Coral Taking over....How do I stop it?

[Blntz]

I have what appears to be a brown Montipora. This coral has taken over the COMPLETE back glass and my overflows in my 180. Now its starting to spread to the live rock. This makes me nervous because anything it touches seems to be really unhappy. I would remove the rock and maybe turn it upside down (not facing the light) but the tank is a sps coral haven. The tank has been setup for about 2 years and all corals are huge not to mention attached. Any Ideas without destroying my creation? Maybe hitting it with BIonic every day, or kalk? I also pondered covering the affected live rock with some sort of plastic or cover.




Someone told me once, "You could have a hot car for what the reef tank has cost". I said, "I have two of those already"

[MiddletonMark]

I'd just break it off. I've been able to remove some frags from the back glass [with force] cleanly. IMO, physical removal is your best bet ... though wherever it's grown onto the rock I'm not sure what you can do other than remove the rock.

Then again, a LFS [or another reefer] might pay pretty well for such a grown out coral or a heap of frags. I'd talk to a good LFS, and see if you can trade straight up rock for rock.

--- Given flow in the tank, I'd be wary about trying to chemically kill the coral, as their might be others taken down by it.

[Blntz]

I really wish it was as easy as physical removal. This stuff is encrusting. It grows so fast it has to be using 20ppm of cal a day. It also likes the same corals I do...My favorites. I'm thinking I just may get a small to medium piece of live rock and cover it up. Then when dies move the the rock? Think that will work?

[MiddletonMark]

I dunno ... but getting it 100% dark might be tricky.

I suppose epoxy or superglue over top of them would work, though be ugly. Wish I had a better idea.

I guess I don't have to ask which coral you won't be adding next time? ;)

[EricHugo]

Wish I knew what coral it was we were talking about.

[MiddletonMark]

I assume we're talking about a plating/encrusting Montipora sp. ... but I'm assuming too.

Where's one of those Monti-eating nudibranches when you actually need one?