Fluke Tabs Solved My Blue Clove Polyp Problem!

[AcroporAddict]

I have been living with a blue clove polyp problem in my reef tank for about 3 years now. I started with a tiny frag, and the little suckers just loved my tank. Pretty soon the stuff was everywhere. I have a 300 gallon SPS tank and the blue cloves were on every exposed area of live rock that got light, as well as the sand in some places even. My rock is Totoka, and it was impossible to get rid of it. I always wondered what kind of chemical effect (allelopathy) it could be having on my SPS and other corals because it was the dominant type if life in the tank by a wide margin.

A rough estimate was that I had 4 square feet of the stuff on my rock.

The only way to really get rid of it, if even possible, outside of a tank teardown, was a type of systemic chemical treatment. I had read that Fluke Tabs did the trick, but were hard to get as they aren't sold any more. I was able to find a container of 100 tabs that is not even expired yet, so I have a ton of them now.

Anyways, I used one Tab per 100 gallons (4 Fluke Tabs total), and discontinued protein skimming, carbon, and GFO use. I also removed two leathers and a feather duster, as I had read the Fluke Tabs would kill them. Dissolved the Fluke Tabs in some water and poured them in. Not much happened Day 1. Day 2 the Blue Cloves looked OK, but they were not open nearly as much as before. late day 2 the tank water looked a bit cloudy. The fish and SPS looked fine. Day 3 the water was a bit cloudier as well and the blue cloves still seemed unhappy, and were closed up even more. Day 4 I reached in and touched some of the Blue clove polyp tissue and it peeled straight up off the rock and started falling apart. I went as far as to put some of it in another reef tank that has some blue cloves, but it is not a plague in that reef like it was in the 300. The tissue just fell apart.....yay!

End of day 4, I resumed skimming, GFO and carbon. I have done 25-50 gallon water changes for the past few days, skimmed wet, and change the filter socks daily and outside of a bit of red cyano on some of the dead Blue Cove Polyp tissue, they are completely dead and gone. My Turbo snails acted drugged for a while, but they are getting back to normal as well.

If you have used Chemi-Clean for cyano, then this is somewhat similar, but a bit heavier on the water changes.

The Totoka looks like crud right now because it is bare without any coralline, as it was all covered by blue cloves.

It feels so great to be out from under this pest, I cannot tell you! Some before and after pics to follow.
Dave

[AcroporAddict]

As promised, here are some before pics, followed by some after pics.

[AcroporAddict]

More before and after pics.

[nrbelk]

What are fluke tabs made out of? Any other substitutions that can be used?

[AcroporAddict]

What are fluke tabs made out of? Any other substitutions that can be used?

My package of Fluke Tabs says it contains the active ingredients methyl-5-benzoyl benzimidazole-2-carbamate and dimethyl (2,2,2-trichloro-1-hydroxyethyl) phosphonate. Praziquantel is the recommended substitute for Fluke Tabs for the treatment of gill flukes, as Fluke Tabs are not available in the US any more. I tried Prazi-Pro on some blue cloves and got no results after several days in a small treatment tank. This use of Fluke Tabs to kill xenia and clavularia (blue cloves) is a non specified effect, like Kent Tech M killing bryopsis. Fluke Tabs were originally used to try to treat acroporas for AEFWs, and some reefers noticed that after acroporas on rocks that had been dipped in a Fluke Tab bath were returned to the main tank, Xenias and blue clove polyps started to decline and disappear. That, as far as I understand it, was how folks started using them to purpose kill Xenia and blue clove polyps.

[psteeleb]

I used fluke tabs a few years ago as a cure to AEFW's. As stated the results when you placed the treated corals and or rocks back in the tank the residual chemicals killed; Green Star Polyps, Anthelia, Xenia etc. Furthermore, you wont be able to keep these corals in the tank for several years after.

I’d just take one tablet mix it in some tank water then dip a rock for a few minutes and return the rock to the tank, presto, no more of the above corals survive with no ill effects to other corals or livestock.

[DrHarryLopez]

Let's see a full tank shot....

[rhdoug]

AcroporAddict -- I am actually considering adding some of those blue cloves to my tank to fill in what little exposed rock that I have left. I understand why you removed them, but did they overgrow any existing corals, or actually seem to affect anything in your tank? I have no acros to worry about, only LPS and some softies. Pic of the tank attached, so you can see what is in there, not to detract from your thread.
http://i1254.photobucket.com/albums/hh610/rhdoug/Studio%20Reef%20Tank%202012/FTS3-6-2012A.jpg

[AcroporAddict]

AcroporAddict -- I am actually considering adding some of those blue cloves to my tank to fill in what little exposed rock that I have left. I understand why you removed them, but did they overgrow any existing corals, or actually seem to affect anything in your tank? I have no acros to worry about, only LPS and some softies. Pic of the tank attached, so you can see what is in there, not to detract from your thread.
http://i1254.photobucket.com/albums/hh610/rhdoug/Studio%20Reef%20Tank%202012/FTS3-6-2012A.jpg

Randy,
Your tank looks so nice, I would not potentially ruin it by adding blue clove polyps! But seriously, I think a lot of it depends on what you have in the tank. I have a 100 gallon LPS/Softy tank, and there are 4 patches of Blue cloves that are not taking over the tank. This 100 gallon has a lot of torch, frogspawn, hammer, and an elegance in it that can sting anything close, so I think they are kept in check by the euphyllias. In this tank, I would try Kalk or similar before nuking the tank with Fluke Tabs.

I think the situation where blue clove polyps get out of control are in tanks where there is little or no threat to them from other corals, like in an SPS dominant tank, as SPS corals don't have sweepers. All blue cloves need are exposed rock and light. I think they keep SPS from encrusting on rock because they block all light. They are also hard on zoanthids, because they can grow between the Zoas and compete with them for light. I have seen the Blue Cloves in my 300 actually cause the zoas to scrunch up instead of spread out when they grow between them.

Also, I have always wondered about reef tanks that have one dominant species of coral, like the way the Blue cloves were in my 300, and the chemical effects (allelopathy) of whatever secretions are coming out of that dominant species?

Based on my own experience, I will never knowingly add them to a reef tank again. Blue cloves grow like GSP, but they also spawn and produce eggs. I think I see some GSP in your tank.....Fluke Tabs would kill that as well.

[db1317]

I have anthelia growing out of control...Any recommendations on where fluke tabs can be found?

[AcroporAddict]

I have anthelia growing out of control...Any recommendations on where fluke tabs can be found?

Send me a PM.

[rhdoug]

Thanks for the speedy reply. My tank will turn 13 in a couple of months, most of the corals are well established in there and are holding their own against the gsp's that are in there. They haven't spread much if at all for several years now, although they did worry me for a while. I am more concerned with the chemical warfare from the blues that you mentioned than them actually overgrowing anything. I am on the fence about adding them, but I have read several posts from some people who have an abundance of them like you did, and have not had any real issues with them. Thanks again.

[AcroporAddict]

Thanks for the speedy reply. My tank will turn 13 in a couple of months, most of the corals are well established in there and are holding their own against the gsp's that are in there. They haven't spread much if at all for several years now, although they did worry me for a while. I am more concerned with the chemical warfare from the blues that you mentioned than them actually overgrowing anything. I am on the fence about adding them, but I have read several posts from some people who have an abundance of them like you did, and have not had any real issues with them. Thanks again.

IMO, a nice alternative to Blue clove polyps is Sympodium. I have had this for months in my 100 gallon, and it is a slow grower. It could have spread a ton where it is placed in my 100, but has not. You can pull it right off the rock if you want.

[rhdoug]

IMO, a nice alternative to Blue clove polyps is Sympodium. I have had this for months in my 100 gallon, and it is a slow grower. It could have spread a ton where it is placed in my 100, but has not. You can pull it right off the rock if you want.

Yes, I am considering that as well, thanks for the suggestion.

[Ripped Tide]

I just started a treatment for blue cloves. An extremely generous friend from my local club gave me a few tabs... Wish me luck!

[nycpassat]

can anyone recommend where i can find fluke tabs? they are indeed hard to find. thanks in advance.

[Steve175]

PM Sent.

[nycpassat]

PM Sent.

Thanks Steve. However for some reason, i haven't been receiving any PMs. My email is wooolie@hotmail.com. Thanks in advance.

Willie

[bmullikin1]

Looking for enough fluke to treat my 180 w blue clove and gsp taking over. Thanks

[Teddynola]

I tried to buy some fluke tabs last night. Thought I'd found some, the transaction went through, only to find an email this morning, informing me that they are out of stock. If anyone has enough to rid a 75g of runaway Xenia, I'll happily purchase some from you.

[nycpassat]

bump

[Tomoko Schum]

I just started a treatment for blue cloves. An extremely generous friend from my local club gave me a few tabs... Wish me luck!

Any update?

I am thinking about dipping a large rock with an SPS colony, which is very sparsely populated with green star polyp in my 180, and simultaneously kill rampantly spreading xenia in it, too. I hope that this will take care of all the xenia and star polyp problems.

Anyone tried a fluke tab treatment with encrusting Gonioporas?

I have three encrusting gonioporas in the tank. Should I move them to another tank? I've had them for a few years now and hate to lose them.

[Ripped Tide]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-iLPq-oUMU&feature=youtube_gdata_player

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcKG9k9e6gk&feature=youtube_gdata_player

The total treatment time was 6 days. I made a few mistakes:

1. Left biopellets running with the skimmer off

2. Accidentally left the carbon reactor running after dosing the first fluke tab. I noticed this on the second day, so it didn't hinder the treatment too long.


The biopellets caused some damage (I guess). I experienced some rtn at the end of the fluke tab treatment and a week or so after. I didnt loose anything. I related the stn to the biopellets running while the skimmer was off.

I made the conscious descision to leave the pellets running even with the skimmer off. I wanted to avoid having to restart the pellets, and wait for the bacteria to regrow.

I have since then removed the pellets and issue have subsided and the tank appears to be going stronger than ever. Live and learn.

[Tomoko Schum]

Thank you for the updates.

Did anyone notice any issue with LPS's?

I heard that Fluke tabs do no affect zoa but it affect some softies. How does softies such as leathers take the treatment?

[Ripped Tide]

Thank you for the updates.

Did anyone notice any issue with LPS's?

I heard that Fluke tabs do no affect zoa but it affect some softies. How does softies such as leathers take the treatment?

I did have a few issues that occurred during the treatment. I cannot directly relate it to the fluke tabs.

I removed the leathers I wanted to keep before the treatment. The ones that stayed in the tank died.

I was running biopellets on that tank, and I think that's where my issues were. I had to turn the skimmer off for the treatment, but didn't want to risk loosing the bacterial colonies on the pellets. I experienced some stn and cyano. I lost one frogspawn. The acros have recovered. And the cyano went away when I pulled the pellets off the system.

Other than that, it was just a little pain correcting the problems caused from the whole ordeal.

[bmullikin1]

I'm desperate here, evil things are taking over my tank, cant find fluke tabs anywhere, dont know what to do now,kalk seem to make them spread evening when vaccuming them out. any other product similar or avialable overseas.

[Sneds]

I too, have blue clove polyps completely taking over my reef. They have killed off most of my zoo’s, I try to brush them off with an old toothbrush so the zoos can get light, only to have them return with vengeance. They are growing and covering all kinds of things, the "stems" on my candy cane, almost covering my beloved palys, even in my sump with a 40W CF, only on 16 hours.

I studied reef tanks for 5 or so years before I started, and broke one of the cardinal rules of knowing everything about a specific coral species before introducing it to my tank, typical stupid me. (although, in my defence, they were not on the radar like gsp or xenia)

If anyone has any available fluke tabs, or would know where I may acquire some, I would be VERY willing to take a few off your hands. My tank is 17 gallon display, 20 gallon sump. I think I may try posting in the wanted section, I am very unfamiliar with the whole posting thing, sorry.

