Zoanthid infestation

[Tomoko Schum]

I have Bambam and Eagle Eye zoas taking over my rocks in my SPS dominant 180 reef. I've had zoas in my tank before, but they did not spread this fast. I need to either eliminate zoas or somehow control them. Does anyone have a good solution? I don't know if kalk paste or aiptasia killing stuff work well. Sundial snails maybe?

 

[ros3to]

Not the best advice but if fragging (and sending me some lol ) is not an option and the methods you mentioned did not work maybe putting a more aggressive coral on em?

 

[Northern Flicker]

Sprung keeps Angels in his SPS dominant tanks. He specifically mentions Zoa and LPS wouldn't survive in there with them.

Bit of a nuclear option, but zoas will kill SPS.

 

[Reefer Matt Verified Media Partner]

I have Bambam and Eagle Eye zoas taking over my rocks in my SPS dominant 180 reef. I've had zoas in my tank before, but they did not spread this fast. I need to either eliminate zoas or somehow control them. Does anyone have a good solution? I don't know if kalk paste or aiptasia killing stuff work well. Sundial snails maybe?

If you can remove the rock from the tank, try a hammer a chisel on the rock under the zoas. Then frag and rehome. If not, then a more aggressive coral to keep them in check will work.

 

[Northern Flicker]

If you can remove the rock from the tank, try a hammer a chisel on the rock under the zoas. Then frag and rehome. If not, then a more aggressive coral to keep them in check will work.

How does that help their SPS?

 

[dakoop]

Emperor Angel eradicated zoas. Don't want him to, but he did

 

[Reeferbadness]

Emperor Angel eradicated zoas. Don't want him to, but he did

I have an Emperor in 1 of my 2 tanks. Def would eat any zoa's (i found out the hard way early on) as well as some other soft corals (luckily for me, he also eradacated the Kenya tree that i added early on before i realized how fast they spread). Love my Emperor (his name is El Heffe or The Boss). Mine actually makes a kind of roar or bark like sound that can be heard around the house when he's bossing around his tank mates.

 

[Reefer Matt Verified Media Partner]

How does that help their SPS?

Depends on what’s there. But you’re right, pictures will help.

 

[Tomoko Schum]

Not the best shot but you can see how much zoas I have. This is after selling three or four grapefruit size rocks covered with Bambam and Eagle Eyes. These zoas grow so quickly that the tank look the same in just a few weeks.

I can live with the amount that I had previously (picture below), but they grow too fast...

 

[Northern Flicker]

Aiptasia Eating Filefish if you are feeling brave

Acreichthys tomentosus

 

[Tomoko Schum]

I would not mind Aiptasia eating file fish. I borrowed one from a reefer friend long time ago, and it ate all my Radioactive Dragons Eye zoa in one night. It did not touch any other zoa at that time, and I quickly gave the fish back to its original owner. I wonder if anyone is willing to sell me a few Sundial snails...

 

[Tomoko Schum]

I wonder if sundial snails eat LPS's. If so, I guess I have to try an aiptasia eating file fish. The file fish is much easier to catch and oust once it's done with the job.

Have anyone tried to kill a bunch of zoanthids by injecting kalk paste or aiptasia killing treatment such as Aiptasia Fix?

 

[Reef Puncher]

I wonder if sundial snails eat LPS's. If so, I guess I have to try an aiptasia eating file fish. The file fish is much easier to catch and oust once it's done with the job.

Have anyone tried to kill a bunch of zoanthids by injecting kalk paste or aiptasia killing treatment such as Aiptasia Fix?

yea kalk paste i know works. not from me personally, but i have a friend who said he does that to stop encrusting corals from growing on his acros. you just make it kind of thick and dab it on edges of coral. only thing is i dont know how long it lasts. like do you do it once. or like once a week. cause once a week would suck. once a month wouldnt be so bad.

havnt heard of aiptasia x, im curious too if that would work. im also curious if zoas would kill hammers and torches, because i have some that are getting awfully close to my euphyllia garden.

 

[Northern Flicker]

yea kalk paste i know works. not from me personally, but i have a friend who said he does that to stop encrusting corals from growing on his acros. you just make it kind of thick and dab it on edges of coral. only thing is i dont know how long it lasts. like do you do it once. or like once a week. cause once a week would suck. once a month wouldnt be so bad.

havnt heard of aiptasia x, im curious too if that would work. im also curious if zoas would kill hammers and torches, because i have some that are getting awfully close to my euphyllia garden.

Aptasia X works but it would be far more expensive than kalk paste for an application like this.

It would be applied once, the zoas die, then repeated once they come back.

I would be a little weary about using this much kalk paste, though.

 

[Tomoko Schum]

Thank you for the info. A local reefer that I know told me that kalk or an aiptasia killing preparation works well for him. I am going to give it a try.

Zoas do not seem to kill acros. Some acros are growing right in the middle of zoa colonies. My LPS's don't seem to be bothered. Ricordea on the other hand are winning a war with some zoanthids.

I just don't want my 180 covered up by Bambam and Eagle Eyes. They spread so fast.

 

[moretor1]

Zoanthid eating nudibranchs?

They'll boom in population before dying down

 

[mbmax]

where do you find they ?

 

[moretor1]

where do you find they ?

You would have to get with your local LFS and see if they get collected corals in.
Chances are they see them occasionally but kill them on sight

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have Bambam and Eagle Eye zoas taking over my rocks in my SPS dominant 180 reef. I've had zoas in my tank before, but they did not spread this fast. I need to either eliminate zoas or somehow control them. Does anyone have a good solution? I don't know if kalk paste or aiptasia killing stuff work well. Sundial snails maybe?

A good solution is to either frag or sell me many or yhr rock (PM me if so). I always have room

 

[Om84]

Wow, that's awesome zoa growth. At least it's not something ugly like Aiptasia. I have a SPS dominated tank. I keep zoas to separate sps colonies from encrusting over each other in turf wars. I have so far not had any problems with zoas smothering SPS corals. I did add zoas much later after my SPS colonies already established a good base for upward growth. I do routinely use kalk paste to keep zoa colonies in check. It's kind of annoying because you can't use too much paste at once so you have to separate it out over days or else risk sudden alk spike.