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I posted this before, but I suppose the moderators thought I was a crank. I swear, hand on heart, that I figured out a protocol to fight Brown Jelly once it has hit a piece of your coral. I most recently saved my favorite pink goniapora when the brown jelly began to melt it, and others as well. It took me a lot of research, trial and error, more research and finally using the power of logical deduction and critical thought to tie all the pieces together - I was successful.
1) I have stared at brown jelly. I have really given it a good hard look. I mean, sat in the chair for an hour at a time and observed it turning my coral to mush. What is it? I have read it might be a protozoa infection. Honestly, what it looks to me from my studies in Microbiology and A&P is the degradation of the fleshy cellular wall with the insides spilled out, turned to jelly if you would. What is causing it though? Well, whether it is bacterial or protozoan there is one sure fire way to eliminate it. We learn in Microbiology the power of anything considered a "Cide" to be full proof. Think Germicide, Genocide, Spermicide (lol). Cides will kill any micro-organism including Mycobacteria and viruses. Antibiotics on the other hand are iffy because there are gram positive and gram negative bacteria. That is why not every antibiotic will work. There simply hasn't been enough research on brown jelly to tell what is causing it and if it were bacteria, whether it is gram negative or positive. btw... the (+) & (-) has to do with the presence or absence of an outside cellular wall or shell on bacteria. This is how antibiotics work - against the cellular wall. But why does it spread? Well, when gram positive bacteria are alive, they release toxins - which is why you feel like crap when you have a bacterial infection. Gram negative bacteria release toxins as they are dying, which is why you feel like crap when you take antibiotics to kill a Gram negative infection. This may be why the brown jelly spreads, because whatever toxin is being released by whatever it is, is breaking down the coral fleshy cellular wall and the insides spill out creating brown jelly. It is only a hypothesis.
2) HOW TO FIGHT IT
a) First, set up a small isolation tank with CLEAN saltwater and a small recirculating filter.
b) When you lift your diseased coral out of the tank, that brown jelly stuff will float off and land wherever. You don't want that to happen because it could spread to other coral. My recommendation is to take a plastic ziplock bag, put it down in the water and ease your sad coral into it. Zip it up and then take it out. Don't put it in the isolation tank yet!
c) Next go to your kitchen sink. Turn the water on cold with more than a drip but less than a forceful spray. Find a small, natural bristle paint brush or a basting brush. Rinse the coral under the faucet while lightly brushing away the diseased brown jelly down the drain. This shouldn't take long and don't become OCD with it.
d) Put the coral into the isolation tank. Go in your bathroom and find the Povidone Iodine 10% or the Betadine Iodine. They are the same thing. Add 8 drops per liter or quart to your water. This would be 32 drops per gallon. Don't just squirt it in! Be precise. Let the coral sit in this for about 30 minutes. Iodine is essentially a "Cide". It will kill any bacteria or protozoa on the coral. It is an antiseptic, but it is safe at limited exposures to the flesh.
e) Grab a container with tall edges and a lid. It needs to be big enough to fit your coral easily and the edges tall enough for your to swirl liquid around the coral without it spilling all over the place. A big Tupperware water pitcher works for me. This is where you will now need some specialty products from your fish store or online if you live in the boonies.
f) API Melafix Marine & ReVive Coral Cleaner by Two Little Fishies. Fill your swishing container with CLEAN saltwater. Add 1 cap of ReVive Coral Cleaner and 1 cap of API Melafix to 1 quart of water. Put your piece of coral in face up so you don't damage it. Now, put the lid on if you have one and swirl it around for about 3 minutes.
g) Go back to the sink. Take the coral out and turn it upside down. Now we are going to wash it off the same way a nurse will wash her hands to establish a clean field before surgery. Using light flow, rinse the coral upside down starting from the bottom, rinsing the sides and finally the top. You want all residue to rinse off and any remaining bacteria with it.
h) put your coral back into your main tank. Put it on the bottom in a kind of shady spot, but still getting some light. The reason for this is because coral is protected from the sun by a beneficial bacteria called Zooxanthellea. It is an SPF Suncreen so to speak. It is what allows your coral to be colorful and bright rather than dull and brown or bleached out. All the anti-bacterial treatment has now wiped out all the Zooxanthellea on the coral, and it needs time to replenish.
i) watch for any new brown jelly. If you see it, follow the protocol again however, most likely you will not see it again if you have followed the steps properly.
j) your coral will be ****ed and licking it's wounds for about a week, then it will start to peek it's little polyps out - glad to be alive. Within 2 weeks it will be back reaching for the sun and over time it will overgrow the areas that brown jelly left a skeleton. I promise.
