Care of African blue zoanthids...

As for the Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice..
Hope I didn't offend anyone with that Blurb. But I just wanted to put it out there, that IMHO' there's no point trying to get a polyp which right now historically has a HIGH mortality rate. What are we contributing to by keep on buying these wild colonies/polyps that most know will currently melt or die? :confused:

That's why I put that blurb out as I was once on of those people. I tried it a couple of times to know not to do it again till folks actually AQUACULTURE these things to get a better survivability in which I myself can grow these out sucessfully too and get these in to circulation. Until then, I personally will wait.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15121634#post15121634 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 650-IS350
As for the Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice..
Hope I didn't offend anyone with that Blurb. But I just wanted to put it out there, that IMHO' there's no point trying to get a polyp which right now historically has a HIGH mortality rate. What are we contributing to by keep on buying these wild colonies/polyps that most know will currently melt or die? :confused:

That's why I put that blurb out as I was once on of those people. I tried it a couple of times to know not to do it again till folks actually AQUACULTURE these things to get a better survivability in which I myself can grow these out sucessfully too and get these in to circulation. Until then, I personally will wait.
Click to expand...

Well put. I agree :thumbsup:
 
I agree that aquaculture is always a great way to go. I also know that many of our customers are very successful with the polyps as are we.

So I don't think it's fair to try and put a memorandum out that people should not buy them.....that's why we are all here trying to figure out what is the problem and how more can be successful.

We already know that they will do well in higher flow and higher light. We also know that removing any polyps that are dying off is very important. Dipping them is also very helpful to rid any protozoans that will infect other polyps on the rock.

Should we stop importing them?

Should we hold them longer?

Should we do more to make sure they are healthy? Yes to that I say!

And that is exactly what we are doing......more news on that tomorrow after we do some more testing. Currently, we have a few hundred pieces in stock and they are Saweeeeeeeeet! :)
 
Eric, I'm not saying that fully. What I'm pretty much saying is Buy at your own risk. We all know that there are currently issues with these polyps. Might or might not be that big, but there is. We all know that lots of reports of people buying colonies only to be left with a couple to no polyps in a matter of weeks or months. I'm just another regular reefer putting my .02. I just don't think its senseful to keep on buying a certain polyp that is known to have issues at the moment ( be it protozoan and melting issues ).

When the studies by you biologists are complete and find what the issues are, find out how to PROPERLY keep these and avoid melt downs... DUDE... " I'M BUYING FROM YOU " straight up and I'd probably buy not frags but colonies as these do look great.

That's why on every one of my post under my sig it states:

" I speak on my own experiences, from what I read and watch", What I say is my own opinion which is neither fact nor fiction"

What I say is NOT gospel, just my own opinion. If I ever say jump of the bridge I truly hope people don't follow.
 
Here's a progress pic so far in a month - keep in mind that none have melted and that I sold off 3 frags with 6 polyps on each :)

bottom of my tank (overdriven T5s and med/high flow)

5/7
BlueHornetZoos.jpg


6/1
DSCN1053.jpg
 
I seriously respect vendors like you Eric, when they take the time to come on and discuss things with us fellow reefers. Especially when they talk about stuff like were talking about. Talking about what problems they find, them doing research , trying to find ways for better polyp keeping etc. Props man.

and I stand by what I said, once someone like your self gets these things propagating and basically making them aquacultured, I'd seriously buy from someone that takes the time for that.
 
I confess... I purchased a rock of these back on May 20th in what turns out to be a rather naive manner. I saw them in a LFS that carries nicer livestock, instantly recognized them (and couldn't believe they were available locally here in SC), didn't have to fork out an outrageous amount of money for them (~$1.50 / polyp), and bought them without knowing they do so poorly in captivity. Once I started reading this thread, I thought I made a really bad decision and began to fear that I'm going to lose them. It was obvious it was a wild colony as soon as I saw them, as the rock they are on is not typical reef rock and appears to be a type of igneous rock (rock make up seems identical to that in pix posted above by lubyone1). I've been sucessful with the zoas / palys I already had, so I thought I'd be ok. Then, I continued reading this thread...

