Fragging Zoas in Tank

[SaltyGroves]

I have some Blood Sucker Zoas that are growing over others. Can I cut these at the base right in the tank?

I’m worried the toxins will enter the water and harm the other life in the tank. Is this fear well founded?

 

[Biokabe]

Do you run carbon or a skimmer? Your tank looks small enough that you might not run either habitually...

Generally speaking the fear of zoa toxin is overblown, mostly thanks to a couple of high-profile accidents after hobbyists did some really dumb things. In a tank your size, zoa toxin is a mild concern, but not all zoas contain toxins. Even among those that do, fragging is not usually enough to release enough toxin to worry about.

A small water change or running carbon for a little while should be sufficient to handle anything. If you want to be extra careful, zoas can usually be gently pulled off the substrate and cut in a single spot, further minimizing the damage that you do. They don't really encrust like stony corals or even GSP do.

What you want to avoid is the complete crushing/disintegrating of zoa and especially palythoa polyps. That's what leads to most exposure, especially if you then subject the coral flesh to boiling temperatures that vaporize the toxins. If you're fragging in the tank, I don't think you need to worry about accidentally boiling them.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have some Blood Sucker Zoas that are growing over others. Can I cut these at the base right in the tank?

I’m worried the toxins will enter the water and harm the other life in the tank. Is this fear well founded?

best t do this in a container of tank water to reduce the chance of low level toxins in your display

 

[mfinn]

Can I cut these at the base right in the tank?

I hope you don't mean like using scissors and cutting the polyps.
That will probably cause a issue, plus kill the polyp.

Fragging zoanthids is usually easier done outside the tank.
I've always broke the rock they are on using a wood chisel and hammer, cutting inbetween the polyps.
If the rock is soft, then getting a blade under the polyp can be done.
You really don't want to damage the flesh.

 

[braaap]

I’ve fragged zoas with a razor blade inside my display 100s of times. If I tried to frag 5 polyps I usually kill/destroy 1-2 due to the complexity of fragging underwater and such. But I always get a successful frag.

Toxins are ZERO concern. I’ve never once worried about them. Just wash your hands/arms and don’t touch your face. Pretty simple.