Dinoflagellates.
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What level of magnification is need to identify between species of dino?
I've successfully treated them some months ago with Dino X, now I have them again from a frag except they are not affected by Dino X this time.
40x is enough. Would like to know about the kind that Dino-X did work on as well as the kind it isn't working on.
Dino X was so effective, literally just two doses and the tank was (visually) 100% clean again. I'd been syphoning them out every day for months before that with no effect. Also tried low nutrients, high nutrients, pH changes, 8 day complete blackout etc etc
Unfortunately I didn't keep a sample, and I'm not sure what I can tell you other than:
They formed long strings
They killed/damaged corals when they touched them
They killed snails/inverts when they ate them
It was the colour of diatoms but broadly cyanobacteria like in texture.
It passed the kitchen paper shake test (re-formed strings)
Not sure what else I can tell you.
The second lot came in on a frag plug. Due to my own bad timing, my Q tank was full of fish, so I took a chance, dipped the coral then put it straight in the DT.
Next night, dinos on the plug appeared, night after that it's all over the sand. Week later it's all over the rocks.
I've 4 doses in with Dino X and this time it has done nothing at all. Could be a different species or maybe just different conditions.
Anyhow I will hopefully be picking up a microscope tonight and if I do, I will try and grab some pics.
Ok... Day 3 of lights out. UV sterilizer arrived today and it's running. I got this one: https://www.amazon.com/SunSun-JUP-23-Sterilizer-Submersible-Pump/product-reviews/B008AZV7GI. Seems decent. Hopefully flow rate isn't too fast.
I'm converting the mid back section of my biocube into a algae scrubber. Lights arrive today.
LASTLY... Finally found my son's microscope. Not like what we had in college, I I can at least say I SEE those stinkin little ovals swimming all over the place. The issue though... I can't say which dino it is??!! The three u guys referenced all seem to be oval-shaped? So how do I know...?
I'm converting the mid back section of my biocube into a algae scrubber. Lights arrive today.
LASTLY... Finally found my son's microscope. Not like what we had in college, I I can at least say I SEE those stinkin little ovals swimming all over the place. The issue though... I can't say which dino it is??!! The three u guys referenced all seem to be oval-shaped? So how do I know...?
Algaeid.com for pics and vids. Movement really helps.
Put smart phone up to lens and post pics. And we'll give a 2nd opinion.
Put smart phone up to lens and post pics. And we'll give a 2nd opinion.
So, I had some dinos, but they weren't the biggest problem. I was getting ready to wage war on bryopsis, and had planned a 3 day blackout to hit the dinos at the end, seems I won't need to, Dinos are gone, and timeline below.
Day 0 - Added UV sterilizer (high flow), Removed Carbon, Large dose of GFO, turned off skimmer
Day 0 - Dosed Fluconozole
Day 1 - Dinos fading
Day 2 - Continued Dino Fading
Day 3 - Nearly no evidence of Dino, blew remants off all rocks. Cyano starting to appear on sand, turned off GFO Reactor
Day 4 - No new Dino Growth, Cyano worsening
Day 5 - Chemiclean, GFO still off.
Day 6 - Bryopsis gone. Cyano fading, no new dinos.
Planning water change on Day 8, which will be dosed with Fluco to maintain concentration, will restart skimmer, carbon reactor, and UV. Large water change on Day 14 planned.
Day 0 - Added UV sterilizer (high flow), Removed Carbon, Large dose of GFO, turned off skimmer
Day 0 - Dosed Fluconozole
Day 1 - Dinos fading
Day 2 - Continued Dino Fading
Day 3 - Nearly no evidence of Dino, blew remants off all rocks. Cyano starting to appear on sand, turned off GFO Reactor
Day 4 - No new Dino Growth, Cyano worsening
Day 5 - Chemiclean, GFO still off.
Day 6 - Bryopsis gone. Cyano fading, no new dinos.
Planning water change on Day 8, which will be dosed with Fluco to maintain concentration, will restart skimmer, carbon reactor, and UV. Large water change on Day 14 planned.
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karimwassef
Active member
Doesn't fluconazole kill all worms?
Nope
karimwassef
Active member
what impact does it have on reef life? are you saying that it kills dinos and bryopsis but that no effect on anything else?
not doubting your feedback by the way, just want to confirm what you're saying.
not doubting your feedback by the way, just want to confirm what you're saying.
karimwassef
Active member
doing some research on it - the descriptions say that it works on
Ichthyophonus hoferi
Saprolegnia
Bryopsis
If we add Dinos (should identify which one), and no impact on other life, that would be good to confirm.
Ichthyophonus hoferi
Saprolegnia
Bryopsis
If we add Dinos (should identify which one), and no impact on other life, that would be good to confirm.
I have no idea whether the fluconazole affected my dinos, or if it was the UV sterilizer, or if it was swapping the carbon for high GFO. Just sharing my experience. I didn't take any pictures of the dino, but it was the stringy kind with bubbles in it (it looked like the picture below).
Fluco works by inhibiting sterol conversion, which may play a role in the structure of dino as well, or it could be a huge coincidence. I'm an N=1 here, not sure if anyone has been dealing simultaneously with bryo and dino, and did the fluco regimen.
Fluco works by inhibiting sterol conversion, which may play a role in the structure of dino as well, or it could be a huge coincidence. I'm an N=1 here, not sure if anyone has been dealing simultaneously with bryo and dino, and did the fluco regimen.
Now let's see this new critter.
Sorry for the bad video, not sure if it's going to be any good.
Only microscope I could get was a £9 kids plastic model. :lol: filmed it by holding my phone on the eyepiece
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fI_Uo-ZEd00
Amphidinium. Low toxin, sand dwelling, annoying looking, but not really associated with coral / CuC death.
Thanks Taricha.
I was planning to continue Dino X for the maximum duration, reading the posts above, would I be better using fluconazole do you think?
I have bryopsis that I was going to get rid of with it after the dinos.
Fine to run dino-x for whatever it says max duration is. Then do fluconazole for bryopsis.
I think you'll still have dinos when it's all over, but we'll see.