I decided to go ahead and Lugol's dip the rock of them tonight after my fear grew into more of a panic based on so many stories of them not surviving. While shaking the rock in the dip, several polyps became a little loose, so I took the liberty of fragging them off and made one 3 polyp frag and one 4 polyp frag. After the dip, I returned them to the tank, moving them up higher in the tank and placing them in an area of greater flow than I previously had them based on the reported observations of sdcfish. It's now a little over an hour after I finished the dip, and I'm happy to report that the vast majority of the polyps have reopened, even on the the two frags.

I'll be keeping my eye on this thread... and will hopefully be able to report something useful that turns out to be good news (please don't let that be me jinxing myself :)). I'll snap some pix and try to get them posted tomorrow.
 
may the FORCE be with you. We all actually want folks to be sucessfull with these specific polyps so that more aquacultured ones of these start making it to the market.
 
^+1

All info I have gathered so far is only to help others keep these alive and propagating. I have none, but would like to see those of you that have got them suceed.

Very cool to see a colector respond personally with info.

I got my initial info from the LFS around here, and the secondary info from the owner of the chain of stores, strait from the diver/colectors mouth. Even better to have a colector post in person.

This thread seems to be turning into somthing beneficial after all, it seems.

Could have easily been a look at my polyps, and then look at my dead polyps thread.
 
We are using a 1ml of formaline to one liter of seawater.

I would like to add that I am really impressed with everyone here and the responses this thread is getting. Years ago, there was alot more "flaming" going on and one of the reasons I have stayed away from posting on many sites.

I can tell you that I am a re-born RC dude. Will post later today when I get to the office and check out the dipped colonies!

Cheers everyone.

Eric
 
Thanks for that info sdc.
For the most part my deepwaters have done well.
The frags I initially got were good sized and I think that has something to do with it.
The first couple frags I got were small and melted away.
I've tried to frag a few then have the mother not look so well.
A couple have whithered away.
I think I might try some formalin on the ones that look a little closed and with some white slime. I ordered some Formalin-3 from Marine Depot.
 
My Jap.Deepwaters have finally stopped melting or pox. ( after 2 months of fighting it ).. I've finally put the first frag back into the main tank.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15127288#post15127288 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 650-IS350
My Jap.Deepwaters have finally stopped melting or pox. ( after 2 months of fighting it ).. I've finally put the first frag back into the main tank.
Click to expand...

Nice work! Any pictures?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15125533#post15125533 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sdcfish
We are using a 1ml of formaline to one liter of seawater.
Eric
Click to expand...

What percentage formalin are you using and how long do you dip them for?
 
Finishing up our 24 hour test, my biologist has given me the following suggestions:

1. Remove asap any dead or dying polyps
2. Dip in 1ml Formalin/1 liter Seawater for 5 minutes and shake gently, OR in 2 ml of lugol's (Blue Life Brand) of 1 liter seawater or Freshwater for 5 minutes
3. Place in high flow and high light.

He and John Machian (Husbandry and General Warehouse Manager) do not feel we need to dip a healthy colony.

Formalin is the typical solution we have always used at 37%(pretty sure it's the most common type available)

John comments that we all need to treat these polyps like a Yellow Leather (Sarcophyton elegans) from the South Pacific.
High flow and high lighting.

My instincts also tell me as previously mentioned by others that the local of these corals may be high in nutrients. Could play a role in the longevity of their success. I would love to dive there and get a better feel for their reefs and inhabitants. I do know that the rock there is not really coral based scleractinia. More like a river rock, granite type of rock. What that means to the calcium levels and their natural seawater mineral levels I don't really know.....but would like to:)

Off home now.....

Eric
 
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