Non-Furan treatment for zoa pox?

LouisianaReefer

New member
Greetings everyone,

I am following the advice of Mucho as much as I can at this time to relate the problem that appears to be zoa pox. Here is my current tank stats:

1. 75 gallon display with 30 gallon sump.
2. Tank temp- 78 degrees
3. Alk 10.5 dkH, Mag 1090, Calcium 400 ppm
4. PH 7.8 yet kit is old. Xenia are pulsing well, so Ph is likely stable.
5. Salinity 1.025

The problem I have is with about 10 small zoa colonies that I have had for 1 year. All were doing fine until I got a couple of coral frags added to the tank. Sadly, I did not do a coral dip! Never again! Anyway, within days of getting these new frags, I had an outbreak of what appears to be zoa pox. All the zoas are in moderate light with moderately high flow and opening up regularly prior to these new acquisitions.

Prior history with the pox: I had an outbreak of this about a year ago and was able to beat it with vit C dosing in A.M. and P.M. which I continued for almost a year... here we go again. This time the vit C is not cutting it.

I took all my zoas out of my 75 display, and then put them in a separate 10 Q tank and treated the entire tank per the API insturctions including the 25% water change after 2 cycles of the Furan 2. The zoas opened up fine yet started bleaching out. I did concentrated dips (1 packet for about 1.5 cups) for 2 days I moved them back to the 75 and they were doing well for about 1 week yet now have started to close up again. An API support person ensured Furan 2 was fine for the tank and fish. I only had one packet left so I mixed it with RO water and added it to the sump of my 75, this greatly improved the zoas again, allowing them to open up for about 3 days yet the are closing up again.

From prior posts, I seems the pox infection can be in my main tank. I likely need to keep the zoas out the more infected tank and put them in the small tank again either treating the small tank (perhaps with lower doses) again or dipping the zoas again. I did read somewhere that the use of antibiotics for humans has been tried on zoas before with some success. I cannot find that information now. Furan 2 has worked for many folks yet I understand it can cause cancer and is very stressful on the zoas and other corals. I have tried peroxide with water 50/50 mix for a 30 sec dip a year ago yet this was too radical and killed some zoas.
 
The peroxide needs to be used with caution! Normally I suggest about 10% - 25% max. of Hydrogen Peroxide (3%) with tank water per treatment. Most times 50%+ dips will damage zoas internally, depending on the time they are exposed. BUT… I really don't think that hydrogen peroxide would be normally used to CURE zoa pox either. Proper/better dipping method for zoa pox is still Furan2.

The best treatment I know for zoa pox is indeed Furan2, according to the instructions here:

http://www.zoaid.com/articles004.php
Independent of your problem with zoa pox you could bring down gradually your S.G. to around 1.023/1.024. You really need to check out your pH!! Doesn't matter what is pulsing or not!! Also the Mg could be improved a little.

What I would do?
I would remove the zoas and treat them with Furan2 dips, as suggested, until they are healed. Please read the article above.
I do not believe that vitaminC could cure zoa pox infections.
I wouldn't put Furan2 in the display tank nor quarantine.

Please remember that Furan2 dipping treatment for zoa pox is a multiple day deal. That's normal. You need to do it until the pox is cured.
Good luck!!

Grandis.
 
Thanks for the advice A. Grandis! I ordered some more Furan 2 the same night I started this thread. It should be received via UPS any day now.

I did add Mg suppliment shortly after my post due to the low levels. Since I ran out of Furan 2, i dipped all my zoas in a mixture of Revive coral cleaner per the bottle along with some sodium ascorbate dissolved in RO water first and then added to the Revive mix. I then transferred all my zoas to the quarintine tank. There was a marked improvement by lunch time today. They were more opened by far. I plan to leave them in the 10 gallon until the end of the year. I plan to do the Furan dips soon.

I read Anthony Calfo in his book on coral propogation a while back. He wrote that zoas do better in a "monoculture." I do not have his book. Does anyone have an opinion on the ideal water parameters for a zoa only tank?
 
You're very welcome!

I would leave them resting until you get the Furan2 and start the treatment.
Too many different chemicals all the time just can't be good for the zoas.

I do have a great respect for Antony Calfo and his many different experiences with corals and of course zoas, but I have to disagree with that statement.
Are you sure you've read that in his book?
If so, would that probably be related to the higher nutrient level that many tend to believe zoas like. Could you please tell us in what page he states that?

Grandis.
 
I read that for sure from his book while hanging out at a LFS. It may have been an older edition. I looked up "zoas" in the index and read every page listed. He also has at least 1 story of how he poisoned himself with them and went colorblind for a time. Regarding higher nutrients, this guy below recommends frequent water changes yet puts lots of his own homemade food in his water column:

http://www.reefhobbyistmagazine.com/archives/vol_7/issue27/pages/11.htm
 
I'll try search in the book.
Thanks!

I know that link.
Everyone does differently. My suggestions are only suggestions, not rules.:thumbsup:
He must have a very busy maintenance schedule. LOL!!

Grandis.
 
I found the substitute for Furan 2 that I was looking for! It is Cephalexin, an antibiotic commonly used for fish, dogs, and people per a thread on another forum. I cannot list the link try google search for "zoas and Cephalexin." I found it by searching "zoas and antibiotics."

Has anyone tried this? The good part about this is that it is not a carcinogen like the Furan 2... It seems it could also be more effective. I would definatly get the zoas to fully close first before dipping.
 
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Drs Foster and Smith allows you to purchase per tablet for really cheap; however, this is not the aquarium-grade stuff... It probably will not dissolve well. Perhaps they have the stuff for fish as well... I did not look carefully.
 
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