Always nice to find new things in the tank
- Thread starter Tswifty
- Start date
itZme
New member
WOW! :eek2: I would HATE to see them in my system. I wonder if I have actually avoided them or just didn't notice them yet. How did you see it and how did you grab them? Did you dispose of them yet? It would be cool to test a recommended dose of Tropic Marin Coral Cure and see if it kills them or not. It would be nice to know a sure-fire method of prevention.
I saw in your 90g thread someone had some advice about just dipping them in some fresh RO water. Is this what you did or did you just do the old bag-to-tank method like I used to?
Scary stuff floating around out there.
I saw in your 90g thread someone had some advice about just dipping them in some fresh RO water. Is this what you did or did you just do the old bag-to-tank method like I used to?
Scary stuff floating around out there.
ReefWidowed
New member
My skin is still crawling an hour later
Tswifty
New member
I pitched them... Didn't even think of something like that. If anymore pop off in QT then I will save them.
I found them completely accidently. I was performing some maintenance with a turkey baster today, and one of the zoo frags was just wedged in a spot. Well it became dislodged when I was cleaning near it, so I decided that since it came off I would move it, because I had noticed a decline in it's appearence over the past few weeks.
Anyway, when I picked the frag up I noticed something in between the polyps. Upon closer inspection I saw legs :eek2:
So I used some tweezers and pulled 8 of those little guys off. Then I RO dipped all the zoo frags and stuck them upstairs in QT to see if anymore spiders appear.
I just did the bag to QT tank, as I was unfamiliar with how to dip them at that point in time. I initially had all the frags in my 55g QT tank, but I guess didn't do a close enough inspection before transferring them to the 90g tank.
I found them completely accidently. I was performing some maintenance with a turkey baster today, and one of the zoo frags was just wedged in a spot. Well it became dislodged when I was cleaning near it, so I decided that since it came off I would move it, because I had noticed a decline in it's appearence over the past few weeks.
Anyway, when I picked the frag up I noticed something in between the polyps. Upon closer inspection I saw legs :eek2:
So I used some tweezers and pulled 8 of those little guys off. Then I RO dipped all the zoo frags and stuck them upstairs in QT to see if anymore spiders appear.
I just did the bag to QT tank, as I was unfamiliar with how to dip them at that point in time. I initially had all the frags in my 55g QT tank, but I guess didn't do a close enough inspection before transferring them to the 90g tank.
Tswifty
New member
If I hadn't knocked the frag over, I probably never would have found them... I just assumed my frags were doing poorly since I upgraded the lighting and they were still adjusting.
However I had 4 frags... 3 out of the 4 seemed affected, and the other, farther removed frag was flourishing.
I haven't read the whole article in depth yet to see if simply removing the frags is enough to get rid of those suckers or not though.
However I had 4 frags... 3 out of the 4 seemed affected, and the other, farther removed frag was flourishing.
I haven't read the whole article in depth yet to see if simply removing the frags is enough to get rid of those suckers or not though.
Tswifty
New member
I don't want to drop the name, because I believe the problem could have been solved on my end with some type of initial dip either medicated or just FW.
I believe there is an inherent risk when buying any coral, especially from a retailer who purchases them from a distributer. Ideally these corals will spend just a short time at the retailer, then head off with a customer... and despite their best intentions over time a few bad ones are bound to slip through. Sure I'm not happy about it, but lesson learned
If anything this thread just confirms that QT'ing or dipping new corals is good practice.
I believe there is an inherent risk when buying any coral, especially from a retailer who purchases them from a distributer. Ideally these corals will spend just a short time at the retailer, then head off with a customer... and despite their best intentions over time a few bad ones are bound to slip through. Sure I'm not happy about it, but lesson learned
If anything this thread just confirms that QT'ing or dipping new corals is good practice.
Tswifty
New member
Interesting line I read in the article on them:
They do not appear to be easily removed by "dips," poisons, or potential predators. Frankly, if they are found on corals in any tank, the best option would likely be to remove the coral from the tank, and simply dispose of it. ~R.Shimek
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-01/rs/index.php
They do not appear to be easily removed by "dips," poisons, or potential predators. Frankly, if they are found on corals in any tank, the best option would likely be to remove the coral from the tank, and simply dispose of it. ~R.Shimek
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-01/rs/index.php
fambrough
Member
Shimek's directive seems a bit extreme to me. In my experience with zoanthid eating spiders, they are one of the easier pests to remove for a couple of reasons. One, the do not seem to migrate to other corals or inhabit any other niche in the reef tank (e.g. they stay on the zoos). Secondly, their size makes them both relatively easy to see and relativley easy to remove manually, unlike many other pests (e.i. planaria, red bugs).
FWIW, all zoos need an RO dip (at minimum) before going into the DT. We've seen spiders on zoanthids from Salty lately. However, this is no reason not to buy frags there. I've got a great set of zoos that had those guys from SC. A couple dips and inspection and all's well. Mine had fewer spiders than yours.
Too bad you tossed them out. Next time dry/dehydrate them in a low temp oven. After drying, pulverize them in either the blender or a morter. Sprinkle the spider powder over sea food and steaks before grilling. Also good on fresh tomato sandwiches.
FWIW, all zoos need an RO dip (at minimum) before going into the DT. We've seen spiders on zoanthids from Salty lately. However, this is no reason not to buy frags there. I've got a great set of zoos that had those guys from SC. A couple dips and inspection and all's well. Mine had fewer spiders than yours.
Too bad you tossed them out. Next time dry/dehydrate them in a low temp oven. After drying, pulverize them in either the blender or a morter. Sprinkle the spider powder over sea food and steaks before grilling. Also good on fresh tomato sandwiches.
Tswifty
New member
I didn't toss them yet... they are in a QT tank I plan on leaving them there for a few weeks to see if any hatchlings appear.
It looks like I may lose 2 of the frags, but the frag that had the majority of the spiders on it has opened up nicely this morning again now that they have been removed.
They're in a little tank inside my QT tank.
It looks like I may lose 2 of the frags, but the frag that had the majority of the spiders on it has opened up nicely this morning again now that they have been removed.
They're in a little tank inside my QT tank.
DevilBoy
New member
As mentioned to you before, you bought them the same place as i did. My frags were so bad with them i actually seen them crawling around in the bag. Thats when i dipped them and shaked them in ro water most of them came off, the rest i pluck off with tweezers because they were clinging on to the polyps. but in the end, i do not see anymore and 2 outta 4 frags are doing very nicely and even have doubled or tripled in size. the other 2 frags did not make it.
aquatictec
.Registered Member
spider guys-aiptasia
spider guys-aiptasia
Back when we used to culture aiptasia to grow berghia one of our Aiptasia cultures was wiped out by creatures that looked just like the guys eating your zoanthids. Since you have some saved it would probably be worthwhile to see if they eat aiptasia. If they do they would serve a useful purpose for those who dont want zoanthids or aiptasia
spider guys-aiptasia
Back when we used to culture aiptasia to grow berghia one of our Aiptasia cultures was wiped out by creatures that looked just like the guys eating your zoanthids. Since you have some saved it would probably be worthwhile to see if they eat aiptasia. If they do they would serve a useful purpose for those who dont want zoanthids or aiptasia
Cove Beach
New member
I wonder if they would eat Tulip anems?
