Red Stuff Please Help

[SingaporeReefer]

Hello, I have some red stuff taking over my tank. I showed my friend and he told me it was cyanide. I think I may have introduced it when I added a pair of tangs to the the tank. I used cyanide to catch them is that the likely cause? How do I get rid of it.
Thanks, Joe.

 

[Anonymous]

I think your friend meant Cyanobacter. This is a photosynthetic protist that is a needed organism but can become a nuisance when excess nutrients are available.

It was already in the tank before your Tangs, just at normal levels. The Tangs likely added nutrients in the form of waste or excess feeding.

You can siphon out some of the Cyanobacter but to solve the problem you will need to find a way to export the excess nutrients.

Increase waterflow
Increase water changes
Add an algae scrubber
Phosban
etc.

If you do a search on "Cyano" you'll probably get additional ideas.

 

[Mihai]

What Guy said. You have too many nutrients in the tank fueling the bacteria outbreak. The tangs may very well be the source of the wastes, but it may be a coincidence. Anyway you need to get the nutrients out:
- water changes
- protein skimmer
- algae scrubber

M.

 

[SingaporeReefer]

Thankyou. He must have meant cyanobacter. I will buy some phosban.

 

[bradl.]

Hey Joe, Im fascinated you were able to catch your own tangs.Not living near the ocean myself I find this very interesting.What kind of tangs?Can you describe in detail how you caught them?Post some pics.

 

[SingaporeReefer]

I caught two blue tangs. We caught them on scuba, the reef was about 10m deep. My friend would squirt cyanide near the fish, making them go to sleep then I just scoop them up in my net. Another way to catch fish is to put a bag over a coral, then break off the coral and turn it upside down. The fish swim into the bag and then you just remove the coral. I can't get any pictures at the moment sorry but I will post them if I can.

 

[ChrisRD]

We caught them on scuba, the reef was about 10m deep. My friend would squirt cyanide near the fish, making them go to sleep then I just scoop them up in my net.

Another way to catch fish is to put a bag over a coral, then break off the coral and turn it upside down. The fish swim into the bag and then you just remove the coral.

8O Those don't sound like very reef or fish friendly (or sustainable) methods of collection!!

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

We caught them on scuba, the reef was about 10m deep. My friend would squirt cyanide near the fish, making them go to sleep then I just scoop them up in my net.

Another way to catch fish is to put a bag over a coral, then break off the coral and turn it upside down. The fish swim into the bag and then you just remove the coral.

8O Those don't sound like very reef or fish friendly (or sustainable) methods of collection!!

No kidding!

So after you break off the coral, do you keep that too or just drop it?

Bleh.

 

[JamisonRD]

My friend would squirt cyanide near the fish, making them go to sleep then I just scoop them up in my net.

Right... "sleep", I wish really was that harmless.

Hopefully this is just someone trolling the boards... but it's still sad to see.

Oh well., you live and your learn everyday

 

[Anonymous]

My understanding is that cyanide kills...it just takes longer.

 

[JamisonRD]

Not only is this unhealthy for the reef systems, but it's not terribly healthy for the collector as well! Aside from the damage being done, you might want to be careful around that sutff!

There is plenty of information available on the net of the poisoning of reefs with these and other toxins, and much is available here too... try doing a search on this or even alternative, healthier methods.

While things are beginning to change in the way of the hobby, this isn't just happening for the reefkeepers around the world. Many species that live within the reef are also sold as food, even delicacies. This is most common within China and SE Asia, and there is little concern if any from that spectrum of the market. While we may think this is a terrible thing, they do not, and the cyanide collected specimen market will shift from hobbyist to other areas.

At any rate, yes, Cyanide kills! Thankfully there are programs (and places such as this board) in place to further this education as to preserve the reef ecosystems. But when it's a cheap way to get a lot of fish, FAST... there is small hope that these changes will take precedence.

There is always a brightside somewhere, from what I have been able to tell, techniques are improving for those of us here in the states at the least. Hopefully, we can help move forward!