[joao junior]

If fluke tabs are effective from AEFW,how about treat all the tank?what yours think?

[Sneds]

I do not have a AEFW problem, I am trying to eliminate blue clove polyps. The only systemic treatment I have read of is the use of Fluke Tabs, I would love to find another solution to the problem. Thanks

[Ralph ATL]

hey! can you guys pm me where to get fluke tabs in case I need it in the future? The blue clove is behaving very well so far.....ya never know though.....thanks!

[larac]

Wow, I can't believe they don't sell Fluke tabs anymore. I don't know what I would have done. Anyone know why they took them off the market?

I had GSP and Xenia that had taken over my tank. You pull the Xenia off it just grows back. The GSP are indestructible. Of course it's an even bigger problem when it has grown on base rock that you can't remove unless you rip the tank apart.

In the end I had to nuke the tank with Fluke not once, but twice. Major water changes of course, and yes, you need to remove softies and inverts to your hospital tank.

[AcroporAddict]

I tried long spined black urchins, as they were supposed to eat them, but that was a load. At least Fluke get rid of Blue Clove Polyps.

[bmullikin1]

Well heres my experience w them, I too made the mistake of putting a small frag of blue cloves in my tank. Well about a year later they just started to pop up everywhere. I tried kalk, manjo wand, etc, would take care of the ones your using it on, but i think that spread them even more as you couldnt vaccum all of the stuff out while killing it. Was to the point of breaking down my tank, until i came across this thread. A big thanks to acroporaddict as he seems to be the only one in the world w these any more. I had to sell all my leathers as was not to sure i wanted to take the chance of killing them, even after treatment. I went a more conservative route, I dosed my 180 w a 40breeder sump w just one fluke tab. I took skimmer, carbon, gfc offline for 4 days. Got the same result which was dead cloves, also killed some gsp that was getting out of hand, although that is taking alot longer than the blue cloves, also noted that i took offline my frag tank and refugium during treatment. thanks guys, so heres some before pictures

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m202/bmullikin1/fragtank004.jpg
http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m202/bmullikin1/blueclovetakeover004.jpg
http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m202/bmullikin1/blueclovetakeover002.jpg
http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m202/bmullikin1/blueclovetakeover001.jpg

AND AFTER PIC
http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m202/bmullikin1/blueclovetakeover005.jpg

[AcroporAddict]

Sam,
Your tank is very nice. I'm glad you did not have to break it down. Great to be out from under those little nasties, isn't it?!! Update this thread please, if you ever try to reintroduce leathers to the tank.

I will soon be moving the LR/corals from the 300 gallon tank I treated into a new 465 gallon, and will probably put a leather in there to see what happens, as any residue of the Fluke Tabs in my rock will transfer into the new system. I'll post what happens.

I don't think it is a matter of Blue Cloves being resistant to treatment, it is a matter of getting them all, as they fill all the nooks and crannies where they grow, and prior to using fluke tabs, I would treat (spot kill) with a sodium hydroxide (lye) 2N solution, but if you don't kill all the tissue they just grow back. Fluke Tabs makes it easier to get everywhere at the same time.
Dave

[Teddynola]

I got my hands on some fluke tabs recently (thanks!), and just added one to my tank tonight. I removed my coco worm, some gsp and all of the snails I could find, but my 4-5 in feather duster would not budge. I have a fire, cleaner and harlequin shrimp that I hope survive, but I really want to rid my tank of the scourge that is pulsing xenia. Here are some before pics, I hope my after pics are as impressive as AcroporAddict's shots are. Wish me luck, if I was a nail biter, I'd have none left!

http://i1135.photobucket.com/albums/m629/Teddynola/0b2369f064003be5e4dcead7d4e9c8fb.jpg
http://i1135.photobucket.com/albums/m629/Teddynola/130fee12b272015d64a2f928b2feded7.jpg
http://i1135.photobucket.com/albums/m629/Teddynola/0ea7154d10eb439d6e7822be7c521feb.jpg

[Tomoko Schum]

bmullikin1 - Did you do big water changes after killing the blue polyps to rid of fluke tabs out of the water?

[pembroke]

Hi, I have a burgeoning clove problem and am trying to decide if I just am just going to give over to them or go with the nuclear option.

The thing that is stopping me are my ricordea yuma. Has anyone who has used these fluke tablets had ricordea yuma in their tanks? Thanks.

[bmullikin1]

Since i only dosed one tablet, i only did a 10g water change, and skimmed wet, no carbon. The only other thing killed seemed to be my mexican turbos, other snails seem fine.

[ShellsSD]

Please PM me as to where I can get flukes tablets for a 180

Thank you

[pieater]

Hi, new member here in the UK. My tank is absolutely overun with Xenia and I'm at my wits end. I was recommended this site and this thread to (hopefully) prevail on some kind soul to sell me a few fluke tabs to treat my system.

If you can help, please let me know. I'm prepared to pay a significant amount.

Thanks



Martin

[Sneds]

Well, I am 3 days into the Fluke tab treatment, and everything seems to be going as planned. This morning, the BCP seemed very diminished and actually gone in certain areas. My other corals don't seem real happy, but look to be ok. Only time will tell. My tank was completely over run with the BCP, I was willing to take whatever chances needed in order to rid my tank of this menace. I have around 17 gallons in the display, 25 ish in the sump; I used ¼ tablet dissolved into 1 gallon fresh saltwater. I wanted to go easy at first, with such a small volume.

NOTE to other reefers, think very seriously about introducing this coral into your system, you may end up regretting it very much. Thanks again for all of you that helped, you know who you are.

[AcroporAddict]

Well, I am 3 days into the Fluke tab treatment, and everything seems to be going as planned. This morning, the BCP seemed very diminished and actually gone in certain areas. My other corals don't seem real happy, but look to be ok. Only time will tell. My tank was completely over run with the BCP, I was willing to take whatever chances needed in order to rid my tank of this menace. I have around 17 gallons in the display, 25 ish in the sump; I used ¼ tablet dissolved into 1 gallon fresh saltwater. I wanted to go easy at first, with such a small volume.

NOTE to other reefers, think very seriously about introducing this coral into your system, you may end up regretting it very much. Thanks again for all of you that helped, you know who you are.

I bet it feels like a 5 ton blue clove polyp covered weight has been lifted of your shoulders! :dance: We need something like Fluke Tabs that does the same for AEFWs!

[Sneds]

Hey, thanks Acro. I think my only defense against AEFW is that I dip EVERYTHING in coral rx before it goes into my tank, maybe it can survive the dip and still do damage. My tank is looking a bit slickly tonight, but that nasty *** BCP is on the way out. I really don’t care what I loose, I was looking at a total teardown and restart if this didn’t work. Good luck with those AEFW things, you’ll figure it out.

[AcroporAddict]

Hey, thanks Acro. I think my only defense against AEFW is that I dip EVERYTHING in coral rx before it goes into my tank, maybe it can survive the dip and still do damage. My tank is looking a bit slickly tonight, but that nasty *** BCP is on the way out. I really don’t care what I loose, I was looking at a total teardown and restart if this didn’t work. Good luck with those AEFW things, you’ll figure it out.

I was posting rhetorically, as it would be nice to have a systemic AEFW treatment, like Fluke Tabs do for Blue Clove Polyps.

[Jamesfirth1]

Well my tabs arrived yesterday, thanks again AcroporAddict. Not used them yet, because I have two starfish and a tigertail cucumber in the tank. I will be able to remove the starfish, but I'm going to struggle with the cucumber.

[bolojr904]

I am another victim of the BCP,they took over my 155 gal. reef tank. They are competing with the zoas they all over the rocks and around all my corals. I am in need of some fluke tabs if anybody has any left or know where to get them. I'll pay for whatever you want for them.If i can avoid breaking down my tank i would,but if i have no choice i would. Great info on this site. I'm glad i see others who have headaches and experiences in getting rid of these pests. Cause i truly hate them!!

[bolojr904]

Hey AcroproAddict i can't send private messages yet since i haven't post enough yet.I think two should be enough,what do you think. How many water changes did you do while using the fluke tabs for those four days or more? My email is bolojr904@yahoo.com. Thanks in advanced bro.

[AcroporAddict]

Hey AcroproAddict i can't send private messages yet since i haven't post enough yet.I think two should be enough,what do you think. How many water changes did you do while using the fluke tabs for those four days or more? My email is bolojr904@yahoo.com. Thanks in advanced bro.

If you find some Fluke Tabs, I didn't do any water changes during the 4 day treatment, but increased and did several medium size water changes, one per day, after the treatment period was over. Additionally, I swapped out a my carbon daily a couple times post treatment as well. Usually, folks are doing one tab per 100 net gallons of tank water.

[brannock_16]

Where can I find some fluke tabs for sale? Does anyone have some for this thread for sale? I need to treat a 120 gallon with 40 breeder sump that is overridden with these stupid little cloves! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

[nycpassat]

I treated my tank with a 1/2 tablet of fluke tabs (many thanks to AcroporAdict) in my 55 gallon/25 gallon sump and gave it a 7-8 day treatment without water changes. Fluke tabs are nearly impossible to get, I purchased a few more tabs just in case. Be sure to remove any chemical media in there prior to dosing. I noticed on the 2nd day that i didn't remove a carbon/phosphate pad and wasn't getting any results. Once the pad was removed, the BPC almost shriveled up overnight. The xenia i had also acted the same. The GSP however, took a bit longer (two weeks) before it died.

Its worthwhile to mention shrimps should be removed prior to treating. Its great to note that none of my corals suffered any damage and I have a mixed reef. Surprisingly, i have two toadstools and they are doing well. All is all, if no other solutions work out, this is way to go.

[Tomoko Schum]

Its great to note that none of my corals suffered any damage and I have a mixed reef. Surprisingly, i have two toadstools and they are doing well.

Do you have any other softies such as ricordea?

[nycpassat]

I have two orange yumas, zoanthids and palythoas

[Tomoko Schum]

So the yumas were not affected at all?

I have a few orange yumas and pink yumas and some blue ricordea. I was going to move them, but I may leave those that are attached to large rocks.

[Sneds]

I am really a happy man!!!

It has been about a week or so since I started treating, and it appears that the fluke tabs took the entire clove polyp infestation out. My rock looks very strange, it is almost bare, no coralline at all. I did my first big water change last night, and started my carbon this morning. I think the only loss was my porcelain crab, I couldn't catch him, he never came out of the rock anyway. Not that I wish I couldn't have saved him, but I was at the breaking point.

I'm gonna keep a close eye on my levels, my skimmer has gone a bit nuts after restarting last night. I plan on big water changes every other day or so for the next week, then I may introduce a leather that I put in the hospital tank, I guess I may loose it as well.

Thanks again for all the help. Lesson learned.

[AcroporAddict]

I am really a happy man!!!

It has been about a week or so since I started treating, and it appears that the fluke tabs took the entire clove polyp infestation out. My rock looks very strange, it is almost bare, no coralline at all. I did my first big water change last night, and started my carbon this morning. I think the only loss was my porcelain crab, I couldn't catch him, he never came out of the rock anyway. Not that I wish I couldn't have saved him, but I was at the breaking point.

I'm gonna keep a close eye on my levels, my skimmer has gone a bit nuts after restarting last night. I plan on big water changes every other day or so for the next week, then I may introduce a leather that I put in the hospital tank, I guess I may loose it as well.

Thanks again for all the help. Lesson learned.

