SPS has cyanobacteria!

[salt-lik]

One of my SPS colonies has cyanobacteria growing on it (from the bottom moving upward). The cyanobacteria is suffocating my poor SPS and is slowly killing it. I've tried giving the SPS a dip in Kent Coral Dip in addition to firing jets of water at it to try and blow off the bacteria. It looked o.k. immediately after but by the next day, the cyanobacteria was back. My next thought is to frag the "uninfected" parts (or whatever looks uninfected) and get rid of the infected parts of the coral.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

SL

 

[Hammercoral]

If you have cyano, you have high nutrients, if you have high nutrients you wont have SPS for very long. Fragging is good idea cut at least 1/4 inch above the cyano. Are you sure the coral is not STN'ing?

 

[pfernando]

thanks for the reply. What's STN'ing?

 

[IndyReefMan]

Slow Tissue Necrosis.

 

[IndyReefMan]

I've never had cyano before but I've seen people comment on other threads that it often occurs in areas of limited water flow. You may want to try increasing water flow to that specimen a bit. Check your nitrate and phosphate levels too.

 

[roons]

boyds chemi clean b4 every water change, bye bye cyano

 

[salt-lik]

Thanks for the tips guys. I'm not sure why the cyano came back ( I had it when the tank was first started 2yrs ago) but I've reduced feeding and started weekly water changes until things clear up. The circulation to dead spots was also increased. As far as I know, I've been doing everything by the book to combat this problem. I'll let you know how things turn out.

cheers.

 

[salt-lik]

BTW, I'm sure its not slow tissue necrosis.....evidence of thin red coating over areas of the coral. I've found a few more pieces with the same problem and all corals with any signs of cyano were fragged.

 

[Pico Keeper]

You can get rid of the Cyano pretty quick. I dont know if there is any need to frag the SPS. Do a 30% water change, matching it as closely as possible to the tank water. And run a reduced photoperiod for a few days, in combination with phosban or phosguard, and your cyano should dissappear in a day or two max.. I would do this first b4 i fragged my SPS.

 

[roons]

is this on your sandbed? if so , using phosban etc wont do a thing , as the phosphates are being leeched out of the sb and being consumed by the cyano, it never has a chance to enter the water column so a removal media cant work on it...........trust me , i know

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

Do you have cyano elsewhere in the aquarium? If not this sounds like black band disease.

 

[salt-lik]

I've been out for a few days. In response to your question, I do have cyano on the lower rocks and in the crevices etc. Its slowly coming under control but would really like to be sure that it stays off my corals. I've read from E. Borneman that using chloramphenicol may work. Anyone tried it?