Containing growth?

JeF4y

JeF4y

El Conquistidor
Likely a stupid question, so please be gentle.

I have some purple zoa's that I apparently hit jackpot conditions on because they're reproducing like MAD. Is there a way of slowing them or stopping them at a certain point?

I'm guessing I'll have to start fragging them off of this particular rock, but I've never tried fragging a zoa off of a piece of liverock before so I have no clue what I'm doing.

Suggestions would be appreciated.

Kind thanks.

Sept 09
0916_28.jpg

blues.jpg


I don't have a pic from today, but they're about 4x this big. They cover most of the top rock and I'm concerned about them overwhelming the rest of the rocks nearby.
 
I think this is a problem most people would like.:lol2: I think your best bet is to frag them off and trade/sell them. Other then that I can't think of any other way. Start fragging buddy.
 
Let them grow.
Why would you want to stop them from growing. They are beautiful.
If you want to get frags for others place some loose live rock rubble right nest to the outside polyps and let them grow on to the rubble.
 
I can certainly relate. At least the ones you have spreading are decent looking ZOAs. When I first got into reefing, I like a lot of other noobs, started off with cheap/common ZOAs. The thought at the time was "stay away from the expensive stuff until I get through my learning curve, the tank ages/stabilizes and any mistakes I make along that journey, won't cost me a fortune should I "learn the hard way". I have a a huge rock (size of a canalope) in my main display that is 100% covered with the rather unattrative green eagle-eyes.

Hardy little beast. Not only did they survive me, but thrived. In fact all my Z&Ps are doing good, with the one exception of a blue hornet I bougt about a month ago. It melted in three weeks. That was $100 mistake. If you do frag them, you shouldn't have any difficulty in selling them as they are somewhat an african blue hornet look-a-like.
 
So if they start growing in a place that I don't want them to, how do I stop them? Do I just start grabbing heads with tweezers and pulling them up? I doubt that I could razor anything at the bottom since the rock is so rough, but I don't know.
 
normally you can cut the mat, then get the razor under an edge and kinda peel it back. That has worked for me in the past. I see what your taking about with the rock. Morrowss has a good idea if you can get some rubble rock around it and when it grows on to it just cut the mat.Zoas are pretty tough I have slipped and cut them in half, still lived. Good luck.
 
frag them and send them to me. all of them. but really on a serious note, put the rock on the san bed so they cant get to other rocks. thats about all you can do to contain
 
I'm wtching them closely but will likely do a few drags this weekend. I've never fragged zoa's before so it will be new ground for me, but the worst is that I kill a few which I didn't want to begin with.
 
I also have a growth problem as well, taking over half my tank (90Gallon). Bad thing is they are growing in and around my Candy Cane coral as well as my large leather(actually starting to grow on the base of the leather). Are they going to kill and overtake these other corals? I will have to try and see if I can cut back the mat as suggested, just seems like that could be a PIA task. Note to self, only put Zoas on thier own island of rock.
 
mfinn said:
Let them grow.
Why would you want to stop them from growing. They are beautiful.
If you want to get frags for others place some loose live rock rubble right nest to the outside polyps and let them grow on to the rubble.
Click to expand...


JeF4y, it's not a stupid question at all my friend. In gact, many here are glad that you ask it as we all learn from reading and sharing.

Mfinn has given you some very good advice here. A greyhound loves to run, a bird by nature loves to fly, fish swim, corals natural want to grow, thrive and prosper as well. It will be a grave mistake to try and stop, stunt or slow their growth. Whenever I experience such growth, I won't even touch them. You are obviously doing something right via providing adequate current, lighting, parameters etc or maybe you have it in a sweet spot in your tank for optimal growth. I agree with Mfinn and a few others in that it is best to place small chip rocks around the base of the colony and as they spread, you can cut through the base of the new growth with a very sharp scapel or dedicated scissors. Do not use tweezers to pull or seperate them from the mother colony and try not to cut through any of the polyps and you'll be fine. You can either sale, trade or give the new frags away. I would however suggest that you leave the new frags in the tank for a couple of days before you remove them from the tank.

Again, not a stupid question at all, but I tip my hat to you for allowing your colony to in fact grow into a mature colony.

2 thumbs up from me
 
Yeah, I'm soo jealous of your success with that color morf.
I have had crummy luck with them and I just love seeing a full healthy beautiful colony like that. ( instead of a bunch of little frag plags on a frag rack)

Keep up the good work.
 
just keep the colony on that rock and any time a large amount grow onto another rock, frag that piece off and sell it or trade it.

-StrongMN
 
JeF4y said:
So if they start growing in a place that I don't want them to, how do I stop them? Do I just start grabbing heads with tweezers and pulling them up? I doubt that I could razor anything at the bottom since the rock is so rough, but I don't know.
Click to expand...

So I wear a pair of elastic gloves, use a #1 razor blade knife, start prying away on outside pieces at the mat and eventually you will get a good piece you can start pulling on and you can remove them that way. Trimming your tank IMO is a must if you want other types of zoas to flourish otherwise the ones that grow like weeds take over.
 
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