Keep an eye out for a red cyano bloom. That is what I had after I killed the Blue Cloves. You still have a lot of decaying tissue on the rocks. I did a ChemiClean treatmnent about two weeks after the Fluke Tab treatment and it worked like a charm. I hated doing ChemiClean right after the Fluke Tabs, but what can I say, it works!!!!:D

[Sneds]

Ya Acro, things look pretty bad. I'll still take it over a tank full of blue. Some things look good, corals popping open for the first time since dosing, gonna do another water change in the morning. I actually have a couple Zoo's still alive, maybe 10 polyps out of an original 200. My ro/di has been pumpin solid for 2 days, I have a 120gal full of fresh ro/di ready to mix into my 30 gal mixing tank. I just need a new bucket of Salinty salt, which is 1 hour drive each way. All this because I made a rookie mistake. Since blue clove polyp is such a problem to get rid of seeing the only solution is all but unavailable, I wish it was better known as a coral that needs to be avoided in most situations, just the list of people in this thread that are in need of help prove that. Enough threads about ph and "how come I have algae", this is a real problem, with no solution. Blue Clove Polyps- STAY AWAY!! Next big problem, your AEFW. I hope that is never a problem for me. Thanks man.

[Tomoko Schum]

things look pretty bad.

This scares me. Keep us posted about your progress a little while longer. I sure hope that I will not lose any corals when I treat the tank to eradicate xenia...

[bmullikin1]

Sneds, how much did you dose, i had no problems w any of my zoa's only leathers, and a few mexican turbo snails, but i my have had a smaller infestation than you, thankfully no cyno after either.

[Tomoko Schum]

So I suppose I should get rid of as much xenia as I can manually before I dose the tank...

[AcroporAddict]

I want to remind everyone reading this thread that the use of Fluke Tabs to kill out of control Blue Clove Polyps, Xenia, etc., is not the primary purpose of Fluke Tabs, so you use this product for that purpose at your own risk. Any and all practices described here regarding dosage, post treatment removal, what corals/fish inverts are or are not affected, are purely experiential (anecdotal). I would not tell anyone to use them if you have a small patch or two. I would use kalk paste or something similar if you don't have a major infestation.

I used Fluke Tabs as a last ditch effort before breaking down a 300 gallon reef that had 4-5 square feet of blue clove polyps, and that was after trying and failing with every other removal method I could. I only had a couple posts about other's experience to go on when I tried Fluke Tabs, so I really didn't know what to expect, but I was so desperate I did it, and the way I did it worked for me.

I hope this thread will help others deal with the problem of these nuisance corals in our reef tanks. By sharing our combined experience, both good and bad, we can hopefully help others in the hobby.

[nycpassat]

Keep an eye out for a red cyano bloom. That is what I had after I killed the Blue Cloves. You still have a lot of decaying tissue on the rocks. I did a ChemiClean treatmnent about two weeks after the Fluke Tab treatment and it worked like a charm. I hated doing ChemiClean right after the Fluke Tabs, but what can I say, it works!!!!:D

Now that you mentioned it, I had a little bit of red cyano after the treatment. Keep up with your water changes and test your levels.

[wdt2000]

Anyone have issues with the fluke tabs and anemones?

[AcroporAddict]

Anyone have issues with the fluke tabs and anemones?

I had a few majanos that seemed to come through just fine.

[wdt2000]

I had a few majanos that seemed to come through just fine.

Got to love that:headwalls:

I have one rose and one carpet that look irritated. It could be that all the anthelia around the anemones has wilted and allowed more light to reach the anemones.

At any rate the anthelia is dying fast!!

[brannock_16]

Does anyone experience with a mag anemone or with clams?

[wdt2000]

My clams seem fine so far, but it has only been 24 hours.

[nycpassat]

I have three clams in the tank that survived the treatment w/o any issues.

[Tomoko Schum]

I treated a few of my rocks last weekend (15th) and I am happy to report that most of my xenia are almost all gone and the remainders appear to be struggling. A small patch of GSP has shrunk to almost nothing as well. This is a modified method, but it seems to work fine.

I cannot thank you enough, AcroporAddict, for starting this thread.

Here's what I did:

I removed as much xenia I could before treating the rocks to prevent any ammonia spike. There were still quite a few xenia on big rocks and the back wall where I could not reach.

I used one old Fluke Tab (4 to 5 years old tablet) in a gallon of water and dipped several rocks (with tiny bits of xenia tissue hanging on it) in the solution. I started rising a few of the rocks with fresh salt water, but then decided to put a few rocks back without rinsing it, hoping to kill the xenia left in the tank with a Fluke Tab residue.

In a few days, remaining xenias in my tank looked very tired and droopy while none of the tank inhabitant were affected. All my SPS's and LPS's came through just fine including encrusting Goniopora. My blue ricordia are doing fine as well.

I was hoping that the residual Fluke Tab will kill aiptasia but that did not happen. The ugly aiptasia are still thriving as far as I can tell. This is funny cause I used to use Fluke Tabs to kill hydra (fresh water aiptasia counterpart) in my fry tank.

In any event, Fluke Tab treatment seems to have worked out in my tank. I am going to do a water change this weekend and add a bag of GAC, too. Hopefully, none of these pests will come back. If they do, I will treat the whole tank with AcroporAddict's formula.

[AcroporAddict]

I'm really glad they worked for you Tomoko. I hope this thread helps others suffering with these pests. Funny, some folks don't consider Xenia and blue clove polyps pests, but at least this is a resource for those that do.

It is unfortunate that nuisance anemones are not affected. Mojanos make it through the treatment quite nicely, I say from personal experience. Aiptasia eating filefish work quite well for those, however.

[Tomoko Schum]

Thanks, AcroporAddict.

I was hoping that a fluke tab could take care of aiptasia, too. I am back to nuking them with kalk paste again.

A few months ago, I actually borrowed Aiptasia eating filefish from a local reefer friend and it ate all my aiptasia.

However, it did not completely eradicate their feet which were hidden deep in the rocks. I returned the filefish back to my friend, and after a month or so, the aiptasia came back. I would like to borrow the fish again, but I am ambivalent since it ate an entire 4" x 2" colony of my Radioactive Green zoanthid overnight just before it went home (his reason for going home.)

[AcroporAddict]

Thanks, AcroporAddict.

I was hoping that a fluke tab could take care of aiptasia, too. I am back to nuking them with kalk paste again.

A few months ago, I actually borrowed Aiptasia eating filefish from a local reefer friend and it ate all my aiptasia.

However, it did not completely eradicate their feet which were hidden deep in the rocks. I returned the filefish back to my friend, and after a month or so, the aiptasia came back. I would like to borrow the fish again, but I am ambivalent since it ate an entire 4" x 2" colony of my Radioactive Green zoanthid overnight just before it went home (his reason for going home.)

Yup.......filefish are basically a control measure and not an elimination measure. There are places even they cannot reach.

Funny you said that about your eating some Zoas. My 465 gallon reef is all SPS, and in the last couple days I've noticed small chunks here and there taken out of a couple of my SPS. These are not bite marks, but actual little chunks being gone, like the way a trigger would bite a coral. I have nothing in the tank that could do that except two of these filefish. So they may be exiting my tanks soon as well.

Nice thing about aiptasia eating filefish is they are extremely easy to remove from a reef tank if they start that bad behavior.

[TampaSnooker]

Does anyone know of a predator that eats these demons? I have large sinularia, nephthea and sympodium colonies that I don't want to lose. Also, I'd like to return them to the display once the treatment is done. Does anyone have info on how long it takes to remove residual medication and put corals back?

[merkywater]

Anyone know how cleaner shrimp, christmas tree worms, and gorgonians do with this treatment?

[Tomoko Schum]

I have large sinularia, nephthea and sympodium colonies that I don't want to lose.

Isn't the blue polyp a type of sympodium?

[TampaSnooker]

Isn't the blue polyp a type of sympodium?

Not this one, however my dealer sells it at "blue polyp" Sympodium is more like a short xenia in growth form - mine are about 1 1/2" tall dark blue stalk and green tips. My type of "blue clove polyp" is 1/8" polyp that stands out up to 1/4" and has a weblike net of connective runners. Sympodium leaves a trail like xenia as it spreads where new polyps sprout from. I think we are all fighting a few similar species and it seems clear that Fluke Tabs can kill all that are mentioned here. I've encountered 2 species of this "blue clove" myself and neither looks exactly like the pics I've seen of others. I've seen 2 distint size and patterns in grey - blue. Most of the other pics seem to show solid color that is blue-purple.

[kar2oons]

Just received a couple fluke tabs and am anxiously awaiting to treat my 100g tank that has been overrun by the BSP, I have a Zoa dominated tank and the BSP I think is contributing to losing some. I do have a substantial amount of GSP two different kinds that I like but know will perish when I treat so I'm going to get in there and remove as much as possible. Does anyone know if it's possible some GSP will survive? I plan on taking before and after pics and posting as well, I first need to see what I have in my tank that could suffer i'm a little nervous about my RBTA.

[sunilp]

I have a bad blue clove problem in my tank. They're even growing on the sand. I have a few tangs in my tank with a mandrin goby. I doubt I will be able to remove them. Would these fish be affected? I can remove corals and add them back later.

[TampaSnooker]

I was debating about adding sand to smother the ones that are nestled in coralline algae on the bare bottom. Perhaps not...

[sunilp]

I am a little concerned that I can't add any coral for a few years until the chemical is completely gone as stated on page one of this thread. Since I don't have a lot of live rock, is it possible to remove all my rock into a large drum, treat the drum and then rinse and put the rock back? I also have some blue cloves on the sand bed that I can vacuum up. If I proceeded with the above, would there be any blue clove reminants left behind which could possibly reproduce?

[Tomoko Schum]

As I mentioned earlier, I dipped a few large rocks in Fluke tab solution outside of my 180 and put them back in the tank unrinsed about two weeks ago.

No fish was affected including my powder blue tang and wrasses.

I saw a few struggler blue xenia are starting to come back and so are a small patch of GSP although the majority of xenia are completely gone now. Obviously, a trace amount of the five or so years old Fluke tab is not strong enough to keep out these corals for a few years.

This morning I dissolved a 1/4 tablet in salt water and added it to the tank. This is definitely more than a trace amount. I will report back in a little while on the progress.

[sunilp]

That would be great if you can report back on that.

[merkywater]

I'm on Day 2 of the process loss both Shrimp, so definitely take any shrimp out if you have them. None of the other corals seem effected yet. Thought my RBTA was history but it seems to be fine today. Blue Cloves have wilted but not completely gone yet. Water is cloudy so probably have like two more days before completely dead. I will turn skimmer and carbon back on in 2 days.

[bad santa]

I started my treatment yesterday with 1/2 a tablet with a total water volume of 43gal.
After 24hrs the biggest patches have rescinded about 60% and the very small patches are about 80% gone. Ill post up some before/after pics this weekend.

[cmozz]

Can someone PM me that has some Fluke Tabs available? Please help, getting taken over by BCP. Will gladly pay to get a few tabs.

[cmozz]

I cannot PM anyone since I am a new member and haven't posted. Can someone PM me?

[cmozz]

Thanks, Dave, for PMing me

[tanker7]

can anyone tell me where i might purchase fluketabs? thanks

[givinggoodwill]

like others in this thread, I am having difficulty sourcing the tabs. acropor addict, can you email me at hydrogeo@gmail.com? Thanks.

[sunilp]

does anyone have any better results with these tabs?

[AcroporAddict]

does anyone have any better results with these tabs?

Everyone that has treated them that has posted about it in this thread has had success. My Blue Clove Polyps were all killed using Fluke Tabs 8 months ago and they have not returned.

