Another "help my zoas" post. Read 3 hours no answers??

[beemer]

Aquarius,
I have had horrible luck with wrasses, had 3 jump out including a black leopard. I'll try a sixline. They seem less prone from what I've heard.

Another question....Dip immediately after acclimating new zoas or wait a day and let em settle in?

I chickened out and only dipped 3 frags. The ones that were showing symtoms. All other frags show no bad signs and have 99.9% polyps out. I will do them all if I don't kill the ones I'm currently dipping. (and when I get Lugols)

Ok now the predator problem has me worried. If something (amphipods?) can completely eat 5 polyps in one night and I can't get any wrasses until earliest Wednesday that means I may loose 2 more frags! Any suggestions? Wait for the culprits to come out and try to kill'em? Put frags in sump overnight? (not a great choice my sump is full of equipment)

Gotta love this hobby?!?!

 

[beemer]

Btw did find one of those small hard white starfish on the base of a zoa just a few min ago. Sorry forgot the starfishes name. Could he be the culprit??

 

[aquarius77]

Dip all new zoos before they ever see your tank.

I have had to peel certain small asternia starfish off my polyps, i remove them no matter where i find them after finding that one directly on top of a closed polyp with his arms wrapped down the sides, death grip! They very well could be the problem.

Dip all the zoos if problems persist. Lugols is some strong stuff but zoos are tough. Do not worry about the zoos and dipping, they are very hardy.

 

[aquarius77]

It depends if i would sump them or not, whats in your sump? If you have any kind of sand and rock(fuge) down there and no fish then chances are its loaded with amphipods.

 

[impur]

My sixline lasted 3 hours in an open top tank RIP.

Yes, those as asterina stars have been known zoa predators

http://www.zoaid.com/index.php?module=Gallery2&g2_itemId=1426

I lost an eclipse yellow frag overnight. Guess what was on that frag in the morning?

I also dip all new zoas. There has been an alarming number of them coming into the hobby lately with these fungus/bacteria infections. You'll notice a large number of these posts on pretty much all zoa sites. Dip and QT for 4-5 weeks is what i do.

 

[beemer]

Thanks again Kevin,
I ask because on my travels for Furan 2 I heard 2 softball sized zoa colonies calling my name. (only $15ea) Low and behold while putting them in the bucket for drip acclimation a sundial snail falls off!
To the dip they go! I'm assuming a FW/Iodine/Furan 2 dip will kill them???
Jerod

 

[impur]

FW and Furan-2 will do the trick. I haven't seen any benefit to using iodine in my dips. Just adds a stressor IMO.

 

[aquarius77]

My wrasses must just like me or something? I wont tell people with open tops that they should get a wrasse anymore. I have never had one even look like he wanted to jump but it sounds like thats not the norm.

Why jump when some idiot keeps throwing hermits and peppermint shrimp in for you to gorge on?

 

[aquarius77]

OHH Sundials!!! and only 15 bucks for an infestation!!!!! What a bargin.
I would dip them heavily and search them well. For 15 bucks i might even just trash that rock.... i have never used fw to dip my zoos, always tank water and lugols mixed in with seachem coral disinfectant (more iodine). I wont say it does nothing but im not going to say it is better than fw with furan. Ever throw your pest into a cold toilet bowl and see how long they live? Some things might suprise you.

 

[impur]

Oh definately! Its really amazing what some pests can stand.

Everyone has their own dips and ways of doing things. Try a few and see what works best for you. But the bottom line with new zoas is dip em!

 

[beemer]

Kevin,
Lol maybe thats the problem I never fed em $6 shrimp! Sheesh if thats all I have to do! Heck suppose thats better than feeding amphipods $20-40 frags every night!

Impur,
Thanks for the warning
I saw that on another post of yours. I am always nervous about adding stress. My dose is pretty low though. I only dipped 3 of my frags so we'll see.