Need help...something eating my zoas...

[Swirlygig]

Suggestions on inverts that will eat Zoas...I have some zoas in my tank now and at last weeks orca meeting purchased War freaks...As proud as I was I think something decided they were tasty...Over the past 3 nights I have seen 2 heads disappear per night...I got home tonight at 7pm and by 9pm the rest are pretty much gone...None other colonies were affected (YET)...I have not had any problems with my other Zoas as of yet...I don't know why something would want to harm these in particular...I am concerned because today I just bought some more...The rest speaks for itself...

I did notice the following around the colony (within 7" or so...) tonight when I turned on the lights... (peppermint pair, money cowry, hermit)


hermits - couple green (bit larger), red, orange...none that I have seen even bother my corals...
starfish?

any clues on your guys previous history with Zoas?

 

[cowboyswife]

Did you try an iodine dip to see what comes off of them?

 

[chrisstie]

When your lights are on are any of the polyps closed up? Could be a sign of a zoa spider or zoa eating nudibranchs (very well camoflauged)

try a freshwater dip if you don't happen to have any iodine for a good minute and see if anything comes off of them

 

[lifesworksataol]

i had a big crab that was eating mine. :-( sorry to hear about your trouble. the crab was sold to me as a emerald a long time ago and i never seen him sense. until i found him one day with a snail in his hands. iam sure this isnt your problem, but you never know. have a bunch of empty shells around the bottom?

 

[thor32766]

i had a decorator crab steal a whole colony once.

 

[Don Lino]

My pods were eating mine... True story!

 

[Swirlygig]

well I do have pods in my tank...I just got some from skinny...I didn't see them hurting anything though...ALL my other corals are doing great...I have other zoas in the tank with no impact...So I dunna...

What is the process for the iodine dip? Where to get it, how much to use etc...

Thanks,

Jeff

 

[Swirlygig]

how did you solve that problem don?

 

[cowboyswife]

I cant find the bottle, so I forget who makes it, but its called Reef Dip. I think Sea Chem makes it.

 

[Don Lino]

Swirlygig, The pods were only going after my Red People Eater zoas. I caught them late at night tearing the skirts of the zoas and eating them... These pods were huge, about 1/2 an inch long.
So, I bought 2 Green coris, 1 clown fairy wrasse and 1 mandarin goby. The pods have de-creased drastically.

 

[Cheekymonkey]

decreased you mean I hope?

 

[Don Lino]

OOps...

 

[davy182]

I think we need a close up picture if possible.

 

[Swirlygig]

I have been working a lot so I will try to take one tomorrow if I can...Not sure if it will help...lol

 

[Swirlygig]

So I tried doing a freshwater dip on 2 of the new Zoa frags and the dying frag for less than a minute...they shriveled up pretty damn good...Is that normal?

There was nothing that fell off dead...

Thanks,

Jeff

 

[lifesworksataol]

reefworks and fish bowl both have the dips in stock. fish bowl has tropic marin reef dip and reefworks has a lugols iodine that you can make a dip with and some other product. just ask them. most of your lfs will have something you could use as a dip. i think i seen it at seven seas as well.