[sunilp]

I am going to add the tabs after the holidays. I would not recommend scrubbing the polyps off rocks in the tank. They multiplied 10 fold over night when I did this.

[sunilp]

Everyone that has treated them that has posted about it in this thread has had success. My Blue Clove Polyps were all killed using Fluke Tabs 8 months ago and they have not returned.

Have you adde your leathers back? Is it safe to add anything you want or will there be trace amounts in your tank?

[AcroporAddict]

Have you adde your leathers back? Is it safe to add anything you want or will there be trace amounts in your tank?

I keep an all SPS tank. I have no leathers in the tank to start with. I did prior to treatment, but have since upgraded to a 465 tank, including all the treated rock, and that one is Bare bottom and all SPS, which are not affected by treatment using fluke Tabs. I got rid of my leather corals. But post treatment, any LPS or SPS can be put back into the tank, as far as I know.

The notion that you cannot add leathers any more is something I passed on from the initial information I gathered on using Fluke Tabs. What I have told people that have PM'd me about using Fluke Tabs is that after treatment and removal of the medication from the water column, they try a small piece of leather as a test coral to see how it does back in the water post treatment.

If you want to keep corals related to or similar to Blue Clove Polyps such as other types of anthelia, clavularia, and xenia, feather dusters, and maybe leathers in your tank, then using Fluke Tabs may not be for you. For you, a complete tank tear down might be in order. Then you can kill the stuff using bleach, hydrogen peroxide, or whatever, and not lose the ability to put anything else you want back in the tank because you'd have no residual chemicals to worry about.

Your husbandry goals may be inconsistent with Fluke Tab use, so the decision to use them or not should be made carefully by anyone.

[Ralph ATL]

Everyone that has treated them that has posted about it in this thread has had success. My Blue Clove Polyps were all killed using Fluke Tabs 8 months ago and they have not returned.

does anyone have any better results with these tabs?


not good enough, lol! I want 110% success!

:hmm4:

[TampaSnooker]

But post treatment, any LPS or SPS can be put back into the tank, as far as I know.



What is the effect on LPS corals? I have some ginormous wall hammers and frogspawns. Has anyone noticed issues with them when treating with fluke tabs?

[AcroporAddict]

What is the effect on LPS corals? I have some ginormous wall hammers and frogspawns. Has anyone noticed issues with them when treating with fluke tabs?

I had a 30 gallon frag tank in the same system as my 300 when I treated, and I saw no effect on RBTAs, chalices (LPS), zoas or meat corals (LPS). No hammers or frogspawns, but I don't think it would hurt them either.

Please don't take this as fact, but it seems that one defining characteristic regarding negative effects of Fluke Tabs on corals is whether the coral secretes a calcareous skeleton or not, outside of zoanthids/palys/anemones not being affected either. Calcium carbonate skeleton secreting corals don't seem to be affected by Fluke Tabs.

Just from my own anecdotal experience, and that of others I know have used them:

Fluke Tabs kill: anthelia, xenia, clavularia, feather dusters, leathers.

Fluke Tabs may possibly kill: snails or shrimp.

No effects: SPS, LPS, Anemones, zoas, palys, fish.

Long term issues after treatment: You may not be able to keep anthelia, xenia, or clavularia for years after treatment due to residual chemicals on the treated live rock. This may or may not include leather corals, but that has yet to be determined.

[zooman72]

Anyone have any experience with the use of fluke tabs and possible effects on gorgonians? I have a 29g gorgonian-dominated tank with 5 flower nems and several patches of anthelia that hitched a ride on the live rock.

I would love to eliminate the anthelia, but don't want to harm any of my gorgonians. I read a case on another forum where the aquarist did have gorgonians die, but have not found any other cases, and it has not been mentioned here...

[AcroporAddict]

Anyone have any experience with the use of fluke tabs and possible effects on gorgonians? I have a 29g gorgonian-dominated tank with 5 flower nems and several patches of anthelia that hitched a ride on the live rock.

I would love to eliminate the anthelia, but don't want to harm any of my gorgonians. I read a case on another forum where the aquarist did have gorgonians die, but have not found any other cases, and it has not been mentioned here...

Thank you for your post. I don't have any gorgonians myself, but hopefully someone that has treated with Fluke Tabs with gorgonians in the tank will respond.

[TampaSnooker]

Just reread the thread to make sure this hasn't been covered.
Yumas and FL rics are supposed to be unaffected as well as 'nems. How about Discosoma and Rhodactis? I would assume that they would be OK but did anyone keep these species during treatment? Rhodactis can be finnicky.

[Dave & Monica]

Boy it took a lot of searching, is this the product. I believe so...

http://www.nbponds.com/medication/fluketabs.html

[TampaSnooker]

My package of Fluke Tabs says it contains the active ingredients methyl-5-benzoyl benzimidazole-2-carbamate and dimethyl (2,2,2-trichloro-1-hydroxyethyl) phosphonate.

From the link: (methyl-5-benzol-benaimidizole-2-carbamate) and (dimethyl 2,2,2-trichloro-1-hydroxyethyl) phosphonate).

A couple spelling differences but looks like it. I notice a copyright of 2003 on the website though.

[AcroporAddict]

double post.

[AcroporAddict]

From the link: (methyl-5-benzol-benaimidizole-2-carbamate) and (dimethyl 2,2,2-trichloro-1-hydroxyethyl) phosphonate).

A couple spelling differences but looks like it. I notice a copyright of 2003 on the website though.

AP made Fluke Tabs and Pond Fluke Tabs. Not sure if there is any difference, but you cannot order it from nbponds.com any more. Did you click the link? It goes to an ecommerce webstore marketing site.

[zooman72]

Bumping.....anyone have any experiences with gorgonians?

[cmozz]

Update on my experience.

Wasn't able to get my shrimp out....they died the first day
Approx. half my snails didn't survive.
Green Star Polyps didn't make it.
No issues with my frogspawn or hammer corals. Remaining SPS, Ricordia, zoos, all did fine. Sorry, no experience with gorgonians.

The BCP are completely gone and I never did have a cyano outbreak as others have. My phosphates did increase and have been doing at least 10% weekly water changes but at last check still at .07

[gedsta]

Hello from the UK!

Has anyone any of these fluke tabs available that I could buy to use in my tank?

Many thanks.

[TampaSnooker]

Sympodium, Palau Nephthea and Sinularia removed. Had to sacrifice the tri-color cloves since there was bcp throughout its mat.
Dosed 1 tap in my 180 this morning. Good riddance - they underwent sexual reproduction after my last attack on them manually and they are everywhere. Not for long...

[AcroporAddict]

Update on my experience.

Wasn't able to get my shrimp out....they died the first day
Approx. half my snails didn't survive.
Green Star Polyps didn't make it.
No issues with my frogspawn or hammer corals. Remaining SPS, Ricordia, zoos, all did fine. Sorry, no experience with gorgonians.

The BCP are completely gone and I never did have a cyano outbreak as others have. My phosphates did increase and have been doing at least 10% weekly water changes but at last check still at .07

Congratulations on finally being done with that pest. I lost a few of my snails when I treated as well. Glad you didn't have any cyano after treatment. I had to use ChemiClean post treatment myself.

To anyone reading this thread: I would suggest you read the entire thread front to back, and know that Fluke Tab treatment is a last ditch effort. Don't use it if you can kill your Blue Clove Polyps any other way. I did it as a last ditch effort before a total tank teardown on a 300 gallon reef.

[gedsta]

I did it as a last ditch effort before a total tank teardown on a 300 gallon reef.

I have a 75g tank which is completely overrun with Brown GSP - Short of pulling out all the LR I am at a complete loss. Fluke Tabs are my last resort. :(

[Ralph ATL]

Congratulations on finally being done with that pest. I lost a few of my snails when I treated as well. Glad you didn't have any cyano after treatment. I had to use ChemiClean post treatment myself.

To anyone reading this thread: I would suggest you read the entire thread front to back, and know that Fluke Tab treatment is a last ditch effort. Don't use it if you can kill your Blue Clove Polyps any other way. I did it as a last ditch effort before a total tank teardown on a 300 gallon reef.


Hey Dave!
besides snails & shimp.....

What about Pistol Shrimp? and deaths or issues reported?

[AcroporAddict]

Hey Dave!
besides snails & shimp.....

What about Pistol Shrimp? and deaths or issues reported?

I'd remove any pistol shrimp from the tank before treatment. I don't think Fluke Tabs mix well with crustaceans. I have no reports of them dying, but if other shimps die, why not a pistol?

[david00061]

interesting thread. Like a dummy I let my wife buy a frag of these. I knew they might me trouble, so the frag stayed in my frag tank (frag tank is tied to display). 3 months later I had blue polyps on several zoa plugs. I tossed all frags that could see them on. 2 months later I still find a few here and there in frag tank. I use no filter socks. Do you think these guys made it to my display. I haven't seen any yet.

[SKurj]

Well this is a timely find..

My cloves aren't blue though, they are a dark purple, and spreading very fast. I was thinking my only way to get rid of them was to basically toss everything in my tank away (cept the fish and shrimp) and start again from scratch. This thread gives me hope... now to find some tabs.

Has anyone seen any affect on macro algae from this treatment? (i run a hob fuge with dsb, macro algae and live rubble)

[swannyson7]

Anyone know of a place that these can still be purchased? I've got anthelia throughout my SPS dominated 180 and this is my last resort after trying manual removal, lasers, and kalk to no avail. Thanks in advance!

[Tradewinds]

Anyone know why they quit selling fluke tabs? Seems like they are worth their weight in gold.

[david00061]

Anyone know what effect fluke tabs would have on a tub anemone?

[TampaSnooker]

Doubt that it will have any effect on a tube anemone. niether colonial nor independant anemones seem to be affected by fluke tabs.

[SKurj]

how about lobophora algae?

Be nice if I could kill 2 birds with one stone...

[swannyson7]

This thread seems to be pretty active, but I still don't know where to find them. Has anyone found a place that still sells them?

[sunilp]

I decided to take the plunge and start treatment today. I removed the leather and coco worm I had. I have a shrimp somewhere in there which I can't find. Skimmer is off, carbon and gfo are off. Water turned cloudy a bit but nothing serious. I will let you all know results after day one tomorrow. I have a serious blue clove problem in my tank. hopefully this will solve all of it.

[swannyson7]

For anyone who tried dipping, how long did you leave them in the solution? I'm thinking of setting up a 20L with one tab and dipping rocks one by one to prevent a huge nutrient spike. Most of the rocks that are infested with anthelia can easily be removed and I'm a bit weary to dose the whole tank if it can be avoided.

Also, has anyone tried to reintroduce their leathers after the treatment? I have a Palau nepthea and a Green toadstool that I'd like the add back to the tank, but if I lose them it's not a huge deal.

[sunilp]

24 hours has not passed yet but I can see the silver clove polyps are not fully open today with lights on.

[sunilp]

A little over a day now. All the clove polyps are very tiny and shrunken down. Shall I scrape them off with a brush or leave them alone?

[gedsta]

A big thanks from the UK to Dave, one tablet in for about 10 hours or so now, and my brown GSP has finally started to retract.

No casualties so far, all fish are active, hermits and snails on view seem to be alive, and both RBTA are looking OK

All other LPS and corals seem to be OK so far as well.

Once again thanks mate, as I was so peeved with my tank and 90% or so coverage of brown GSP - This has given me the kick up the backside I needed to move on and upgrade my tank, which is happening in the next 2 weeks ;)

[david00061]

I added six tabs today. I'm running a 500 display, 30 refegium, 33 frag, and 100 sump.

[gedsta]

Just to update this thread, all of my brown GSP has now died completely, no other casualties that I can see.

