What is the proper way to acclimate Zoa’s & Paly’s?

[WayneL333]

What is the proper way to acclimate Zoa’s & Paly’s?

Hello everyone. I need some help. I’m having problems keeping newly fragged zoa’s and paly’s alive, particularly Tub’s blue zoas and Perun’s PPE’s. My tank is SPS dominated and I’m pretty experienced in keeping them. I recently started to collect zoas and palys and I have no problem keeping healed frags and colonies, such as my Purple Deaths palys, Armageddon Zoas, and Safecrackers. And some of my hitchhiker zoas are thriving a little too well in my system. When I get the newly fragged zoas and palys, they may open for a day or two, but then they shut and never open again, slowly melting away. I also had a PPE never open and slowly melt away.

I acclimate my newly fragged zoas the same way I acclimate all my fish and sps frags by slow dripping my system water into the bag. My parameters are up to par because my SPS’s have no problems at all. I keep the new frags on the bottom of my tank on a rock to keep the sand out of them. What am I doing wrong? Is there a trick to keeping newly fragged zoas alive? Are they getting infected by bacteria and do I need to dip them?

Thanks in advance, ~ w.

 

[impur]

My guess is some sort of bacteria/fungus is present in the tank, and your current zoas and palys have built up immunities.

I float all my new zoas in the sump to bring to temp, and add water from my tank to the bags slowely over the period of an hour or 2.

Then they get a 20min dip in 1 cup RO water with 1 packet Furan-2, the RO water is buffered to match pH in the tank.

Then they go into QT for 4-5 weeks for observation, with weekly 100% WCs with water from the display.

If i notice some polyps staying closed to long periods, or if i notice anything that looks slightly off while in QT, i do a series of 3 Furan-2 dips every other day.

Has worked very well for me.

 

[JGoslee]

I dip all new frags in a tankwater/lugols dip for about 10 minutes. Then they go in the tank. If I notice any zoa predators on the frag I will pick them off with tweezers and hold the frag under the spicket and run tapwater over it for about a minute.

 

[cardgenius]

I have this problem when the frag doesnt have time to heal. Do you know how long the person waited before shipping the frags out? I always wait at least a week before shipping frags and ask that they do the same.

 

[JGoslee]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9923759#post9923759 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cardgenius
I always wait at least a week before shipping frags and ask that they do the same.

This is a good rule to follow. I do the same.

 

[WayneL333]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9923694#post9923694 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JGoslee
I dip all new frags in a tankwater/lugols dip for about 10 minutes. Then they go in the tank. If I notice any zoa predators on the frag I will pick them off with tweezers and hold the frag under the spicket and run tapwater over it for about a minute.

What is the recipe you use for your Logul's dip, i.e. how much water and how many drops of Loguls? This is the stuff right?

http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=KM3611

Thanks everyone for your help.

 

[twon8]

you should never "get newly fragged zoas", make sure they are well healed before shipped, otherwise they too often succumb to stress

as to a recipe, i just put a dropper full in a few ghundred ml of water, fresh or salt, depending upon what you are trying to kill. zoas are pretty hardy in that regard.

 

[JGoslee]

I put a dropper full in a small bowl that I use for frag dips.

 

[Pazazz]

Most sps guys keep the salitity high at like 1.025 to 1.028. I have found my PPE hate that and will not open unless they are near 1.022 to 1.023.

One of my friends lost 3 different PPE and Rainbow paly frags until I figured it out for him.

Dont overlook the simple things.

 

[MUCHO REEF]

Great observation Pazazz.

Mucho

 

[JGoslee]

I haven't had that problem with high salinity. I keep mine at 1.028.

 

[LoudProudNPunk]

thats interesting that salinity could effect them that much in such a small range.

 

[250G]

Do you find this to be true Mucho?

Wayne, where are you keeping these in your tank? Also, are these newly fragged zoas/palys you are getting? Unlike SPS frags I find they need to sit a week for higher success rates.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9932754#post9932754 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MUCHO REEF
Great observation Pazazz.

Mucho