Cheers - Jamison

 

[bradl.]

I think we,well most of us here know about cyanide collection and there effects to the reef. I think Joe being from Singapore is just collecting the only way he is able. I dont flame but try to understand and maybe Joe can learn and educate some of his friends.But lets not scare him off.I think he can teach us many things.

 

[Mihai]

I think he can teach us many things.

I'm dreading the day I'm learning anything from a guy like him.
There is nothing to know there, it's just irresponsible collection. Even if he trully believes about the fish going to sleep, it's still the question of the broken coral... there is nothing to know there.

M.

 

[Anonymous]

"Knowing" that you have nothing to learn is the greatest form of ignorance.
Maybe if people addressed him personally and respectfully he could learn from the community here. But being self-righteous asses doesn't help anybody and will only likely drive people like him from these boards, insuring that these collection methods will go on unchecked.

 

[SingaporeReefer]

I did not know that cyanide was so harmful to the fish. My friend just used a little bit and said that it just makes the fish sleepy. The fish seem to be quite healthy in the tank, hopefully they survive. When we break off a coral, we just put it back where it was. My friend told me they just grow back after a while.

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, SingaporeReefer, cyanide is harmful to the fish. It is especially harmful to the surrounding coral that it blows on. This is a subject that people feel very passionately about.

Please do not catch fish with cyanide anymore. Can you try catch your future fish with nets? I know it will not be as easy, but you will have healthier fish and not be harming the coral reef.

 

[Mihai]

"Knowing" that you have nothing to learn is the greatest form of ignorance.

Big empty words that may sound good to some. Just as I will not seek social lessons from a mass murderer I'm not looking forward to learn reefkeeping from somebody that uses cyanide on the reefs to catch fish.

Maybe if people addressed him personally and respectfully he could learn from the community here. But being self-righteous asses doesn't help anybody and will only likely drive people like him from these boards, insuring that these collection methods will go on unchecked.

Bullshit he doesn't know. Unless he's less than 5 years old he would know that is not "good" to use poison on reefs (at least have some doubts and do a quick check). And breaking off corals to catch fish is like cutting 100 year old trees to recover your freesbee from it.

He doesn't need lessons from this board he needs to learn to respect nature, and if his parent didn't teach him that neither will you.

I blame him more than I do the fishermen that use cyanide to catch fish to sell them to us: they make a living out of it, he's just having fun.

Mihai

 

[Anonymous]

Ignorance abounds in asia concerning reef husbandry, or protection, or preservation. The Phillipines is a coral graveyard, nearly all of the natural reefs around Viet Nam are so choked by siltation they'll never recover ...all of the waters are over fished, from Korea to Malaysia ...to include myriad protected species ...whales, dolphins, etc...

No surprise someone from there thinks it's clever to use cyanide and rape the reef.

 

[bradl.]

I think he can teach us many things.

I'm dreading the day I'm learning anything from a guy like him.
There is nothing to know there, it's just irresponsible collection. Even if he trully believes about the fish going to sleep, it's still the question of the broken coral... there is nothing to know there.

M.

Good or bad I find it interesting to hear first hand experience on something I am so passionate about . This man isnt bragging about poisoning reefs but he mentions this fact matter of factly while trying to solve a common tank nuisance. At least hes not backtracking now, I salute the gentleman for being honest.I would still care to hear how common this is,and more about other collection techniques in Singapore.

 

[Mihai]

Good or bad I find it interesting to hear first hand experience on something I am so passionate about . This man isnt bragging about poisoning reefs but he mentions this fact matter of factly while trying to solve a common tank nuisance. At least hes not backtracking now, I salute the gentleman for being honest.I would still care to hear how common this is,and more about other collection techniques in Singapore.

Sure, this is something we may be able learn from him (he may know, or just be new at the "sport"). But not about reefkeeping. Sorry if I misunderstand the subject of our learning opportunity. I am curious as well to hear the details (as you said, how common it is, and how is the reef situation in their region).

M.