Roll on Saturday for the upgrade.

Once again many thanks Dave.

[david00061]

I started fluke tabs Sunday afternoon 01/19. Thursday i did 25% water change, started skimming, running carbon, and gfo.
I had very few blue star polyps and I got a cyno bloom. I traded in my 12" lime green toadstool for a nice SPS. I cut 4 frags off of toadstool left one piece in tank took other 3 to friends. I will introduce another piece in a month and see if it lives. My 2 bubble tips shrunk up into digestive mode Sunday night and are looking a little better today. My tube anemone was stressed and still is stressed. I will do another 165 gallon water change today. No casualties other then leather. next weekend I will use chemclean for cyno.
I did take my lime green goniopora and red with purple center goniopora out just to be safe. i'll introduce frags of those in a month or so.
Has anyone had any goniopora with treatment?

[SBV]

I will buy a frag off you guy's if you are willing to sell some.

PM me.

Rock on, Michael

[AcroporAddict]

Just to update this thread, all of my brown GSP has now died completely, no other casualties that I can see.

Roll on Saturday for the upgrade.

Once again many thanks Dave.

You are very welcome. Glad to help.

As I have said many times, isn't it great to be out from that pest? Everyone that has used these has been glad they did. But to anyone contemplating using Fluke Tabs, I would advise them to completely read this thread to get a full understanding of the risks involved, and what is or is not affected/killed by the Fluke Tabs. This is a last ditch effort, the only other alternative being breaking down the tank completely and starting new or bleaching the live rock down to bare surface.

You need to be pretty desperate to use these. I was.

This is a non-specified use of this medication, like Interceptor for Red Bugs.

I started fluke tabs Sunday afternoon 01/19. Thursday i did 25% water change, started skimming, running carbon, and gfo.
I had very few blue star polyps and I got a cyno bloom. I traded in my 12" lime green toadstool for a nice SPS. I cut 4 frags off of toadstool left one piece in tank took other 3 to friends. I will introduce another piece in a month and see if it lives. My 2 bubble tips shrunk up into digestive mode Sunday night and are looking a little better today. My tube anemone was stressed and still is stressed. I will do another 165 gallon water change today. No casualties other then leather. next weekend I will use chemclean for cyno.
I did take my lime green goniopora and red with purple center goniopora out just to be safe. i'll introduce frags of those in a month or so.
Has anyone had any goniopora with treatment?

Glad to see it worked for you Dave. It is very stressful to have to use something like this, but I am still glad I did a year after doing it.

I had a cyano bloom after I treated as well. That seems to be a hit and miss after effect of the Fluke Tab treatment. But ChemiClean works perfectly IME. Just use it according to directions.

[nanotank]

Ok read it all. Just want to make sure sympodium is ok to leave in? Also if you pull your snails how long until you can put the back in? While the bcp r shriveling up has anyone tried to suck them out?

Thanks

[TampaSnooker]

I pulled all my Sympodium. I highly doubt that it would survive, considering what everyone is killing off with Fluke Tabs. All softies are succeptable. Zoas, shrooms and 'nems seem to be OK. Although my RBTA shrunk up to 1/10 it's size for a couple days following dosage - it's fine now, but it was the first species to show a reaction to the drug.
I lost a couple snails; CB shrimp OK.

[AcroporAddict]

Ok read it all. Just want to make sure sympodium is ok to leave in? Also if you pull your snails how long until you can put the back in? While the bcp r shriveling up has anyone tried to suck them out?

Thanks

I think sympodium would be a gonner with Fluke Tabs.

[nanotank]

Cool.. How long have people been keeping the corals susceptible to the fluke out after treatment. These damn thing have exploded. I never bought them figured they must have hitch hiked on a frag plug or something other.

[TampaSnooker]

Cool.. How long have people been keeping the corals susceptible to the fluke out after treatment. These damn thing have exploded. I never bought them figured they must have hitch hiked on a frag plug or something other.

I think that falls in the to be determined category. Hopefully some of the earlier posters will share. I'm moving my 180 that I just treated to my aquaculture lab next week, now that the BCP issue is resolved. I'll have guinea pigs available and will post successes and failures as I experiment.

I keep seeing these things for sale at LFS. Managers say they sell like crazy. All I can do is warn them...

[nanotank]

sounds good.. Ya back in the day GSP was the worst...

[TampaSnooker]

my BCP came back this week. the only species on the list to survive.

[AcroporAddict]

my BCP came back this week. the only species on the list to survive.

Well, that is a first. I am sorry about that. I noticed in your earlier post you treated a 180 with just one tab. Maybe the 1 tab per 100 net gallons is a good guideline?

[TampaSnooker]

Fortunately, I still have another tab. Hopefully there is enough residual drug in the water already so that my other tab will knock it out. The tank is being moved to my lab on Monday. I"ll dose the other tab then, rather than dilute it out due to water loss on the move.
Then I"ll start experimenting with how long it affects other softies. I'm also debating about replacing the rock during the move and going through every coral as it's harvested to ensure no BCP after the move.
I'm fairly confident that bleach and acid would take care of them...

[david00061]

Color Tube Anemone died last week. The fluke tabs stressed him out real bad.

[david00061]

my BCP came back this week. the only species on the list to survive.

that stinks

[TampaSnooker]

We moved the display tank on Friday. Since I only had 1 tab left for the 180, I made a 10 gal dip bin with a fluke tab in it. Soaked everything that had bcp or was in contact with them for 10 min at the high dose; soaked every bit of live rock (aquascape was only 6 primary rocks-all over 25#). When I set it back up, I made sure to pour every drop of water from that bin into the tank. No sign of the bcp at this time; massive die off of microfauna - same as before. Tomorrow, I'll degunk the tank. No carbon; no skimmer at this time.
If it comes back, I"ll probably go ahead and replace the rock and toss whatever else it grown on into a noxious death by acid.
I have some softies that I"m eager to return to the DT, so I"ll post up as soon as I can grow sympodium in it again :)

[TampaSnooker]

Maybe the 1 tab per 100 net gallons is a good guideline?

Take this to heart, kids. My frugal Scottish heritage steered me to use only one of the two tabs I obtained... :headwally:

1 tab per 100 gal should be a good guideline for whole tank treatment.

[sunilp]

FINAL ASSESSMENT: Guys and gals, I wanted to give an update after using the fluke tabs to treat my blue clove polyp problem.

1. I had a severe blue clove polyp problem. It seemed like everyday they would spread to new locations. I had them on all rocks, in betweek zoas, glass, sand bed, etc... There was no end to them and everytime I tried to remove them, it seemed like i made the problem worse.

2. my tank is 175 gallon bowfront with 30 gallon sump.

3. I dissolved 2 tabs in a glass of water and dumped the contents in my sump.

4. GFO, Charcoal were removed, and skimmer stopped.

DAY 1 - NO CHANGE

DAY 2 - Not much of a change. Cloves were a little smaller.

DAY 3 - Cloves smaller in size

DAY 4 - Cloves even smaller.

DAY 5 - Cloves much smaller.

DAY 6 - Resumed skimmer and charcoal. Performed 30 gallon change.

My feeling is that even though the skimmer is started and charcoal added, there will still be trace amounts of the drug in the water which will still be treating.

DAY 7 - Performed another water change of 30 gallons.

All cloves are almost gone or tiny dots now.

I will performed another 30 gallons on day 10.

Every single clove polyp is gone for good. The treatment worked. It has been more than 1 month now. No ill effects on any of organism.

I lost my COLT coral in the process. All other SPS and LPS are fine. I removed the coco worm and toadstool prior to treatment.

[AcroporAddict]

FINAL ASSESSMENT: Guys and gals, I wanted to give an update after using the fluke tabs to treat my blue clove polyp problem.

1. I had a severe blue clove polyp problem. It seemed like everyday they would spread to new locations. I had them on all rocks, in betweek zoas, glass, sand bed, etc... There was no end to them and everytime I tried to remove them, it seemed like i made the problem worse.

2. my tank is 175 gallon bowfront with 30 gallon sump.

3. I dissolved 2 tabs in a glass of water and dumped the contents in my sump.

4. GFO, Charcoal were removed, and skimmer stopped.

DAY 1 - NO CHANGE

DAY 2 - Not much of a change. Cloves were a little smaller.

DAY 3 - Cloves smaller in size

DAY 4 - Cloves even smaller.

DAY 5 - Cloves much smaller.

DAY 6 - Resumed skimmer and charcoal. Performed 30 gallon change.

My feeling is that even though the skimmer is started and charcoal added, there will still be trace amounts of the drug in the water which will still be treating.

DAY 7 - Performed another water change of 30 gallons.

All cloves are almost gone or tiny dots now.

I will performed another 30 gallons on day 10.

Every single clove polyp is gone for good. The treatment worked. It has been more than 1 month now. No ill effects on any of organism.

I lost my COLT coral in the process. All other SPS and LPS are fine. I removed the coco worm and toadstool prior to treatment.

Really glad it worked for you. Another successful use of Fluke Tabs to get rid of those little devils. For many folks, getting up the nerve to actually use these in our beloved reefs is probably the hardest part.

[bushnell]

I cant seem to find fluke tabs here in Canada. This product has similar ingrediants. Is it the same thing?

http://www.jlaquatics.com/product/md-mcl100/Mardel+Clout+Fish+Medication+-+100+Tablet.html

[rlpardue]

I've read the entire thread and my concern is for the microfauna, pods, mysids, and various crustaceans that I've tried so hard to keep alive in my system. So far, it sounds like using the fluke tabs has mixed results on crustaceans such as shrimp. I hate my blue cloves, but since I"m about to move to a bigger tank I may as well nuke my current rock and re-start with some fresh LR.

[AcroporAddict]

I cant seem to find fluke tabs here in Canada. This product has similar ingrediants. Is it the same thing?

http://www.jlaquatics.com/product/md-mcl100/Mardel+Clout+Fish+Medication+-+100+Tablet.html

That is Clout, and while it is made by the same company as the one that made Fluke Tabs, it is not the same medication. I had a PM conversation with a fellow reefer that wanted to use Clout, and it did not kill his Blue Clove Polyps.

My information was via PM only, so take it for what it is worth, but that is what I was told.

[AcroporAddict]

I've read the entire thread and my concern is for the microfauna, pods, mysids, and various crustaceans that I've tried so hard to keep alive in my system. So far, it sounds like using the fluke tabs has mixed results on crustaceans such as shrimp. I hate my blue cloves, but since I"m about to move to a bigger tank I may as well nuke my current rock and re-start with some fresh LR.

If you are thinking of using Fluke Tabs, I would just count on losing your crustaceans and if they live, then you have a bonus.

My 300 gallon reef was back on track shortly after I treated. Main issue I had to deal with post treatment was a decent cyano bloom, but Chemi-Clean made short work of it.

Do not use fluke Tabs unless you are comfortable with the risks, is the best advice I can give anyone thinking about it.

If you have not done so yet, read this entire thread. I can tell you that this thread is the single best information resource for this use of Fluke Tabs on the internet right now. Before this there were none, basically. The collective experience of everyone posting here is very valuable, and I, for one, appreciate everyone's posts in it.

