Sanity check on these please

findingsimple · Jul 15, 2023

Hi team, I just got back from 10 days on holidays and these 2 “tufts” have appeared.

Gut reaction is it’s just GHA (I’ve never seen it this long and isolated in tufts like this) but before I pull it out I wanted to check with the experts in case it’s some other hitchhiker a noob like me hasn’t seen before.

Thanks in advance.

Tired · Jul 15, 2023

Looks more like bryopsis to me. Can be a major pest- most reef-appropriate herbivores won't eat it. Definitely remove.

findingsimple · Jul 15, 2023

<googles bryopsis>

Thank you! Need to do some research, definitely new to me then

Garf · Jul 15, 2023

Yes it looks like bryopsis. Pulling the feathers off and covering the location site with F Aiptasia (or equivalent) or putty usually works.

findingsimple · Jul 15, 2023

Oh my, yep definitely looks like bryopsis

Open to pointers on how to remove. Seems like it is going to be a painful process.

findingsimple · Jul 15, 2023

Thank you @Garf @Tired

findingsimple · Jul 15, 2023

I had a sea hare until just before my trip, I’m guessing he kept the bryopsis at bay and his departure is why it’s popped up now

Garf · Jul 15, 2023

I’ve fought this pest, it instills persistence and is good for the soul. Just keep telling yourself that and you’ll be fine, true or not, lol

findingsimple said:
I had a sea hare until just before my trip, I’m guessing he kept the bryopsis at bay and his departure is why it’s popped up now

perhaps, yes. My wife has trochus snails in her tank that eat it when they are hungry enough. In my tank I had a reoccurring bunch that grew on the overflow comb, nothin touched it for months (except me). Then one day my urchin and foxface decided that liked it too, most odd, now it just exists as a bunch of damp things just above the waterline on the overflow comb.

Townes_Van_Camp · Jul 15, 2023

This is the one pest I go straight for the chems on. At first sight, I turn off all circulation and target the area with a fluconazole solution. I do only 10% of the recommended dose.

It's still effective tank wide on film, GHA, and bryopsis. At larger doses I've seen my cal and alk spike. Which to me indicates reduced uptake and therby ticked off corals.

kevgib67 · Jul 15, 2023

Cleared mine with Reef Flux. Within a few days it turns grey and then white. Then, poof, gone.

KrisReef · Jul 15, 2023

Looks like that rock could be pulled from the tank. IF it can, pull it out, cut off the tops of the plant. Then scrape the roots with a screwdriver, butter knife (Wife's best silver will always work best), or a dental pic if the wife won't let you borrow her silver?

Scrape, and then dawb/ wash the area with H2O2 3% and let it cook for 10 or 15 minutes, adding more to burn the plant base. Then rinse with fresh h2o, followed by salt splash and hopefully you knocked the plant out. Keep an eye out for resprouting and pull and retreat if you suspect anything is coming back.

kzenoni · Jul 15, 2023

kevgib67 said:
Cleared mine with Reef Flux. Within a few days it turns grey and then white. Then, poof, gone.

Same after fighting it for over a year

findingsimple · Jul 15, 2023

KrisReef said:
Looks like that rock could be pulled from the tank. IF it can, pull it out, cut off the tops of the plant. Then scrape the roots with a screwdriver, butter knife (Wife's best silver will always work best), or a dental pic if the wife won't let you borrow her silver?

Scrape, and then dawb/ wash the area with H2O2 3% and let it cook for 10 or 15 minutes, adding more to burn the plant base. Then rinse with fresh h2o, followed by salt splash and hopefully you knocked the plant out. Keep an eye out for resprouting and pull and retreat if you suspect anything is coming back.

Yeah I’m think about pulling it. It’s got some cloves and GSP but nothing else that can’t be moved easily.

Will those 2 tolerate some time out you think?

Tired · Jul 15, 2023

Most corals should tolerate being out of water for a couple hours pretty well, particularly if you make sure to pour water over them frequently. Some species are regularly exposed to both the air and full tropical sun during low tide- they can handle it better than you might think.