Can not get rid of Byropis

TrishK · Mar 18, 2023

I have been fighting this nuisance for a couple of years. I’ve used Reef Flux at least 9 times and it gets rid of it but within a month it’s back. I have single dosed, 1.5 dosed and doubled dose. I have left it in for a month to six weeks before doing a water change. Makes no difference, it always comes back. Can someone recommend a different brand of Fish Fluconazole that they’ve had success with? TIA

ETA- tank is around 200g when you account for refugium and rocks etc

Lavey29 · Mar 18, 2023

With a nice big tank like that why not employ a fox face or rabbit fish to eat it?

Could also use sea hares and emerald crabs.

marineman · Mar 18, 2023

Reef Flux has worked for me on a couple different occasions. I did have one bout I struggled with in a nano zoa tank which I supplemented treatment with some Vibrant (before we found out it's just AlgaeFix). Either way, I won! Lol

No fish or coral issues through that treatment.

olonmv · Mar 18, 2023

If you’re into a more naturalistic approach, I think lettuce nudibranch seek out bryopsis.

Eric Cohen · May 15, 2023

Im wondering if you might want to try my product Flux Rx....powder form in high grade....I have not heard of Byropsis coming back in tanks customers have treated with my product. Might be worth a shot. I would offer you 50% off if you decide to try it and keep us posted down the road.

Thanks

Eric

TrishK · May 15, 2023

Thanks for all the responses. I wasn’t getting notifications that I had replies.
I have had a sea hare that lived to nearly softball size before he died but I can’t remember if we had the byropsis problem while we had him or not. I have also had many nudibranch to eat apitasia but think they all gotten eaten by crabs and shrimps. I recently tried a different brand of reef flux and had same results as before, going away for a month and then returning. I’ve read where some people have tried one reef flux capsule per 1 gallon of water…200 capsules sounds dangerous to me, I think I would be too scared to try it.
I did decide to take the chance and put my big fox face into that tank. I’m worried he may chomp on my corals but he hasn’t yet nor has he touched the byropsis but I think he’s still settling in as it’s been less than a week and he is still doing some glass surfing. Hoping he calms down and starts munching on it.

Eric, I’ll keep your offer in mind if my fox face doesn’t do the job. Thanks

Derrick0580 · May 15, 2023

Flux rx has cleared any and all algae I have dealt with

Eric Cohen · May 15, 2023

Derrick0580 said:
Flux rx has cleared any and all algae I have dealt with

I’ve been a real believer in it too for years now. Thanks!!!

TrishK · May 15, 2023

This last time I used Fish Flux RX by Blue Life..bought on Amazon. Is that the same?

vetteguy53081 · May 15, 2023

TrishK said:
This last time I used Fish Flux RX by Blue Life..bought on Amazon. Is that the same?

Likely yes. In the past , ive seen Flux (fluconasal) work and not work. What makes it challenging is its toot system.
Removal is best accomplished by taking the rock out of tank and placing in a container of tank water. Then you will want to pull as much as you can by hand and discard. With a dental pick or small crochet needle, pull the roots off the rock. YOU MUST GET EVERY ROOT OR IT WILL SIMPLY RETURN !!
After you are done return rock to tank and reduce white light intensity and even hours of white light and add the following cleaners which will help with control. These guys will consume bryopsis but not as fast as bryopsis can grow - They will never keep up.
Pin cushion urchin, Chiton snails, pitho crabs, and larger astrea snails

This procedure is not as bad or time consuming as it seems. Assure phosphate levels do not become elevated which helps feed this algae

GarrettT · May 15, 2023

Fluconazole is a maintenance treatment for bryopsis not a solution. I have to treat my tank about every 6-8 months. Not a big deal as long as you only do it for the recommended two weeks - knowing longer won’t make any difference in eradicating the algae.

TrishK · May 15, 2023

vetteguy53081 said:
Likely yes. In the past , ive seen Flux (fluconasal) work and not work. What makes it challenging is its toot system.
Removal is best accomplished by taking the rock out of tank and placing in a container of tank water. Then you will want to pull as much as you can by hand and discard. With a dental pick or small crochet needle, pull the roots off the rock. YOU MUST GET EVERY ROOT OR IT WILL SIMPLY RETURN !!
After you are done return rock to tank and reduce white light intensity and even hours of white light and add the following cleaners which will help with control. These guys will consume bryopsis but not as fast as bryopsis can grow - They will never keep up.
Pin cushion urchin, Chiton snails, pitho crabs, and larger astrea snails

This procedure is not as bad or time consuming as it seems. Assure phosphate levels do not become elevated which helps feed this algae

Thanks for the great info! It’s on all of our large chunks of live rock which is also covered with coral and of course all over everything else ‍

we will have to just keep at it and try some of your suggestions. Thanks!

TrishK · May 15, 2023

GarrettT said:
Fluconazole is a maintenance treatment for bryopsis not a solution. I have to treat my tank about every 6-8 months. Not a big deal as long as you only do it for the recommended two weeks - knowing longer won’t make any difference in eradicating the algae.

What dosage do you do for maintenance? We have doubled this last time but heard of people doing way more than that. I just worry about my coral as they seem to be afffected by it more and more each time.

shakacuz · May 15, 2023

i’ve used hydrogen peroxide in syringes to help me. i don’t do water changes, so using the syringes allowed me to get into the areas of trouble with real active ease. luckily it has never gone out of control on me so i have not had to need to dose reef flux(which i have on hand).

i think i’ve dosed 1ml per 10g of water of hydrogen peroxide directly to the areas where the bryopsis was.

lettuce nudibranchs helped add well as the dollabella sp. sea slug before i resulted in using the hydrogen peroxide

GarrettT · May 15, 2023

TrishK said:
What dosage do you do for maintenance? We have doubled this last time but heard of people doing way more than that. I just worry about my coral as they seem to be afffected by it more and more each time.

I use Reef Flux HD at the recommended dose. Never had an issue with any of my acros. Done it about 8 times now.