[dodgerblew]

I have been tagging along this thread for several months now. First, a little history of how and why. I came across it researching a treatment for BCP for a fellow reefer in my area whose 200-300 gallon tank was just being overrun with the nuisance. I was over his house to pickup a couple frags of zoas when I saw it. It was devastating to see how it had taken over his tank and how it had affected his corals of all types. He was desperate. I came home and searched RC under the keywords "kill clove polyps" and I came across this thread. I told him of it, he read it and then decided to try the treatment. He got a hold of the dosage and treated his tank and lo and behold his nightmare according to him is over and tank is on the rebound :celeb1:

However, this is not the end of the story. I don't know if it was from him, or from another reefer from whom I picked up a frag and then found out later on is also dealing with this pest, but somehow it has been introduced into my tank. Interestingly, it started to grow in an area where I did not put any of the potentially infected frags but on only on rock at the top of my tank. These zoa frags were placed on the bottom of my tank. In any event, about a month after putting the frags in my tank the polyps appeared. I am lucky as I seem to only have it on the one rock but it has been spreading at a good pace so I figured I best get to it before it became my nuisance as well! I got one tab and quartered it. I have a 28 nano and figuring for sand and rock I have 20-25gal of water so a 1/4 tab should be enough.
I started the treatment Wednesday afternoon. I had considered doing a dip outside of tank with the affected rock but after consultation decided to treat entire tank in case there is some I don't see. I removed a baby toadie leather before treatment and gave to a friend. The tank is an LPS/zoa dominated tank with emphasis on Acans, very very nice acans, as well as favia, leptastrea and very nice Zs n Ps. Tank also has several sps, two mini maxi nems, discosoma and yuma rics as well as fish. Inverts are a couple nassarius and a couple astrea snails and a couple red leg hermits. Followed the lead of the others in turning off skimmer, reactor etc. After 24 hrs polyps seemed to not be extended and closing up. I am now 48 hrs into treatment and polyps are completely closed. I can see the little gray balls were the polyps would be extending from but there is not a polyp open. I am posting a few pics. The first is from 2 weeks ago when I was shooting a pic of pectinia and when I really made the decision to treat because the pic showed it in a way that my naked eye didn't see it and then just a few min ago to show you the difference in 48 hours. Forgive the poor photo skills!
2 weeks ago before treatment
http://i523.photobucket.com/albums/w355/j0hn316/IMG_0037_zpsf37d4d56.jpg
http://i523.photobucket.com/albums/w355/j0hn316/IMG_0023_zpsb2ed6845.jpg
today, 48 hrs into the treatment
http://i523.photobucket.com/albums/w355/j0hn316/IMG_0038_zpsc748f4df.jpg
http://i523.photobucket.com/albums/w355/j0hn316/IMG_0039_zps90e70dde.jpg

After 48 hours, no corals of any type seem affected at all, nems show no effect, snails are fine and fish are fine. I don't see hermits but I don't see them a lot anyway so don't know about them. So far so very good. Actually was looking in tank and did see one of the hermits doing its thing grazing on LR!! Even better

[david00061]

I did treatment on 1/19/2013. 2/15 I added a leather frag. It is looking good 7 days later

[david00061]

My leather is still doing fine. I put a coco worm in a week ago he is fine. My guess is all of the traces of the fluke tabs are gone

[ChefZilla]

Ok... I'm taking the plunge. Did a 25 gallon water change today. Used that water and set up a frag tank with a heater and skimmer. I took out my cheato (to save as many pods as I can) and as many snails and crabs as I could catch. I'm going to wait till tomorrow to dose my tank. I have about 130 gallons of water so I will do 1 1/3 of a tab. I'm dealing with red clove polyps myself and it looks like cyano eww.

[sczlars]

Thanks, Dave!

I'm at the end of day 4 of treatment here. 20g tank (no sump); I dissolved roughly a 5th-6th of a tab. Blue cloves look dead now, and I'm going to try to vacuum out as much of the tissue as I can, soon. Only other casualty seems to be a pink sponge that was growing on the LR. My RBTA got stressed, but hung in there, and is more expanded today. everything else seems fine (Torches, chalices, acans, duncan, acropora, monitpora, zoas, palys, etc). The amphipods were still moving around yesterday, so they may be fine too.

Does anyone know if this drug has any effect on vermetid snails (pest no.2)?

--Lars

[TampaSnooker]

Chef - can you post a pic of the red polyps?

After about 9 weeks, my BCP came back. Again. My treatment is on p6 of this thread. I accidentally did a 1/2 dose - 1 tab on a 180 followed by a strong dip when I moved the tank - 1 tab in a 20 gal tub that everything got a 20-40 min bath in. All affected rocks and frags were moved over in that tub so many of them got much longer - up to 2 hours soak. I then added that water to the tank when I set it back up. Looked good til last week...

I think that we are all looking at half a dozen species here. I'm seeing some for sale at a reputable store in S Tampa, despite my pleas that they get rid of it. Fools...

[rich850]

Does anyone know where to find some fluke tabs?

[cjhaack]

My leather is still doing fine. I put a coco worm in a week ago he is fine. My guess is all of the traces of the fluke tabs are gone

David,
Is the coco worm and leather still good?

[david00061]

David,
Is the coco worm and leather still good?

Yep doin great no signs of any fluke tab.

[pgammon]

I just wanted to add my experience eradicating pulsing xenia from my tank using Fluke Tabs. I tried the rock soak method using .5 tab in a bucket of water, the Xenia laughed at me. So, I dissolved the remaining 1.5 tabs in about 2-3 gallons of tank water and dipped a large rock covered with xenia for 5 minutes. I turned off the skimmer and phosphate reactor.
Day 1: Not much difference
Day 2: Xenia started to look like it was pulsing less
Day 3: Xenia definitely droopy
Fast forward to day 6, Xenia definitely on it's way out, most turning a bit brown on the ends and fading away
Day 7 I did a fairly large water change, turned skimmer and phosphate reactor back on

Tomorrow will be 2 weeks since treatment and almost all Xenia is gone, I am left with some stubs, but I don't think they'll come back. I didn't lose any Mexican Turbos and a coral banded shrimp that I didn't care for anyway seems no worse for the wear, it did molt 2nd day of treatment.

Thanks again Acropoaddict for supplying my tabs, my tank looks sooooo much better without all that Xenia!

[pgammon]

I meant to add, I also didn't lose any corals, I have mostly lps, Hammer, Frogspawn, Chalice, and a couple of plating monti's. All seem fine.

[sczlars]

Apr 9 - 12:00 NOON, I dissolved approx. 1/5-1/6 fluke tab in some water and added to my 20 gallon DT (no sump). Skimmer off.

DAY 1:
Apr 9 - 10:00PM: the RBTA is shrunken, and the cloves look unhappy, but it is night, so...
Apr 10 - 8:00AM: cloves definitely shrunken. RBTA somewhat shrunken, fish seem cautious.

DAY 2:
Apr 10 - 12:00 NOON: Bubble tip anemone just closed up. Small mystery anemone doesn't seem to be too bothered. The pink sponge doesn't look so good.
Apr 10 - 3:00PM: I'm noticing that the water is a bit cloudy, and the tank is beginning to smell bad. RBTA has is showing its tentacles a bit again. (was completely contracted earlier).

DAY 3:
Apr 11 - 12:00 NOON: pink sponge is definitely receding. Aphipods seem to be doing fine, as are the hermit crabs. Blue cloves are getting smaller...

DAY 4:
Apr 13 - 9:30am: water is cloudy, I think the blue cloves are dead; I touched some of them yesterday and they fell apart. Time to start vacuuming them out, if possible, and doing water changes. Pink sponge is toast. Everything else seems to be doing ok. The RBTA is more out today. Hermit crabs are still fine.
Apr 13 - NOON: started up the skimmer. Water changes tomorrow!

Apr 14 - 1pm: 5 gallon water change.
Apr 16 - 1pm: 2 gallon water change.
Apr 17 - 1pm: 3 gallon water change.
Apr 18 - 8pm: 2 gallon water change.

Need to vacuum up more dead blue cloves.. water quality can't be too good right now. Amphipods are still around and moving. No sign of life from the vermetid snails, so maybe a 2-fer-1 here!

some pics:

Day 2:
http://larsjohannesson.com/aquarium/reeftank/images2013/20130410-_DSC2001.jpg

http://larsjohannesson.com/aquarium/reeftank/images2013/20130410-_DSC2007.jpg

Day 3:
http://larsjohannesson.com/aquarium/reeftank/images2013/20130411-_DSC2012.jpg

Day 4:
http://larsjohannesson.com/aquarium/reeftank/images2013/20130413-_DSC2066.jpg

Day 6:
http://larsjohannesson.com/aquarium/reeftank/images2013/20130415-_DSC2308.jpg

at this point, May 12, those rocks are really clean :). The vermetid snails, however were just stunned for a while, it seems. The collinista snails, I think, all died, but I have a bunch in the QT tank, so I can reseed.

Thanks, Dave.

[liquidfunk]

I find this thread interesting, I have blue cloves in my tank and they grow all over but I have never had a single coral bothered by them. SPS push them back, LPS, ricordia etc all push these back and over run them rather than the cloves killing off other coral. To me they are like coraline, they simply grow where I havent placed a coral yet and spread up to the coral. Id much rather see these vs rock, but thats just my taste.

GSP, Xenia, zoas, shrooms etc are the opposite, I dont care what a zoa or shroom is worth or how bright it is, it will never go in my tank and march all over everything else. In fact I put every sundial snail I can find in my tank just to be sure I dont get a hitch hiker.

I guess my point is, if your concern is your other corals, I wouldnt worry. If you just dont like the look thats a different issue. Ive had these in my tank for years with just about everything from chalice, clams, sps, encrusing sps etc.

[AcroporAddict]

I find this thread interesting, I have blue cloves in my tank and they grow all over but I have never had a single coral bothered by them. SPS push them back, LPS, ricordia etc all push these back and over run them rather than the cloves killing off other coral. To me they are like coraline, they simply grow where I havent placed a coral yet and spread up to the coral. Id much rather see these vs rock, but thats just my taste.

GSP, Xenia, zoas, shrooms etc are the opposite, I dont care what a zoa or shroom is worth or how bright it is, it will never go in my tank and march all over everything else. In fact I put every sundial snail I can find in my tank just to be sure I dont get a hitch hiker.

I guess my point is, if your concern is your other corals, I wouldnt worry. If you just dont like the look thats a different issue. Ive had these in my tank for years with just about everything from chalice, clams, sps, encrusing sps etc.

Every reef tank is different. If they are not an issue in your tank, or you do not feel they are an issue, then don't do anything about it. But one thing no one should do is extrapolate that their reef tank and how things grow in their tank is representative of every other reef tank. It is just not an accurate process. Blue clove polyps in your tank do not necessarily grow/spread the same was an another person's tank. They may not threaten coral in your tank, but they definitely do in other tanks.

For some people they are not an issue, for others, a plague. I have a 100 mixed softy/LPS tank that has had blue cloves in it for several years and they are not an issue at all. They stay in one spot and don't invade other space. In my 300 gallon SPS tank they were an absolute plague. I started this thread based on the plague they were in the 300, not as the welcome member they are in my 100.

One factor related to these blue clove polyps relatively undiscussed is their overall impact on water quality. For example, in my 300 gallon SPS tank there was, guesstimated, roughly 4-5 square feet of the stuff on my Totoka rock. Refer to the before/after pics I posted when I started this thread. All animals secrete nitrogenous waste, mucous, hormones, alleles, whatever. In my 300 gallon when the blue clove polyps were at their worst, my ORP could not go above 250 (pretty low). After treatment, my average ORP went up by 100 to 350, or a 40% increase. My tank water became much cleaner after I got rid of the blue clove polyps, and the ORP went up. The BCP were easily the dominant form of life in the 300 gallon.

[david00061]

I have one fluke tab left I don't need it. If anyone wants it let me know. I paid $10.00 plus postage

[liquidfunk]

That's a good point acroporaaddict, I do let others know when sharing frags even if no cloves are present on the frag. Doubt it would transfer though.
I used to have a 100 pack of fluke tabs from when I had a store, they work awesome on AEFW, but the concentration is strong enough I don't think it would work as a whole tank treatment. If I have some still ill be happy to share, they will be 5-6 years old so I can't comment on potency anymore.