Like I said, this is what I do and it works for me.
1) I have stared at brown jelly. I have really given it a good hard look. I mean, sat in the chair for an hour at a time and observed it turning my coral to mush. What is it? I have read it might be a protozoa infection. Honestly, what it looks to me from my studies in Microbiology and A&P is the degradation of the fleshy cellular wall with the insides spilled out, turned to jelly if you would. What is causing it though? Well, whether it is bacterial or protozoan there is one sure fire way to eliminate it. We learn in Microbiology the power of anything considered a "Cide" to be full proof. Think Germicide, Genocide, Spermicide (lol). Cides will kill any micro-organism including Mycobacteria and viruses. Antibiotics on the other hand are iffy because there are gram positive and gram negative bacteria. That is why not every antibiotic will work. There simply hasn't been enough research on brown jelly to tell what is causing it and if it were bacteria, whether it is gram negative or positive. btw... the (+) & (-) has to do with the presence or absence of an outside cellular wall or shell on bacteria. This is how antibiotics work - against the cellular wall. But why does it spread? Well, when gram positive bacteria are alive, they release toxins - which is why you feel like crap when you have a bacterial infection. Gram negative bacteria release toxins as they are dying, which is why you feel like crap when you take antibiotics to kill a Gram negative infection. This may be why the brown jelly spreads, because whatever toxin is being released by whatever it is, is breaking down the coral fleshy cellular wall and the insides spill out creating brown jelly. It is only a hypothesis.
2) HOW TO FIGHT IT
a) First, set up a small isolation tank with CLEAN saltwater and a small recirculating filter.
b) When you lift your diseased coral out of the tank, that brown jelly stuff will float off and land wherever. You don't want that to happen because it could spread to other coral. My recommendation is to take a plastic ziplock bag, put it down in the water and ease your sad coral into it. Zip it up and then take it out. Don't put it in the isolation tank yet!
c) Next go to your kitchen sink. Turn the water on cold with more than a drip but less than a forceful spray. Find a small, natural bristle paint brush or a basting brush. Rinse the coral under the faucet while lightly brushing away the diseased brown jelly down the drain. This shouldn't take long and don't become OCD with it.
d) Put the coral into the isolation tank. Go in your bathroom and find the Povidone Iodine 10% or the Betadine Iodine. They are the same thing. Add 8 drops per liter or quart to your water. This would be 32 drops per gallon. Don't just squirt it in! Be precise. Let the coral sit in this for about 30 minutes. Iodine is essentially a "Cide". It will kill any bacteria or protozoa on the coral. It is an antiseptic, but it is safe at limited exposures to the flesh.
e) Grab a container with tall edges and a lid. It needs to be big enough to fit your coral easily and the edges tall enough for your to swirl liquid around the coral without it spilling all over the place. A big Tupperware water pitcher works for me. This is where you will now need some specialty products from your fish store or online if you live in the boonies.
f) API Melafix Marine & ReVive Coral Cleaner by Two Little Fishies. Fill your swishing container with CLEAN saltwater. Add 1 cap of ReVive Coral Cleaner and 1 cap of API Melafix to 1 quart of water. Put your piece of coral in face up so you don't damage it. Now, put the lid on if you have one and swirl it around for about 3 minutes.
g) Go back to the sink. Take the coral out and turn it upside down. Now we are going to wash it off the same way a nurse will wash her hands to establish a clean field before surgery. Using light flow, rinse the coral upside down starting from the bottom, rinsing the sides and finally the top. You want all residue to rinse off and any remaining bacteria with it.
h) put your coral back into your main tank. Put it on the bottom in a kind of shady spot, but still getting some light. The reason for this is because coral is protected from the sun by a beneficial bacteria called Zooxanthellea. It is an SPF Suncreen so to speak. It is what allows your coral to be colorful and bright rather than dull and brown or bleached out. All the anti-bacterial treatment has now wiped out all the Zooxanthellea on the coral, and it needs time to replenish.
i) watch for any new brown jelly. If you see it, follow the protocol again however, most likely you will not see it again if you have followed the steps properly.
j) your coral will be ****ed and licking it's wounds for about a week, then it will start to peek it's little polyps out - glad to be alive. Within 2 weeks it will be back reaching for the sun and over time it will overgrow the areas that brown jelly left a skeleton. I promise.
Like I said, this is what I do and it works for me.
