really hard to justify doing that, it will smell horrible. Probably best to stick with corals other than zoas and mushrooms for right now so the pest population dies off. IDK the tank size but wrasses do a good job and lowering worm and nudibranch populations which may help you as well

Uncle99 · Mar 21, 2022

frizzayyyyreef said:
Would obviously put fish in small qt tank for that week but I’m thinking all those things that ate my coral will die no?

Nudibranch can leave eggs, hard to eradicate.
Nukem
Recycle that system.

Ricox · Mar 21, 2022

Zoas can carry a lot of unseen pests.

Ricox · Mar 21, 2022

Uncle99 said:
Nudibranch can leave eggs, hard to eradicate.
Nukem

a six line wrasse should eat those right?

Uncle99 · Mar 21, 2022

Ricox said:
a six line wrasse should eat those right?

The Nudibranch can be a big pest.
Wrasse may control, but likely never eradicate those.
Those eggs can even withstand dipping!

fishface NJ · Mar 21, 2022

No need to buy new rocks. The pests can find pockets of water to live in. Bleach the rocks outside to kill the pests. I would get rid of the sand though.

Tamberav · Mar 21, 2022

Did you actually see the pests? Just wondering.

Dan_P · Mar 21, 2022

frizzayyyyreef said:
As stated I received a coral that had zoa eating spiders and later had nudibranches Possibly worms etc this mushroom coral rock was loaded bc my tanks been fine for a year I lost all my coral ….question is do I give up ? People recommended it on this site but nobody answered my question….what if I drain the tank for a week straight ? I know beneficial bacteria will die but won’t all the pests ? Can they live without water ….does this make sense to anyone? I don’t wanna start over new rock sand all that don’t have the funds ty!!

Rinse everything in freshwater?

Ricox · Mar 21, 2022

Do you have anything you don't want to kill in the rocks and sand?

monkeyCmonkeyDo · Mar 21, 2022

Dip
Dip Dip Dip
D

Ricox · Mar 21, 2022

fishface NJ said:
No need to buy new rocks. The pests can find pockets of water to live in. Bleach the rocks outside to kill the pests. I would get rid of the sand though.

If the bleach stays in the rock it can be harmful to fish when he adds them again.

monkeyCmonkeyDo · Mar 21, 2022

I would.seperate anything u want to keep and restart the system. Run it. Drain it. New sw.
D

Uncle99 · Mar 21, 2022

If you have seen Nudibranch then you have eggs.
Nukem.
The only thing I’ve seen take out eggs is Bayer Insecticide.
Safer just to break her down and make everything so dead.
Then Bring it back to Fowlr stage first.

Uncle99 · Mar 21, 2022

Ricox said:
If the bleach stays in the rock it can be harmful to fish when he adds them again.

Have a read on the process so it’s done correctly.
Standard way reefers nuke the rock.
But follow the process.

fishface NJ · Mar 21, 2022

Ricox said:
If the bleach stays in the rock it can be harmful to fish when he adds them again.

No, bleach with water...you soak the rocks for 2 days to kill everything. Rinse the tank/rocks with water. Let them air dry. Typically chlorine will dissipate rather quickly.