[givinggoodwill]

I did this as well. Fluke tabs are not necessary, just get mebendazole (100 mg in vermox) or safeguard (febendazole).

All I lost was a purple gorgonian, Purple Candelabra Eco-Gorg™
(Plexaura flexuosa) .

Here's my treatment link:

http://www.austinreefclub.com/topic/27441-mebendazole-to-kill-blue-clove-polyps/

[dodgerblew]

That's a good point acroporaaddict, I do let others know when sharing frags even if no cloves are present on the frag. Doubt it would transfer though.
I used to have a 100 pack of fluke tabs from when I had a store, they work awesome on AEFW, but the concentration is strong enough I don't think it would work as a whole tank treatment. If I have some still ill be happy to share, they will be 5-6 years old so I can't comment on potency anymore.FYI, they will transfer. I got my bcp from introducing a frag, 2 actually, from a tank that had bcp in it but nothing on the plugs. I had never had bcp prior.

[docstach]

Well, finding this thread at the right time. Lately I have noticed that my bcp is starting to expand fairly rapidly. Not quit at plaque proportions but growing quickly. If everything goes as planned I will be upgrading tanks (125g) in the next few weeks.

I was thinking when I move my rocks over I would scrub and much off as I can then try the concentrated dip method before moving the rocks into the new tank. This will hopefully allow me to pull out my snails and potentially affected corals.

Does anyone know where I can get a tab or two?

Thanks, Matt

[givinggoodwill]

google mebendazole or febendazole.

[TampaSnooker]

I'd love another few tabs to try again at full strength. My xs dip only knocked mine out for a few months and they have returned on a large rock in my dt that is full of my cherry zoas. In my case, I think it's just time to start ditching live rock and fragging out what I can without any substrate.

Liquidfunk - there are several species that are very different that are all lumped in the generic term "blue clove polyp". I've encountered at least 6 distinct species. 2 of them have survived my efforts to nuke them.

Dodger - they can reproduce sexually. Lucky you, getting free seeds...

[dodgerblew]

Dodger - they can reproduce sexually. Lucky you, getting free seeds...
Yay, lucky me.

I am just finishing up my third treatment, believe it or not! First 2 times, it reappeared within 4-6 weeks in same spot. It has not spread and only stays on an e-shopps frag rock. I followed the thread instructions but prior 2 times bcp (actually mine's more of a bwn/purp clove polyp) came back. Been 5 days today since I started the 3rd treatment. I will WC this afternoon, change out carbon and gfo and put reactors and skimmer back online. Hopefully 3rd time is the charm :deadhorse1:

[ChefZilla]

I'm dodgerblews fan...I mean friend. I have the red clove polyps and the tabs wiped em out for awhile. I used 1 2/3 tabs in 130 gallons of water...either way...they came back grrrr.. time to try 2 tabs or that other treatment

[TampaSnooker]

didgerblew and chefzilla - can you post pics of your species? Mine is a posted earlier in the thread. 3rd treatment beginning this week for me...

[dodgerblew]

I have pics of CP posted in this thread with some before and after first treatment. I have not seen any after 3rd treatment as of yet.

I also had no choice but to add a small toadstool leather back into my system 10-14 days after the last treatment (person who was holding it decided to break down his tank) and it is fine

[xrayjeeper83]

Had a friend just use the tabs on her 55 that was covered. Worked great, and I got a free leathers lol.

And after seeing what they can do I won't even get a coral if I see cloves anywhere in the tank lol

[TampaSnooker]

I did this as well. Fluke tabs are not necessary, just get mebendazole (100 mg in vermox) or safeguard (febendazole).

All I lost was a purple gorgonian, Purple Candelabra Eco-Gorg™
(Plexaura flexuosa) .

Here's my treatment link:

http://www.austinreefclub.com/topic/27441-mebendazole-to-kill-blue-clove-polyps/

This is good info. Thanks for sharing an alternate source for this drug.

I did my 3rd treatment with Fluke Tabs on my 180 4 days ago with 2 tabs dosed. Lost 2/4 gorgonians and an urchin. Interestingly there are 2 purple plume gorgs and 1 is fine. My flat blade gorg is also fine. I think the other one I lost was a candelabra as well.

It looks like there is a side benefit in that the Fluke Tabs took out all of the hydroids. Now I have a tool against them, too. :)

[SKurj]

Well I started this treatment yesterday. I did a water change of 15 gal just because the tank was due. I probably have around 30-35gal total volume. I used half a tab...
24 hrs later my pygmy angel is probably going to die by the time the lights go out today.. I don't have a hospital tank ready..
I lost 2 nassarius snails as well.
The polyps are definitely in recession.

I am thinking my dose was too much..


I turned off skimmer and removed carbon before adding the half tab which I dissolved prior to adding but it didn't dissolve well.. wondering if perhaps the angel consumed some or something. He was fine and lively yesterday before lights out.

[SKurj]

Day 4..

BCP (or in my case brown/red CP) definite recession and have been since day one. No more fish casualties, but snails look to be struggling. My 2 turbos haven't moved today, and my Astrea have been dropping off the glass today...

My tank was so overrun I don't want to start skimmer and carbon too soon... holding out abit longer. I have 40% water change prepared, likely looking at Monday or Tuesday.

Got the hospital/Quarantine tank started too

[waterart]

looking to purchase some fluke tabs if anyone has any. Thanks!

[SuperReefMan]

where I can buy the fluke tabs?
Anybody helpme?

[ChefZilla]

My red cloves grew back :-( Maybe we need to do a few treatments within a few months time for them to be eradicated. I need to get a few more tabs or order the other meds. They are overtaking my zoas and sps again!!! Grrrrr

[alejandro77]

Just started the treatment like 15minutes ago, shut off my skimmer, carbon been removed, I'm not using GFO.
I use 2 pills in 180g total water volume.


Was wondering if I'll be able to return in the DT my cabbage leather after the treatment is completed?

TIA.

[david00061]

I placed leathers back in tank. I think I posted how long I waited

[alejandro77]

I placed leathers back in tank. I think I posted how long I waited

Thanks, I'll do the same as u, I'll add a small frag first.

[gedsta]

I used these months ago for brown gsp - It never ever returned, however I since shut that tank down.

All my fish, nems, snails, crabs etc were fine.

[Reef Frog]

Anybody ever try the MAJANO WAND to kill BCP?

The advertisement states its not dependent on harmful shocks but somehow turns the water in the manjanos tissue into hydrogen, popping & killing it. So why wouldnt this work on other things like BCPs? Sounds wonderful if it worked, even fun.

[TampaSnooker]

IME the BCP has better reproductive abilities than aiptasia. If you don't get it all, it gets angry. Angry BCP seems quite toxic.

[Reef Frog]

IME the BCP has better reproductive abilities than aiptasia. If you don't get it all, it gets angry. Angry BCP seems quite toxic.

Yes I agree 100%. I had some problems once scrubbing the off LR inside the tank during a large scale assault.

I've often thought UV might slow down their spread as I believe they probably spread by sexual means. Anyone ever try UV to slow them down?

[TampaSnooker]

They spread sexually and by stem cell. My species seemed like it could bore into the rock a bit with its runners. I had it return on rocks that were scrubbed outside the tank and soaked in peroxide and the polyps came back. Fluke tabs finally worked my third time using them.

[AcroporAddict]

Glad to see people getting relief from the BCPs. I started this thread right after I treated my 300 gallon SPS tank. I moved all the rocks and corals over to a new 465 gallon SPS tank about a year ago, and the tank is still BCP free.

I have Blue Clove Polyps in a 100 gallon mixed reef tank with a lot of hammer, frogspawn, and torch corals, and they have never been an issue regarding spreading to plague proportions like they were in my SPS tank. They stay in one small spot and have been that way for a couple years. I just never cross use any water or transfer anything from that 100 gallon to my 465 gallon, as the BCPs would absolutely flourish in the SPS environment.

I cannot prove this, but I think they will become plagues in SPS dominant tanks because there is no way for the SPS corals to keep them in check. My Euphyllia corals all have sweeper tentacles, etc, and I think that is what keeps them in check in my 100 gallon LPS/softy reef. Not a single SPS in that one. Just euphyllia, acans, pectinia, rhodactis, discosoma, and zoas.

[TampaSnooker]

When mine was bad, it was wiping out most meaty LPS - not Euphyllias. Z's and P's took a hit wherever the BCP touched them. Acans and chalices were toast.
Again though, there are many species of BCP. I've probably seen 5-6 distinct small ones and a couple medium sized polyp ones. I can't believe that I keep seeing them for sale in reputable stores - even after they have been overrun themselves!

[NastyZ]

Where can I find fluke tabs I'm starting to get blue cloves everywhere

[djmatteo]

I just want to chime in here with a few comments and questions about doing this. I read through the whole thread but just want to make sure I understand everything.

First, I need fluke tabs so if any have them HMU. I found on http://www.marineandkoi.com/ but I am guessing when I click order the item will be out of stock. So, that leaves me mebendazole treatment which sounds like it works similarly.

First, is the treatment any different when dipping rocks in water outside of the tank and have others reported back with success doing it this way.

If rocks are soaked outside of the tank off, are my inverts/crabs/shrimp/snails/feather dusters still at risk when putting back rock in the tank. If yes, if rocks are rinsed does that change anything. I also have a clove frag of long stemmed brightly colored ones, how long before they can be put back in the tank.. or is that yet to be determined?

Has anyone treated with mini-maxi anemones?

If I should still remove said critters, how long post treatment until they can be returned.

If dosing rocks externally, is shutting off skimmer and carbon still required. Additionally are as large of WC still needed post treatment. I understand N/P will go up so exporting is still important but if the goal of WC is to remove the product as well is this lessened by doing this remotely.

I have a nano cube that is basically empty I could treat in, treat a few few rocks at a time and place in sump after treatment.

A bit scatter brained with questions, but its better to ask than make big mistakes.

[Fish Dad]

My tank is covered.... HELP

I had a small patch -newbie mistake...
Was just fine for over a year - then one day I noticed all these little white pods coming out of the BCP when I bumped it...

Now they are all over - every rock is covered!!!! my overflow, back of tank.
so you cant scrap it off it only spreads....
And yes they DO kill things - acans are toast, and seems the more expensive the z's the more they attract BCP to smoother them.... My Turbo snail even has Blue Clove polyps growing on it???

I did find that Aiptasia X works well to kill it - I been creating lines of defense- BUT i'm losing....I just have too much BCP now to continue that method.

Hoping to find a few Flux tab and rearrange the tank -

[AcroporAddict]

Guys, I just wated to update regarding the rock I treated when I first started this thread.

All the rock/corals in the 300 gallon SPS I treated with Fluke Tabs went into this 465 gallon upgrade. It is still totally free of blue clove polyps.

http://i1340.photobucket.com/albums/o729/acroporaddict/IMG_0085_zps8618d83c.jpg

http://i1340.photobucket.com/albums/o729/acroporaddict/IMG_0078_zps6da57a6b.jpg

http://i1340.photobucket.com/albums/o729/acroporaddict/IMG_0096_zps27b6d720.jpg

http://i1340.photobucket.com/albums/o729/acroporaddict/IMG_0095_zpsab37bb41.jpg

[ChefZilla]

Well i bought the vermox 100mg and used 1.5 pills for about 135-145 gallons water. 2nd day i added them the cloves were all shrunk and no noticable effect on any other coral. Today was the 4th day and was going to run my carbon and skimmer as well as do a 40gallon water change tomorrow. Well my big red dragon colony rtnd 80% ice fire echinata was 30% killed aqua sd rainbow millie and others... grrr im thinkin a 1mg of vermox per gallon is too high. I couldnt find any material on how much membendazole is in a fluke tab. Any thoughts?

