Does anything eat just the skirts?

[setec69]

I have added a few colonies of watermelon zoas and some other long skirt type zoas and recently I have noticed that the zoas are open but the skirt is not showing anymore. My question is, could something be eating just the zoa's skirt or is something irritating the zoa so that it is only opening part way and not exposing the skirt? Could it also just be a time/acclimation thing and maybe they will open fuller as they become more comfortable?

They did open fully the first day I put them in there, but ever since it has only been the center that opens.

Any thoughts on this please

 

[cardgenius]

IME, Ive had this same thing happen with many of my PE type zoas. It first started with Pods eating my RPE but they would actually eat the whole head. Bought a 6line wrasse and that solved that problem. Then just recently I noticed all my PE's were showing nice plump skirts and the next day they would be gone, substituted with short and stubby skirts. After a lot of thought and watching the tank at night I discovered my peppermint shrimp were hanging out on them when the lights would go out. I finally got all the shrimp out last week and am noticeing my PEs are starting to look normal again. I never saw the shrimp actually eat them, but they were the only thing Ive added in the last 6 months besides frags on plugs.

 

[Peter Eichler]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10358357#post10358357 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cardgenius
IME, Ive had this same thing happen with many of my PE type zoas. It first started with Pods eating my RPE but they would actually eat the whole head. Bought a 6line wrasse and that solved that problem. Then just recently I noticed all my PE's were showing nice plump skirts and the next day they would be gone, substituted with short and stubby skirts. After a lot of thought and watching the tank at night I discovered my peppermint shrimp were hanging out on them when the lights would go out. I finally got all the shrimp out last week and am noticeing my PEs are starting to look normal again. I never saw the shrimp actually eat them, but they were the only thing Ive added in the last 6 months besides frags on plugs.

In your case I would highly suspect Amphipods as the culprit, perhaps even in Setec's case.

 

[bradford]

i didnt know pods were zoa eaters, very interesting

 

[setec69]

I thought pods were a good thing. I know I have pods, so how do I get rid to them? They are the little flea looking bugs that scurry when my flash light hits them correct? I would rather have good zoas then ugly bugs.

 

[Peter Eichler]

Various Wrasses, Pseudochromis, Mandarins, and any other reef safe fish that is known to pick small crustaceans from rocks is a good choice. There are a few threads floating around on this subject. I would not have believed it had I not experienced it myself.

 

[cardgenius]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10358790#post10358790 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Peter Eichler
In your case I would highly suspect Amphipods as the culprit, perhaps even in Setec's case.

At one point it was. But that was over a year ago. I bought a 6 line at the time and the problem went away. It started happening again a few months back when I added 5 peppermint shrimp to take down the aiptasia. They ate a ton of that stuff and within a month it was all gone. Shortly after I noticed my skirts missing.

 

[setec69]

Here is my live stock list.
1 Lemon Peel Angel, (never seen it near the zoas)
1 Coral Beauty Angel, (never seen it near the zoas)
3 Mandarin Gobies * wouldn't these control the pod population?
1 yellow tang
1 scopas tang
1 diamond goby
1 engineer goby
2 fasle percs
1 yellow doddyback *thinking of removing to make room for basslet
1 blue hippo tang

blue leg hermits
scarlet hermits
mexican short leg hermits
emerald crabs *plan on removing these when I pull the doddyback
sallylightfoot
various snails
2 coral banded shrimp

I would think the 3 mandrins would take care of the pods. I hate to add a non-reef safe fish like a wrasse to take care of a critter to make my reef safe

Just a note on water
0 nitrate
0 phosphate
0 nitrite
0 ammonia
10 dkp
8.2 ph
1300+ mag
420 calc
1.024 salinity
78-80 temp

I know I have pods, I have not seen spiders, pox, sundial snails, or nudibranches. I do have brissle worms, but never seen any of them near the worms

So would a wrasse or a basslet be a better idea to knock pods down even further?

I plan on adding a Naso tang as my last fish, so I guess I would have to drop the basslet add the Naso then the wrasse?

But the wrasse will most likly kill my banded shrimp and Nas snails correct?

 

[cardgenius]

You might add a wrasse and see if it helps. You could have a crab or worm that is doing it. Id get a small red light and take a look after the lights go out.

 

[DurTBear]

I've seen my emerald crab picking at the skirts of my tubs blues. He only did it once but it prompted me to feed him some nori every once in a while to prevent him from getting too hungry and doing it again. It could have been due to the fact that my tank was young and there wasn't enough algae, etc. for him to scavenge. Haven't seen him mess with the zoas since.

 

[setec69]

Whats the best wrasse to have then? I dont mind adding one, but I prefer it not be to much of a pain in my rear

 

[Slakker]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10360377#post10360377 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cardgenius
At one point it was. But that was over a year ago. I bought a 6 line at the time and the problem went away. It started happening again a few months back when I added 5 peppermint shrimp to take down the aiptasia. They ate a ton of that stuff and within a month it was all gone. Shortly after I noticed my skirts missing.

My peppermint shrimp harassed my zoa's and even my Frogspawn. I ended up getting rid of him.