Hydroid on frag?

[Seachelle]

Hello! I just got my first corals last night and I'm super happy with them! Last night, I dipped them with Coral RX. However, this morning I noticed what I think is a hydroid on my zoa frag. How do I get rid of it? I don't want it spreading. Can I just pull it off? Will that tick off the zoa? Don't want to get nuked! Lol!

Also, do you have any idea what this zoa might be called? He's a very pretty purple. I forgot to ask at the fish store.

 

[Seachelle]

Just realized my circle blocks the whole zoa! This is a picture of a grown out colony that they said he was from.

 

[shakacuz]

seems more like an aiptasia. pictures under white lights would be better.

 

[Seachelle]

seems more like an aiptasia. pictures under white lights would be better.

Here's a photo from overhead with just the whites on. I think you're right - it looks like aptasia. Can I pull it off?

 

[shakacuz]

Here's a photo from overhead with just the whites on. I think you're right - it looks like aptasia. Can I pull it off?

take the frag out of the tank over a bowl of tank water.. try to scrape it off as close to the base as possible. you can even try to frag the piece off if you can.. do not do it inside the tank.

 

[TnFishwater98]

Here's a photo from overhead with just the whites on. I think you're right - it looks like aptasia. Can I pull it off?

Definitely a anemone, probably Aiptasia ..Can you get a better pic by turning the frag

 

[TnFishwater98]

take the frag out of the tank over a bowl of tank water.. try to scrape it off as close to the base as possible. you can even try to frag the piece off if you can.. do not do it inside the tank.

I would take bone cutters and take off a chunk of the frag plug the Aiptasia is on if possible

 

[TnFishwater98]

I would take bone cutters and take off a chunk of the frag plug the Aiptasia is on if possible

Or just take the frag off the plug and toss the plug. I would still watch that frag for any more small ones you haven’t seen yet. Do not put in DT.

 

[Seachelle]

I would take bone cutters and take off a chunk of the frag plug the Aiptasia is on if possible

Oof! I'm new at this and unfortunately don't have any bonecutters. Even if I did, I'd be reluctant to refrag a zoa! Do you think my lfs might do this for me?

 

[Seachelle]

Or just take the frag off the plug and toss the plug. I would still watch that frag for any more small ones you haven’t seen yet. Do not put in DT.

Its not in my DT. I have a coral QT and it's going to hang out there for awhile, but I have 2 snails that were going to go in my DT in about a month. Can aptasia attach to snails?

 

[TnFishwater98]

Oof! I'm new at this and unfortunately don't have any bonecutters. Even if I did, I'd be reluctant to refrag a zoa! Do you think my lfs might do this for me?

Are the Zoas on something that is glued to the frag plug? It is easy to pry off pieces glued to frag plugs. You would need a straight razor blade or scissors.

 

[TnFishwater98]

Its not in my DT. I have a coral QT and it's going to hang out there for awhile, but I have 2 snails that were going to go in my DT in about a month. Can aptasia attach to snails?

Usually don’t. I wouldn’t worry about QT’ing your snails. Go ahead a acclimate them and put them in DT if your ready for them to go. When acclimating use a pipet or Turkey baster to blow them with water. Look and see if anything comes off them into the water column. This is a good practice to make sure there are no FW on the snails.

 

[Seachelle]

Are the Zoas on something that is glued to the frag plug? It is easy to pry off pieces glued to frag plugs. You would need a straight razor blade or scissors.

I'm not sure how it's attached. I just don't even want to try that as a beginner with a zoa. I've read squirting them with lemon juice might work?

 

[TnFishwater98]

Oof! I'm new at this and unfortunately don't have any bonecutters. Even if I did, I'd be reluctant to refrag a zoa! Do you think my lfs might do this for me?

Did you just get this frag from the LFS? I’m sure they wouldn’t mind taking the Zoas off the plug. I would need a better pic of the top plate of the plug to see the difficulty. Even if you didn’t get it from that LFS and they are usually cool with you , I’m sure they would help you out.

 

[TnFishwater98]

I'm not sure how it's attached. I just don't even want to try that as a beginner with a zoa. I've read squirting them with lemon juice might work?

Not a big deal. If you have a hard straight edge it’s easy to detached thing superglued your plugs. Because it’s a Zoa , I’d keep it submerged in water when prying off. Just a hard push straight down between plug and Zoa “plate”. Then roatate at a slightly different angle and give it a good push down. It will pop off. If using a scalpel. Get the scalpel between plug and Zoa. Then just push down slightly and do a small saw motion with the scalpel & it will pop off.

 

[Seachelle]

Not a big deal. If you have a hard straight edge it’s easy to detached thing superglued your plugs. Because it’s a Zoa , I’d keep it submerged in water when prying off. Just a hard push straight down between plug and Zoa “plate”. Then roatate at a slightly different angle and give it a good push down. It will pop off. If using a scalpel. Get the scalpel between plug and Zoa. Then just push down slightly and do a small saw motion with the scalpel & it will pop off.

Thanks! I'll take a look at it and see how attached it is

 

[TnFishwater98]

What’s that green stuff on bottom of plug?

 

[TnFishwater98]

Thanks! I'll take a look at it and see how attached it is

I just looked. It would be very easy to get off the plug. Then you can just superglue the Zoa and whatever they are on onto a new plug or shell or LR

 

[TnFishwater98]

You would get your hard edge between the plug and “Zoa plate” where I drew the red line. Do it in a separate bucket or container. Face the Aiptasia down and try to pry on the opposite side of the plug. Should pop off pretty easily. That way you don’t have to try and kill with lemon juice. If you miss, the Aiptasia will feel stressed and possible shot out a bunch of clones of itself. So do it in a different bucket. Don’t be nervous your just separating two things superglued together. Your not touching the Zoas or Aiptasia

 

[TnFishwater98]

Look and see if the Aiptasia is on the plug or the “Zoa plate”
Sorry overloaded you with post. Good Luck