[david00061]

Guys, I just wated to update regarding the rock I treated when I first started this thread.

All the rock/corals in the 300 gallon SPS I treated with Fluke Tabs went into this 465 gallon upgrade. It is still totally free of blue clove polyps.

http://i1340.photobucket.com/albums/o729/acroporaddict/IMG_0085_zps8618d83c.jpg

http://i1340.photobucket.com/albums/o729/acroporaddict/IMG_0078_zps6da57a6b.jpg

http://i1340.photobucket.com/albums/o729/acroporaddict/IMG_0096_zps27b6d720.jpg

http://i1340.photobucket.com/albums/o729/acroporaddict/IMG_0095_zpsab37bb41.jpg

Your tank looks super. Thanks for figuring this out for us.
Are you going to be at reefapaloozas in Orlando?

[LobsterOfJustice]

Will this work for GSP?

Where are we getting the fluke tabs?

Soft corals (leathers) are the only other things adversely affected? How about zoas?

[snapperface]

Ok guys i really need the fluke tabs before things get out of hand.. Anyone have any please pm me. Thanks

[reinaldo licciardi]

Thanks you all for sharing your experience....I used a half tab in a tank of 270 g, and it killed all xenias and blue cloves :dance:

[fletch999]

I am using this and doing just what the article says and it is working great. I think I am going to wait any extra 24 hours before reversing the process.

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

[davocean]

IME the BCP has better reproductive abilities than aiptasia. If you don't get it all, it gets angry. Angry BCP seems quite toxic.

I learned this to be very true after taking advice that they can be scrubbed off fairly easy, and they do scrub off, BUT, every single coral in my tank receded, even things like hammer and frogspawn completely withdrew.
I was fortunate that everything survived and came back out, but I learned this stuff does become very angry when agrivated, and definitely releases some serious toxins that can be harmful to corals.
I need to find some fluke tabs myself to rid this devil weed of a coral.

[pitmindi]

Hi, I actually want to buy some so dont kill all of it!!! I have lots of xenia in my tank and want blue clove polyps to contrast with them. I tried gsp but it wouldn't open, let alone spread, so I want to try the blue colve polyps.

[davocean]

Hmm, I just found a bottle of prazipro in my cabinet, says treats flukes, wonder if this will do the same?
Anyone have experience using this for blue cloves?

[miserkris]

Where can I get fluke tabs in US?...I have the same blue cloves infestation. Thx

[Crooked Reef]

Sent you a pm.

[miserkris]

I also found that cyphastrea can kill blue cloves. They spread fast too.

[project1004]

I just finished reading the whole thread. With help from Dave, im going to give this a shot on my 120 to kill BCP's.

[project1004]

I was able to completely get rid of blue clove polyps. Thanks Dave for the information and the fluke tabs. In the process of treatment, I lost red linkea starfish, cleaner shrimp and all the snails and most of cuc. accept for black serpent star. I think it was because I left it longer than most of you guys did to make sure they dont come back as some of you guys mentioned. My RBTA is still angry but I am happy to report that this method works really well.... Thank God, I feel so much better.

[jmacias]

I'm in the same situation, I've been battling BCP. Where can I buy Fluke tabs or is someone willing to sell me 3? I have a 210 with a 75 gallon sump...thanks!

[swk]

Who's this Dave fella? Pm me if ya could!

[drtrash]

Wonder if this would work with hydroids

[neuroslicer]

Having trouble finding Fluke tabs. If anyone knows a source please PM me.

[greybolt03]

Where can I get fluke tabs in US?...I have the same blue cloves infestation. Thx

+1 anyone with tabs please pm me!!!

[stevengreen2]

Anybody with tabs please PM me.

[Six2seven]

Glad to say the fluke tabs worked for me. Lost a couple corals but it's worth not having to break my tank down for new rock and sand. That stuff was even on my sand. I probably should have done more water changes but tank seems to be stable now. Hydroids were killed as well so that was a bonus

[sfniners84]

Anyone have or know where to get the fluke tabs please PM me!!! What to rid my tank of this crap...

[miserkris]

I found a source ...can someone advice if the ingredients are correct?
Thx

http://www.gotkoi.com/koi_medication/fluke.html

Aquarium Products Fluke Tabs

Fluke-Tabs by Aquarium Products.
Each 500mg tablet contains (methyl-5-benzol-benaimidizole-2-carbamate) and (dimethyl 2,2,2-trichloro-1-hydroxyethyl) phosphonate).

[AcroporAddict]

I found a source ...can someone advice if the ingredients are correct?
Thx

http://www.gotkoi.com/koi_medication/fluke.html

Aquarium Products Fluke Tabs

Fluke-Tabs by Aquarium Products.
Each 500mg tablet contains (methyl-5-benzol-benaimidizole-2-carbamate) and (dimethyl 2,2,2-trichloro-1-hydroxyethyl) phosphonate).

That's them, but click "buy now" on the link and see what happens. Sorry.

[miserkris]

Dang:(

[miserkris]

Also found a source in St.Louis MO. If anyone knows anyone there that can ship , we can all pool in $ and work it out ! LMK :)

[miserkris]

I have extra packets of fluke tabs if anyone wants. ... Pls pm or reply!

[AcroporAddict]

I have extra packets of fluke tabs if anyone wants. ... Pls pm or reply!
Glad you sourced some.

To anyone that does find some....the packages have an expiration date on them, but don't worry about that. They still work very well even if they are really old. The ones I used to clear my tank out when I started this thread were eight years past the expiration date on the package.

[mmckaig]

So I am as well on the hunt for some fluke tabs... as you can see from my profile I am not here a lot but the wealth on knowledge here is amazing!

anywhoo... tired of the blue clove polyps!

Matt

[sfniners84]

Just picked up a bottle waiting on it

[miserkris]

Bump. ... $20 obo shipped.
http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/11/23/04ad802c26c13ec97ed12a8c80f2c942.jpg

[sfniners84]

Can you show the active ingredient??

[sfniners84]

Dont go through this place, they didnt ship out and had to get my money refunded through paypal

https://www42.addr.com/~marineandkoi...p=Merchant2%2F

[miserkris]

Can you show the active ingredient??

You asking me?

[AcroporAddict]

I listed the active ingredients in Fluke Tabs in post #5 of this thread.

[sfniners84]

You asking me?

Yes just to confirm...

[scuzy]

Anyone got some extra?

[bbandu]

Bump. ... $20 obo shipped.
http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/11/23/04ad802c26c13ec97ed12a8c80f2c942.jpg

Do you still have these.

[scuzy]

Bump. ... $20 obo shipped.
http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/11/23/04ad802c26c13ec97ed12a8c80f2c942.jpg


I paypal you.

[miserkris]

I paypal you.
Yep got it. Pm ur addr.

Sold to scuzy. Will ship Monday. Thx.

[miserkris]

Sold two boxes to scuzy.

After a month I'll have few tabs. ...pm me then.

I have none left now.

[miserkris]

For BCP elimination...Overall which of the two is less Collateral damage like death of CUC, shrimp, anemone, stars ?

Fluke tab or fenbendazole(dog dewormer as in link below)?
http://maxdraco.wordpress.com/2013/03/14/fenbendazole-eliminate-invasive-soft-corals-blue-cloves-polyps-xenia-aiptasia-hydriods-etc/

[neuroslicer]

It's now been about 3 months since I used fenbendazole (220 mg for 150 total gallons) to rid my tank of a huge infestation of BCP and also some GSP. (my rock was probably 95% covered with BCP). I treated the tank for 3 days (with no skimming or filtration) and then did a 20 % water change and restarted skimming and filtration (carbon and GFO). About a week later I did another 20% water change. I got total die off of the BCP and GSP. Lost a gorgonian and perhaps half of the hermit crab and snail population. All coral (SPS and LPS) and fish did well. Didn't hurt the aiptasia either. Due to the massive die off my waste levels surged and that was followed by a surge in algal growth everywhere. After a month of filtration, I used a turkey baster to blow off the dead matter and algal off the rocks, glass, and sediment. Suctioned up most of the dead matter. Did that again a few weeks later. Tank looks great now, but it takes patience for things to return back to normal. Would I use the dewormer again? Yes, without a doubt.

[miserkris]

Do you still have these.

I got my last box of fluke tabs avl. $15 shipped. Pm me.

[miserkris]

I got my last box of fluke tabs avl. $15 shipped. Pm me.
All sold

[clyde.c]

I'm living in Ireland and can get these anywhere, would there be anyone that has any and would post them to me at my cost of course.

[Subie]

I'm living in Ireland and can get these anywhere, would there be anyone that has any and would post them to me at my cost of course.

Are you able to obtain fenbendazole or Panacur?

I wasn't able to obtain the fluke tabs so I went to a pet store and bought the dewormer called Safeguard (active ingredient is fenbendazole). It worked well.

My losses were limited to turbo snails and trochus snails. Corals made it through without a problem.

[clyde.c]

Thanks for info I will be down local pet store today and will find out and hopefully they might have something there cheers 😊

[Dapg8gt]

Always a day late and a dollar short =(.. I am in need of some tabs if anyone is holding some for ransom.. I will pay above market value for these little pieces of magic.. I'd only need enough for a 130 total water volume fwiw..

[Fish_Freek]

I found a source ...can someone advice if the ingredients are correct?
Thx

http://www.gotkoi.com/koi_medication/fluke.html

Aquarium Products Fluke Tabs

Fluke-Tabs by Aquarium Products.
Each 500mg tablet contains (methyl-5-benzol-benaimidizole-2-carbamate) and (dimethyl 2,2,2-trichloro-1-hydroxyethyl) phosphonate).
I have a bottle of these 19 count, 100mg each if you're interested. Pm me.

[Go29]

If anyone has any of these can you please Pm me.... I'm about ready to call it quits with my tank here..... clove polyps covering everywhere including sand and back wall. Im willing to pay whatever for some of these.... I love this hobby and need some drastic help. thanks guys

[d2mini]

http://www.amazon.com/Safe-Guard-Fenbendazole-22-2-Canine-Wormer/dp/B002ZJB4PO

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

[Dapg8gt]

If anyone has any of these can you please Pm me.... I'm about ready to call it quits with my tank here..... clove polyps covering everywhere including sand and back wall. Im willing to pay whatever for some of these.... I love this hobby and need some drastic help. thanks guys

I've got a good amount of them coming over the next few days. If you pm me at the end of the week I'll be able to send you some. I got a killer deal so I'll pass that on also.

I've got a question for those that have used the fluke tabs, was the die off of bristleworms as bad as the reports with the safeguard dewormer? Honestly that's one of my biggest regrets is killing off all of my bristleworms as I have a ton of them and they benefit my tank so much with my feeding routine. I'm going to remove all my zoas, snails and a small leather I have and go to town on the tank, I just wish I could catch some of the larger bristleworms.

[sfniners84]

So just started my fluke tab dose. used half a tab for my 29 biocube and 20 gal sump.. Hope all is well..most everything is out besides the zoas and palys actuall on the main rocks..

[d2mini]

Is there any reason everyone seems to be going crazy trying to source fluke tabs when fenbendazole apparently does the same thing and is readily available?
I have some patches of these in my tank and should probably nip it in the bud before it becomes a real problem.

[sfniners84]

I dont know why, so far its been 2 days and fish seem fine, zoas are not openeing really, but the Blue clove polyps look irritated and shrinking.. Water is still clear without a skimmer or anything running.