List of Zoa eating fishes

[MUCHO REEF]

If you have actually witnessed one of your fish eating zoas, will you please list the name and a brief story about what you saw.

Also, here's a question I want to offer up for discussion. Do you think it is possible that every fish has the potential to become a zoa predator, for the lack of a better word?

What cha saying Mooch?

What I'm saying is this, if you take away that which a fish naturally feeds upon and deprive it of its natural food source, will it began to eat zoas as a means of survival? Doesn't matter if it is a herbivore, carnivore or omnivore, what do you think?

Mucho

 

[Meisen]

I have kept 100s of zoanthid colonies over the years....never seen it Mucho. Possible? Yep but I think they must taste nasty and/or have toxins. That said, a lot of tangs, angels and rabbits will pick at zoas but they are likely just eating whatever is growning on the zoas.

 

[MUCHO REEF]

It's true, there are many stories out there of this occurring. Many were fish that were considered reef safe. Given the right conditions, I think there is a long list of potential fish that would consume zoathinds. I just found an old link on this topic.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=712852&highlight=tangs

If anyone knows of others, please add them to the list. Not creating a scare, and just because one did it, it doesn't positively mean the others will. Just take note and be on the look out if your zoas start to disappear.

Mucho

 

[MUCHO REEF]

FYI, my Hippo and the Purple Tangs were actually eating my zoas down to the bare rock.

Mucho

 

[CoralNutz]

I know when I would have zoas that would have some die off around the edge my kole tang would tear it up killing more polyps and then eating them the next day. Took out two colonies like a chain reaction. Could be that the zoas were dying anyhow and he was just cleaning up the mess. But it looked to me like he was causing the damage.

 

[Ken668]

I too just got rid of my Blue Hippo for eating my zoas. He would take a whole polyp off in one bite. Almost decimated several of my colonies. All this with a full seaweed clip 6" from him. I also noticed my yellow tang would come in and nip at some of the tissue left behind once the hippo took off the polyp. Never seen the Yellow Tang go after a full polyp though.

 

[Meisen]

Not saying it cant happen of course....just that I have never seen actual feeding where there is clearly consumption of the coral. I am not sure I would count fish picking at dead/dying/algae encrusted zoas although I guess thats a stepping stone to zoa eating. FWIW, I have a hippo and a foxface in my prop system and a sailfin, a pair of Atlantic pygmies and a flame in my display all with no major issues.

 

[gflat65]

I had a Scribbled Rabbitfish devastate eight colonies over four days. It started off nice and friendly and ate the razor caulerpa I had intended for it to eat. Then I noticed it ripping flesh off my zoas, after about six weeks. I lost a few small colonies, but most have recovered since being removed from the tank. Then the rabbitfish decided it had a liking for Acans (echinatas and lords). The rabbitfish is no longer residing in my tank... I know several others who have had Scribbled Rabbitfish with absolutely no problems, but I apparently got a problem child.

 

[Monkey_Bone]

Rabbit fish, all butterfly fish, Purple tangs on occasion, Triggers,
large blue hippo tangs, Coral beauties from time to time have also been known to, Emporer angels, grey angels, just about all large angels, The entire arothron puffer family, porcupine puffers,
Certain hog fish, Lunar wrasse, Corry wrasse ( somtimes eats polyps, but they will eat feather dusters).
The list is huge.

 

[DEEC77]

hey Mooch-

I had a majestic angel that would eat only the really nice zoo. Always left the brown ones alone. He was well feed and actually didn't pick on anything for about 2 years. I've since moved him to a fish only tank where he once again eats like a pig but doesn't have anything to pick on.

~Dee~

 

[MUCHO REEF]

I guess I should have clarified my initial question. There are a host on non reef safe fish, I wanted to focus on those that are considered reef safe that have been caught eating zoas.

Mucho

 

[Meisen]

Yeah I thought thats what you meant mucho. Interesting to know about rabbitfishes though....I will have to keep an eye on my foxface in the zoa prop system. He is tiny though and there are about 40 colonies in there so I dont imagine he will be able to keep up should he decide to turn to the darkside.

 

[gflat65]

Mine was fine for weeks, then all of a sudden-munch munch munch. I know someone who has had a Scribbled rabbitfish for a lot longer than me and keeps a lot of zoas with no issues.

 

[jessiesgrrl]

I had a friend in Washington State who had the same problem with a foxface. Killed/ate some beautiful yellow zoas with a green skirt after he went on vacation. I was feeding him though, so he wasn't hungry. Maybe just mad he was left behind?
LOL
Laurie

 

[mfinn]

I'll repeat what I said in the other thread.
I did see my hippo tangs comsume zoanthids.
For the longest time I couln't figure out what was happening to the colonies.
This was 5-6 years ago and most people did not believe me when I started a thread about this.
I had a purple tang 2 years ago that started to nip at them so I traded it in at a lfs.
I added a new purple tang, last year and have tried to keep a supply of greens in the tank for it to graze on, but when I added a new zoanthid rock to the tank that had some hair algea on it, the tang immediately started ripping out polyps. Going after the hair algea?
Wish it would go after the brown ones.lol.

 

[cb9tunerguy]

not to get off of fish but i added my first zoos to my tank and not even twenty minutes went by and my emerald crabs were ripping them apart. needless to say i yanked them right quick.

 

[floridareefs]

My hippo has not touched mine yet.hmmmm

 

[MUCHO REEF]

Anyone else?

 

[cwegescheide]

I've got a Powder Blue Tang that nips EVERYTHING indescriminantly. He's a REAL terror. I thought they were reef safe but this guy certainly is skating on thin ice. I feed like crazy too.

I've also witnessed my buddies purple tang totally tearing into his zoa's.

 

[ZoeReef]

Hmmm And it makes me wonder...

I'm going to be keeping a closer look at my hippo tang.