Coral Dipping Protocol: Bayer and CoralRx Methods
Pests that enter on an unchecked frag can wreck a tank months later — long after the source is forgotten. A disciplined coral dipping protocol bayer coralrx workflow catches flatworms, nudibranchs, red bugs, and monti-eating snails before they ever see your display water. This guide from Gensou Aquascaping at 5 Everton Park, Singapore details the two dips we trust, the doses we actually measure, and the mistakes that turn a good dip into a dead coral. Use this alongside coral quarantine for the strongest defence.
Quick Facts
- Bayer Advanced Complete Insect Killer: 1 ml per litre of tank water
- Bayer dip duration: 5 minutes with gentle agitation
- CoralRx: 20 ml per 4 litres (5 ml per litre)
- CoralRx duration: 5-10 minutes depending on sensitivity
- Always rinse in clean tank-matched saltwater afterwards
- Never reuse dip water between frags
- Dip is not a substitute for 76 day coral quarantine
What Coral Dips Actually Kill
Both products target soft-bodied pests: acropora-eating flatworms (AEFW), Montipora-eating nudibranchs, red bugs, zoanthid-eating nudibranchs, and some bristleworms. Dips do not kill pest eggs, so a single dip reduces but never eliminates risk — hence the need for quarantine follow-up. Aiptasia and majano anemones usually survive dips; they require targeted injection with kalkwasser paste or products like Aiptasia-X.
Bayer Advanced Dip Method
The active ingredient is imidacloprid at 0.72 percent, which stuns arthropods and soft-bodied invertebrates. Mix 1 ml of Bayer per litre of tank water in a clean plastic container. Place the coral in for 5 minutes, swirling every minute to dislodge pests. Use a turkey baster to blast the coral’s base and underside during the dip — this is where flatworms hide. After 5 minutes, rinse thoroughly in a second container of clean tank water before acclimating.
CoralRx Dip Method
CoralRx is an iodine-based natural extract that is gentler on sensitive softies but still effective against flatworms and nudibranchs. Dose 20 ml per 4 litres of tank water — roughly 5 ml per litre. Dip for 5 minutes for softies and LPS, up to 10 minutes for SPS that may carry red bugs or AEFW. Swirl and baste identically. The water will turn cloudy and foam slightly — that is normal.
Which to Use When
Bayer is the stronger dip and the choice for suspect SPS or coral from unknown sources. CoralRx is gentler and the safer option for Euphyllia, chalices, and other LPS with delicate tissue that recoils aggressively. For a mixed-reef frag run through both — Bayer first, rinse, then CoralRx — only if you have specific reason to suspect multiple pest types. Most frags need only one dip.
Rinse Protocol
Rinsing is non-negotiable. Prepare two clean containers of tank-matched saltwater before starting. After the dip, swirl the coral in the first container for 30 seconds, then transfer to the second for another 30 seconds. This removes residual chemical that would otherwise drip into the display and stress other coral. Pour dip water down the drain — never into the tank.
Species to Dip Carefully
Some corals are sensitive to any dip. Goniopora and Alveopora can recede for weeks after a Bayer dip; use CoralRx at 5 minutes maximum. Elegance coral (Catalaphyllia) tolerates neither dip well — rinse in clean saltwater only and rely on quarantine. Long tentacle plate corals (Heliofungia) similarly react badly. For these sensitive species, visual inspection and quarantine replace chemical dipping.
Equipment Checklist
Keep a dedicated dip kit: three plastic containers labelled dip, rinse-1, rinse-2, a turkey baster, syringes for measuring dip chemicals, disposable gloves, and a flashlight for inspecting coral after. Both Bayer and CoralRx are available in Singapore — Bayer through hardware stores like HomeFix or Horti, CoralRx through dedicated reef shops at Pasir Ris Farmway. A 100 ml CoralRx bottle runs $65-80 and dips 30-40 frags.
After the Dip
Inspect the dip water under strong light. Dead flatworms look like tiny brown rice grains; nudibranchs appear as pale slugs. Photograph pests if found so you can identify the species and research egg patches on the coral skeleton. Scrape any visible egg patches with a toothbrush before placing the coral in quarantine for at least two weeks, re-dipping at day 7 and 14 to catch newly hatched pests.
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