amphipods eating my zoos

[Arizonah13]

I had a pretty little patch (of about 20-25 polyps) of lavender zoos that I noticed were dwindling one by one. Now there are only 6-7 polyps. Just disappearing over night. All of my other zoas are doing great, growing babies, etc....

Last night I looked in on the tank after lights out and that group of zoas was just crawling with big ol' amphipods. BIG ones. I blew them off with a turkey baster, but they just keep returning.

GAH. I googled this and the general consensus is to add a pod-eater, but my clowns are insanely territorial and I worry the new fish would get beaten all to hell. Not to mention, if I go through some kind of QT on the new fish first, my lavenders will be gone & who knows which of my zoas will be next

What should I do?

 

[oldbones]

I had the same thing going on a while ago. Honestly, after looking back on it, I now think the zoos were dying from other causes and the pods were eating the dead or dying tissues.

 

[evo.howard2010]

My mothers zoas where dying just like that! So when I moved them to my tank to see if they would survive! I dipped them before putting them in tank I we found a Zoe's eating nudibranch! Lol it was really small but I'm glade I dipped them cause now they look great!

 

[johanasu]

Agreed, amphipods are not coralivores, they are detritivores. So if something else is harming the zoas the amphipods might be cleaning up the mess and getting caught in the act. Zoa eating nudibranchs and rare asterina stars can both cause harm to zoas.

You can try to pull the zoa frag out if it is on a plug and dip it to see what comes out.

 

[spidermann]

agreed it's going to be nudibranch that are eating your zoas do a dip on them or you can do a freshwater dip and it will kill the nudibranch I suggest Revive coral dip if you're close to Tempe I'll give you a bottle

 

[Arizonah13]

Thanks guys. I actually dipped it (a couple months ago) in Coral Revive, but I'll try dipping again when I do a water change today.

I sure hope you're all right about those pods (they could be isopods... maybe). I would be so sad to lose any more of my zoas.

 

[evo.howard2010]

Thanks guys. I actually dipped it (a couple months ago) in Coral Revive, but I'll try dipping again when I do a water change today.

I sure hope you're all right about those pods (they could be isopods... maybe). I would be so sad to lose any more of my zoas.

As far as I know parasitic isopods mainly attack fish so I would be surprised! But I kould be wrong

 

[Sinocard]

You've probably got a nudibranch!! I had the same thing happen to some of mine.

After the lights go off, wait a few minutes and shine in a flashlight, and just wait. You'll know what's eating them. the nudibranches that eat them are usually the same color as the zoas they're eating.

 

[Dogshowgrl]

We had ZEN and did a fresh water dip but it is 120 seconds yes a full 2 minutes. We found one a tested until we killed it. (Bayer's, FW, revive and coral rx; FW won)And it is best when you do it every 2-3 days so you catch it when the eggs hatch but don't have time to do much damage. FW dip and coral dips are really only good for adults not eggs due to the hard casing. Whatever treatment you choose know it is a treatment regimen not a one time cure all because the eggs will always get through and you have to get them before they reproduce. rather safe than sorry.

 

[Arizonah13]

You've probably got a nudibranch!! I had the same thing happen to some of mine.

After the lights go off, wait a few minutes and shine in a flashlight, and just wait. You'll know what's eating them. the nudibranches that eat them are usually the same color as the zoas they're eating.

I'll keep peeking on at night, but so far, it's just been those jumbo pods crawling all over that single frag.

We had ZEN and did a fresh water dip but it is 120 seconds yes a full 2 minutes. We found one a tested until we killed it. (Bayer's, FW, revive and coral rx; FW won)And it is best when you do it every 2-3 days so you catch it when the eggs hatch but don't have time to do much damage. FW dip and coral dips are really only good for adults not eggs due to the hard casing. Whatever treatment you choose know it is a treatment regimen not a one time cure all because the eggs will always get through and you have to get them before they reproduce. rather safe than sorry.

Thanks for the advice! I wish I would have seen this earlier as I just re-dipped the frag in a hearty helping of Revive. I turkey baster-blasted it over and over (and over) and brushed the whole thing with a soft toothbrush. After a careful examination of the old dip water, the only thing that came off was detritus.

I'll keep watching that frag and try the fresh water dip in a day or two.

Thanks again!

 

[Arizonah13]

I checked on that purple zoo frag last night... I only ever saw amphipods all over it. I also saw a single pod messing around on my sunny d frag - now this morning, one of my baby sunny d's is gone. Haven't had the sunny d's that long, but they had already formed a few new polyps, so this is disappointing. SIGH.

 

[spidermann]

Start fresh water dips or u might lose them all. Do you use iodine supplements?

 

[Arizonah13]

I don't use any supplements - just weekly water changes.

I'll start the fresh water dips.

 

[defchild84]

Could it be a euclid worm? I'm sorry to hear about your troubles, as I know how frustrating it is to deal~ I'm not an expert, but I also think I'd stick around the tank after lights out, but would check after waiting longer, and maybe every couple hours after. I'm always intrigued by strange New things that appear long after thinking I've become acquainted with all the hitchhikers. Hope it all works out soon, with no more casualties

 

[spidermann]

I would start using iodine supplements for the softies be careful not to overdose I use Lugol's

 

[Arizonah13]

Could it be a euclid worm? I'm sorry to hear about your troubles, as I know how frustrating it is to deal~ I'm not an expert, but I also think I'd stick around the tank after lights out, but would check after waiting longer, and maybe every couple hours after. I'm always intrigued by strange New things that appear long after thinking I've become acquainted with all the hitchhikers. Hope it all works out soon, with no more casualties

As for the euclid worm, I don't *think* so, but I suppose anything is possible. I've been checking like crazy and all I ever see on those zoas are amphipods.

Thanks for your input

I would start using iodine supplements for the softies be careful not to overdose I use Lugol's

Should I dose the iodine directly to the tank? How much?

Also, the zoas don't look like they have pox, but perhaps they do have some strange internal bacteria/illness/whatever that isn't readily visible to the human eye. Do you recommend anything for that? I know folks like Furan 2 for pox, but not sure if it would be appropriate in this case.

Thanks again.

 

[spidermann]

I don't think Pox at all you can do an iodine dip also just go by manufacturer's directions for dosing and dipping before using iodine make sure you test your system so you don't overdoseand raise your level slowly if needed

 

[Mael]

any asterina starfish on your zoas? Im battling some of the soa eating variety right now and they have killed a few small frags...incoming harlequin shrimp.

 

[Arizonah13]

any asterina starfish on your zoas? Im battling some of the soa eating variety right now and they have killed a few small frags...incoming harlequin shrimp.

I haven't seen an asterina in my tank in years, so I doubt it. :hmm2: