What's eating my zoa's

[sean2brown]

I recently started getting into zoanthids. I brought 3 frags home and 2 of the dissappeared. I have a purple reef lobster and a few peppermint shrimp for aptasia control. Who is eating my zoa's!

 

[jdyer88]

do you have emerald crabs?

 

[Sinclair81]

Or starfish!

 

[sean2brown]

I had a starfish and took him out. The only fish left are 2 clown, a purple pseudochromis , a yellow goby, the reef lobster, and the peppermint shrimp. The whole frag dissapeared!

 

[Kakabub]

Did you secure the frag or just place it somewhere in the tank? Could be it got knocked off or moved by a hermit or something else.

 

[MikeandNicole]

I have never had a reef lobster but I am pretty sure that they can steal frags when they do their rearrangment work. If you were going to add more I would make sure I glued them to some live rock or put them on a frag rack for now. It could have been your starfish depending on what type it was as there are stars that will eat zoas.

 

[Lytehouse]

+1 on the lobster

 

[pallidamors]

look for asterina stars..............Im currently battling them in my system

 

[TampaSnooker]

My lobster would eat all zoas on the bottom 1/3 of the tank.
+ 10000000 on asterinas - tiny starfish 1/4 - 1/2". Most of the bad ones have darker backs. Most asterinas are harmless grazers, but in my experience, they'll eat zoas when their food runs out.

 

[sean2brown]

i took out the lobster and nothing seems to be disappearing any more. i also found a mantis shrimp while i was moving the rock around. He's no longer in the tank either.I had a chocolate chip star fish and gave him to my neighbor.I think the problem has been resolved. thanks guys!

 

[Fishinfool]

The chocolate chip will definately eat some zoa