Cephalopods eating Zoes

[RSJennings]

I have noticed my Zoes col. keeps getting smaller. So I have been trying to catch the culprit, I stayed up all night last night to see what is eating them and all I ever saw was the frags being swarmed by pods. Has anyone had a problem with cephalopods eating Zoes, and what can I do to stop them?

 

[scuba guy ron]

you may try posting in the cephalopod forums. I have noticed pods will eat and dispose of sick or ailing zoas. I've seen this happin in my tank.

 

[RedAnt78]

Yea, I had them go through a few of my colonies. They ate my tubs blues, kiwi's, green machines, and half of the ones in the top pic of my link.
This is a link to some pics that I took of amphopods eating my zoas. I never found out why they were doing it, but they have now pretty much stopped eating them now.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1737642

 

[650-IS350]

they're known to go after polyps.. add a wrasse and they'll take care of that problem.

 

[Mitsuko]

Yes they are eating your polyps...why? They are eating the dead parts. Your zoas are dying from something else and the pods are taking care of the dead tissue. They eat anything that is dying/dead. I would search for other reasons. I know that Tubbs Blue are known for their melting colonies. Good Luck

 

[650-IS350]

they're also known to eat NEW freshly added frags or colonies. Just because you or someone you know hasn't seen this behavior doesn't mean it doesn't happen. For some whom are UN-Fortunate enough, folks like myself and others have had this happen.:reading:

 

[Mitsuko]

New freshly added frags or colonies will always have some sort of protective sliming or die off for them (amphipods) to eat. I have seen this behavior in my tanks. As a matter of fact its currently happening to a candycane coral that is new to my system simply because the water was too cold during shipping. Adding a wrasse to a tank will help to control over population of the pods but it still won't solve why the zoas are melting/dying. Even if I was wrong what would it hurt to seek out other possible issues? No reason at all to be defensive

 

[650-IS350]

I was just throwing out the idea of newly added or colonies/frags added from the frag tank that has been growing good for months in the other tank. This also happens to healthy colonies that have been there for months or years. Like I said before , just because it hasn't happend to you or someone you know, don't knock the new of it.

 

[mscarpena]

You are aware that cephalopods are like octopus and squids. Do you mean copepods?? They will eat/irritate zoos. You can get a mandarin and they will eat a lot of pods. Just be sure you can meet the requirements of the mandarin(not the 29 gallon, maybe 55 depends on how much live rock). Not the easiest fish to care for. Also some wrasses will eat a lot of pods.

 

[650-IS350]

I believe the OP had a typo. I believe he was referring to AMPIPODS, not copepods. and definitely NOT ocoto's and squid etc..

 

[scuba guy ron]

I've seen the pods eat new and aclimating zOos. Ikm guessing it has to do with the stress in the aclimation process. Maybe they are releasing a toxin similar to dying zoos.