Zoa help.

[Selter904]

I have had these guys in my tank for about 2 months now. I got them from a friend, and always assumed that the grayish polyps were miscolored, but I am now wondering if they are not sick/diseased? They are smaller than the surrounding orange ones, and have not had any change in color. They also seem to be limiting the growth of the healthy polyps around them. Has anyone seen this before, or know what could be going on? None of the healthy looking polyps have deteriorated. Does anyone have any suggestions?

They are not appealing, so I have debated pulling the colony out and scraping off the greyish shriveled polyps, but don't know if this is the best line of action. What are your thoughts?

 

[Selter904]

Sry about picture quality. Here I hope is a better shot I hope.

 

[impur]

Hmmm its tough to tell in the pic. It looks like 2 different varieties of zoas to me. Have any of the polyps disappeared?

Some zoas grow much faster than others. If you have 2 types, one fast grower and one slow grower, the fast growing ones can crowd out the slower ones and overtake the rock. I would try and frag off a few of the red ones to grow separate from this frag.

 

[Selter904]

That sounds like a good plan! although it will be my first fragging! Which is exciting. What is the best way to scrape/remove them from the rock, as well as attaching them to another rock/plug?

 

[uall8up]

super glue and a scalpel or razor.

 

[impur]

Yah razorblade and try to get under the polyps, try to slice off a little of the rock with the zoa attached to it. Then glue the sliver of rock to a plug or another rock with super glue gel. Be careful, i suggest wearing gloves and eye protection. Zoas have toxins in them that are very damaging. As long as you don't damage the polyp you don't have to worry about this much, but its always good to err on the side of safety.

Let us know how it goes!

 

[Selter904]

Thanks for the info, will get to this soon!

 

[brandon85]

cut the rock into a few frags with bone cutters, the frag or rock will still be attached by the skin cut that with a razor the glue where u want,most of the time as long as you cut around the polyps your fine