A treatment for dinos that really works

[seabass]

Other bottled dino treatments either attempt to restrict the dino's resources or they contain biocides (which often kills other organisms).  But the most effective method has been the addition of competition, and to adjust our tanks' parameters to support these competitors.  However, there have been no available dino predators until the recent discovery that a previously unnoteworthy species of Halacaridae mite (Halacaropsis dinophyceae) feeds almost entirely on the cytoplasm of dinoflagellates cells.

 

A couple of marine biologists (and reef hobbyists) teamed up and formed DinoMites, LLC to develop a method to culture and ship these dino predatory mites.  And after becoming interested in purchasing a Nano-Reef sponsorship, the partners of DinoMites® came across my Vibrant review, and asked me if I wished to participate in their trial program.

 

These mites were so effective at eliminating all of the dinoflagellates from my test tank, that I made a small investment in the company.  As an investor, DinoMites® has (maybe reluctantly) approved me to share this teaser and to pre-announce that their first shipments will be ready to go out sometime in May.  We're all very excited about its future release.

 

Ostreopsis dinos are cultured as a food source for the mites; but they will also effectively consume Coolia, Amphidinium, Prorocentrum, as well as other species of dinos which are found in our tanks.  Orders are processed within one business day, where the cultured mites are collected, packed in phyto (which helps to stabilize ammonia and pH levels during shipping), and are then shipped out via FedEx Next Day Air (because, in the absence of dinos, the mites will starve within 48 hours).

 

During their 10 day life cycle, female H. dinophyceae will produce over 1,000 eggs, and will continue to reproduce until the dinos have been fully eradicated.  One bottle is sufficient for any size aquarium; but for more immediate results, DinoMites® recommends an additional bottle for every 250 gallons of tank water.  The adult mites are approximately 100 μm (0.004 in), and can be easily observed through a microscope at 1000x magnification.

[seabass]

Here's a pic of a couple of mine.

And the video from my Vibrant thread.

 

[DSFIRSTSLTWATER]

Wow! That is so cool man. I can't wait to see how it all plays out. Too bad I didn't have that 3- 4months ago when the dinos killed almost everything in my tank 🙁

[seabass]

OK, I don't want to take this too far.

 

 On 4/1/2020 at 9:34 AM, seabass said:

Someday I'll have to make one that's not so sensational, so that more people get fooled. 🤔

Well, maybe it should be called Di-NO-MITES.

 

A few from previous years:

• https://www.nano-reef.com/forums/topic/412007-genetically-modified-tangs/
• https://www.nano-reef.com/forums/topic/405045-a-new-designer-clownfish-nemo-for-kids/
• https://www.nano-reef.com/forums/topic/390639-proposed-ban-on-corals-with-palytoxin/
• https://www.nano-reef.com/forums/topic/372329-three-ways-to-increase-coral-growth-in-your-tank/

 

Happy April Fools Day; I hope it's dynamite!

[DSFIRSTSLTWATER]

2 minutes ago, seabass said:

OK, I don't want to take this too far.

 

Well, maybe it should be called Di-NO-MITES.

 

A few from previous years:

• https://www.nano-reef.com/forums/topic/412007-genetically-modified-tangs/
• https://www.nano-reef.com/forums/topic/405045-a-new-designer-clownfish-nemo-for-kids/
• https://www.nano-reef.com/forums/topic/390639-proposed-ban-on-corals-with-palytoxin/
• https://www.nano-reef.com/forums/topic/372329-three-ways-to-increase-coral-growth-in-your-tank/

 

Happy April Fools Day; I hope it's dynamite!

You had me going. 🤣

[seabass]

I couldn't think of anything this year, then it suddenly hit me last week.  I couldn't wait to post it.

 

2 minutes ago, DSFIRSTSLTWATER said:

You had me going.

I think this was one of my more believable ones.

[DSFIRSTSLTWATER]

4 minutes ago, seabass said:

I couldn't think of anything this year, then it suddenly hit me last week.  I couldn't wait to post it.

 

I think this was one of my more believable ones.

it was a good one. Id say probably close to number 1

 

Well done

[DevilDuck]

Totally had me going there!

[sublunary]

I went into this thread knowing it was an April Fools joke, but then saw the microscope shots and got totally pulled in anyway.  *applause*

[seabass]

4 hours ago, DSFIRSTSLTWATER said:

it was a good one.

Thanks.

 

52 minutes ago, DevilDuck said:

Totally had me going there!

This was the original pic that I Photoshopped.

 

19 minutes ago, sublunary said:

I went into this thread knowing it was an April Fools joke, but then saw the microscope shots and got totally pulled in anyway.

The mites are actually real; however, they don't eat the cytoplasm from dino cells.  From what I can tell, this species feeds on algae; but I'm not totally sure.

[kimberbee]

5 hours ago, seabass said:

I couldn't think of anything this year, then it suddenly hit me last week.  I couldn't wait to post it.

 

I think this was one of my more believable ones.

Oof... 

 

I've seen so many other "April Fool's" posts this morning that I've been on high alert. But this one actually got me... maybe cause I'm still dealing with dinos after 4 months... I'd try just about anything!!

[seabass]

4 minutes ago, kimberbee said:

I've seen so many other "April Fool's" posts this morning that I've been on high alert.

Care to share links to a few of the better ones?

[paulsz]

ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh 😫

[kimberbee]

1 hour ago, seabass said:

Care to share links to a few of the better ones?

Ecotech, LiveAquaria, and Marine Depot all had posts on instagram, but yours was much more convincing!!

[Nathans_Reef]

Noooo! Haha you sure fooled me! 😂

[Tired]

I forgot what day it is, and I was gonna ask how y'all culture enough dinos to keep 'em fed. 

[paulsz]

35 minutes ago, Tired said:

I forgot what day it is, and I was gonna ask how y'all culture enough dinos to keep 'em fed. 

they're always welcome to use my tank 😂 should be enough to last a while

[I'm Batman]

Ok that was not an April fools day joke... I’m laughing now but yeah... 6 months into the Dino fight...

[seabass]

1 hour ago, I'm Batman said:

I’m laughing now but yeah... 6 months into the Dino fight...

Dinos are one of my greatest reef tank fears.  But I feel that certain species are worse than others.  Before we became aware of today's methods for treating dinos, I fought them and lost.  I'd hope that I could do better now, but I don't care to test that out.

 

I kind of try to incorporate some of the dino treatment protocols into my normal routine by:

• Keeping inorganic nutrient levels detectable (phosphate around 0.03 ppm and nitrate between 1 and 5 ppm).  Higher is generally safer than lower.  Plus corals do better with nutrients (especially when alkalinity is high).
• Feed enough, without over feeding.
• Introducing pods and other fauna, and dosing phytoplankton to support them.  Dipping coral frags helps prevent pests, but also prevents adding to our tank's biodiversity (which we used to enjoy whenever we added a new coral, and is especially important when using dry rock).

As Ben Franklin said, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.  Easy enough for me to say now, as I'm not currently battling dinos.  But I feel for everybody that is fighting them.

 

That said, I fear that this could jinx me.  If there was only a predator. 🤔

[Kindanewtothis]

You got me