Blue Star Polyp Removal Thread.....

D

DaveJ

Well folks, after trying in vain to obtain some fluke tabs, I located some alternative methods and treatments via Reef Central and the Web. What I found is that now that fluke tabs are not available, some enterprising folks have found an alternative by trying to treat with products containing the ingredients contained in Fluke Tabs. One guy has narrowed it down the to fenbenazole in the fluke tabs. He experimented a bit and was able to replicate the treatment dosage and method with the fluke tab method using Safe Gaurd Canine Dewormer...

The basics... Safeguard contains a 22.2% medication, that works out to be 222mg/g of medication. You mix 1g that into a gallon of water for a solution that treats the 100 gallon tank volume amount. The safeguard packs come in 4g, so its good for 400g per pack. Treatment will be for 72 hours before carbon and skimming is started unless I see something odd going on. I'll monitor the snails etc... and I housed by two huge squamosa clams at Franks for a few days.

I have just mixed it up and will be dosing the tank shortly... will keep posting here every so often with the effects and observations. I expect to lose snails and worms.... but these will likely go after the treatment period per previous reports. The snails should look stunned, but won't actually die for a few days.

Tank has no softies in it, other than some mushrooms and zoathids. LPS, SPS etc should not be impacted as the fish won't. I didn't see anything about clams, hence their temporary removal as those bad boys can not be replaced given their size. (BTW... had to use a garbage can to move em, they would not fit into a 5G bucket!!!).
 
First obervation....

Cloudy tank... 20minutes into dosing. Stil can see everythig. Fish seem to be doing fine. Its worked its way into the Frag tank where the BSP are so will start watching them too.

Skimmer and Carbon off as is the pellet reactor.
 
I think I saw these in your tank a while back. Beautiful blue color. I take it they are a nuisance and can't be contained? Are they like some xenias and will start popping up all over the tank? Do you have any before pics?
 
@Baldguy wrote:
I think I saw these in your tank a while back. Beautiful blue color. I take it they are a nuisance and can't be contained? Are they like some xenias and will start popping up all over the tank? Do you have any before pics? said:
Yep.. started on that small frag and now have spread over the glass bottom and onto the overflow in the frag tank. I'll see if I can get some shots to add to this. They over run all but the most potent stingers.. zoanthids, micros, even chalices have been effected so they have to go before they leap into the display tank.

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@Baldguy wrote:
As I recall I wanted to buy some when you had a chance to frag em. I'll pass. :) said:
LOL hence why I didn't contact you about them since then. I don't wanna pass these along.
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They are starting to close up a bit.... will post a new set of photos in the morning when lights come on. So far nothing seems effected. All fish are good... and all corals are fine. No sliming or anything.
 
Well no surprise here. I'm following this thread. These things took over my tank. I booked marked this article long time ago.

http://maxdraco.wordpress.com/2013/03/14/fenbendazole-eliminate-invasive-soft-corals-blue-cloves-polyps-xenia-aiptasia-hydriods-etc/

I could never find anyone that tried this. So I just wanted to wait to see if people started using them. The fluke tabs obviously did not work for me, so I'm hoping this will get rid of yours and keep them away.

I got my fingers crossed for you.
 
@mtraylor wrote:
Well no surprise here. I'm following this thread. These things took over my tank. I booked marked this article long time ago. http://maxdraco.wordpress.com/2013/03/14/fenbendazole-eliminate-invasive-soft-corals-blue-cloves-polyps-xenia-aiptasia-hydriods-etc/ I could never find anyone that tried this. So I just wanted to wait to see if people started using them. The fluke tabs obviously did not work for me said:
Thanks,

That's the primary resource I'm going on for this treatment. So nothing seems impacted, fish woke up, swimming around, tank is clearing up and I saw a lot of polyp extension from everything when I looked in overnight.

BSP look a bit closed this morning, I would call it 'puckered', like they sucked on a lemon. Its been about 18 hours so far.
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Ladies and Gentlemen... we have progress.....and the BSP are NOT happy.

They are pinched up and in the 2nd photo, completely closed up and pissed off. From the expected path of eradication, this fits with how things are supposed to be progressing. By tomorrow this time, I should expect to see breakdown and peeling away of the tissue.

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Updated photos..... still progressing nicely. Seems the spread out on glass portions are being hit faster than those on the eggcrate and frags but its all looking like its going to be dying off.

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@mtraylor wrote:
Looking good. Any peel off yet? said:
No not yet. I don't expect full peel for another day. I'll monitor during the night and start carbon back up in the morning with skimming. Then do a water change in the afternoon.
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New photos... Did 65 Gallon water change, my normal size today. Changed carbon and am running fresh active filtration, also normal and turned the skimmer back on. Skimmer appears not to be going crazy which is a good sign. Here are the control photos and a few others. You'll notice the large patches are all but smooth now, just little tight bumps and the other areas are super tight. I think these will not survive and will steadily breakdown over the next few days. All fish and coral appear to be doing fine. Trochus snails are out and doing their thing appearing to be normal as are the few astreas I had. Stomatella's were out overnight and cruising as well.. everything appears to be normal except for the BSP. Shrimp were doing their thing as well....

I did notice a slight odor from the system, nothing major but a definite odor which is why I did the water change and started the carbon back up. Skimmer is set to my normal setting but I imagine the BK will be pulling nastier than normal skimmate as the days progress.

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Good luck with the treatment, I hope it works for you too - and based on your pics, it seems to be having the same effect as it did to my system. I hope your snails survive - I've been meaning to replace the Stomatella's I lost, but haven't found a place selling them.

My system was doing great after the treatment, but I bought a new house and lost about 80% of the system after I had to leave it in tuber ware containers for 4 days. It took 8 months to recover, but now it's thriving. Still no sign of the polyps and the bristle worms have not returned - which I consider a bonus. The spaghetti worms did survive and I spied a peanut worm the other day.

Max.
 
@MaxDraco wrote:
Good luck with the treatment said:
Max, thanks. Will find out by end of the week on the snails. BTW.. Stomatella's you can get here.. You'll only need half a dozen or so since they readily reproduce. Mine usually come in on frags, colonies or the LR.

http://www.inlandaquatics.com/shopping/saltwater/saltwater-invertebrates/saltwater-invertebrates-snails
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No photos today, i am out of town. However, Frank stopped by today to do a water change and reports they are even tighter than in the photos so I assume all is well. I'll shoot some more shots when I get back home tomorrow.
 
Well mixed report today.... Good news... BSP are well on the way out, for good hopefully. Bad news.. looks like the Trochus are as well as a few are on the bottom not looking well.

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Notice all the connective tissue on side of glass that has disappeared?

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