When a Zoa becomes a pest...

[Rakie]

The lesson is simple -- never put soft corals on rockwork, unless you want a softy only tank.

 

[Initialr]

Perfect tank condition problems...........

 

[dangros]

Perfect tank condition problems...........

Lol yes. Hindsight is 20/20 though. When they start killing off sps and annoying anemones then u get into less than ideal tank conditions

 

[sghera64]

I have a similar problem, but mine are hard to see from the back of a "built-in" tank because I have a large SPS overhang blocking my view.

Something, I'm contemplating in my system is this:

1. Cover the colony as tightly as possible with a heavy sheet plastic held down with some chunks of dry live rock.
2. Make a saturated solution of caustic (or limewater).
3. Draw up into a syringe 10mL of saturated caustic (10mL is the largest syringe I have - - thank you Red Sea Pro kit).
4. Inject the solution into and beneath the plastic shroud.
5. Repeat at different injection sites.
6. Leave plastic in place for 1 hour.
7. Ensuring all pumps are on full, remove the plastic and inspect.

I know that super high pH caustic will cause CaCO3 to immediately crash out when the caustic hits the water. My theory is that the foil / plastic shroud keep this close to the polyps as possible for at least an hour to "digest" them. I presume this solution will slowly leak out into the tank and cause some more CaCO3 to crash out and the pH of the system to rise. My system holds 180 gallons and currently has a dKH of about 9, so I'm guessing 30mL will not mess the pH up too much or for too long. I suppose it depends on how much of the area I want to treat at one time.

It might take more than one "hit" per area, so I would plan to repeat this 1x per day.

Has anyone tried this approach with caustic, or Joe's juice?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Pop of the big easy pieces of were you can. The flesh may tear, but that’s ok. Not allot of toxin to em.
I’d still go slow , the easy pieces as you can over a week or three.

If your sensitive by touch to plays and zoas , I just use nitrile gloves.
Some folks can’t touch a Texas trash play with out a week long rash. Personally I can.

When ya pull the rocks if mats come up , follow the tear and keep pulling like it’s a rug, but with more finesse.

If some stay on the rock and just won’t come off, aptasia x is pretty much my go to.
I keep the plays in my tank “pruned” With it. I’ve successfully cleared whole rocks of them that way.

 

[Dom]

Pop of the big easy pieces of were you can. The flesh may tear, but that’s ok. Not allot of toxin to em.
I’d still go slow , the easy pieces as you can over a week or three.

If your sensitive by touch to plays and zoas , I just use nitrile gloves.
Some folks can’t touch a Texas trash play with out a week long rash. Personally I can.

When ya pull the rocks if mats come up , follow the tear and keep pulling like it’s a rug, but with more finesse.

If some stay on the rock and just won’t come off, aptasia x is pretty much my go to.
I keep the plays in my tank “pruned” With it. I’ve successfully cleared whole rocks of them that way.

I'm not looking to eradicate them from the tank. I want to get the growth under control. if I can get them separated, I'd move the pieces to different locations and give some of it away.

 

[Rakie]

I'm not looking to eradicate them from the tank. I want to get the growth under control. if I can get them separated, I'd move the pieces to different locations and give some of it away.

You cannot get growth under control unless you eradicate them from the rock. The only way is to cut and replace the rock, or just remove and replace that rock. Even in a designated growth area they can run amuck very quickly, sneak peek at one of the zoa coming up in my sale thread lol

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I'm not looking to eradicate them from the tank. I want to get the growth under control. if I can get them separated, I'd move the pieces to different locations and give some of it away.

Yup. The larger pieces can be moved , I don’t see another way to control other growth save save culling and to remove the rocks and pull them off and frag.

 

[Dom]

Okay... here's an update...

I managed to separate the rocks that the Zoa has carpeted. I've spread them out so that the Zoas are confined to the rock they are on. If they grow out on to the substrate, it isn't an issue.

There is one rock with a few heads on it that is still in the rockwork. If left there, I'll be facing the same issue by spring. I plan on removing it completely and placing it in the sump. I'll keep one rock isolated so I have a Zoa specimen in the tank.

Private message me if you live in the NY Tri-state and want some Zoas. No charge.