Zoas. A love/hate relationship

[Lavey29]

I really like zoas because of their colors and ability to fill in certain spots in the reef but man I hate the way they are just taking over like weeds in a garden. They have even attached to my back wall now and are starting to spread there too. I've tried to use aggressive LPS and soft corals to contain and coral the spread. I guess I am going to have to start cutting them back. I'm not overly concerned with palotoxin but do they release anything into the water column as you prune? Just don't want my fish getting sick.

 

[ZoWhat]

Zoas have very very little palytoxin. It's the palys you have to be cautious with. The palys with big discs.

I've handled both for 10+ years

 

[Reefer Matt Verified Media Partner]

Certain ones grow a lot faster than others. And it's usually the cheaper ones that outcompete the expensive ones. I treat the faster growers like gsp, and put them on their own island.

 

[Kellie in CA]

I thin my zoas when they get out of control. Get yourself some long tweezers and start pulling.

 

[Lavey29]

It's strange, for many months they were just kind of creeping along very slowly and now it's like new heads popping up everyday in all sections of the tank. I didn't know they could attach to glass too.

 

[Reefer Matt Verified Media Partner]

It's strange, for many months they were just kind of creeping along very slowly and now it's like new heads popping up everyday in all sections of the tank. I didn't know they could attach to glass too.

Which zoas are they?

 

[Hairyteeth]

All of mine have filled the space provided and now they drop off miny colonies to populate the rest of the tank lol, constantly throwing away the little monsters!!

 

[Lavey29]

How do you actually prune these things? If you cut the head off will the stem just die? They are pretty well attached to the rock.

 

[Lavey29]

Which zoas are they?

Honestly I don't remember. I just liked the colors and didn't focus on names.

 

[Hairyteeth]

How do you actually prune these things? If you cut the head off will the stem just die? They are pretty well attached to the rock.

No, both the stem and the head can grow back into its own zoa…. Some will survive with the tiniest piece of flesh left over
Some use kalk paste, aptasia x can kill them, as well as a few other ways

 

[Lavey29]

No, both the stem and the head can grow back into its own zoa…. Some will survive with the tiniest piece of flesh left over
Some use kalk paste, aptasia x can kill them, as well as a few other ways

So cut the head and paste the stem?

 

[ying yang]

Green ones look like dragon eyes possibly.
No zoa expert but that would be my guess,( I know you not bothered and just bought because liked colours, which imo is best way ^_^)
I've never done it but lots you tube videos explaining and showing how to frag zoas safely,I believe it can be as easy/simple as some tweezers and pull the mat off zoas up slowly then with sharp scissors cut the zoa mat invetween the polyps and try not to cut stem/or polyp head

 

[Lavey29]

Green ones look like dragon eyes possibly.
No zoa expert but that would be my guess,( I know you not bothered and just bought because liked colours, which imo is best way ^_^)
I've never done it but lots you tube videos explaining and showing how to frag zoas safely,I believe it can be as easy/simple as some tweezers and pull the mat off zoas up slowly then with sharp scissors cut the zoa mat invetween the polyps and try not to cut stem/or polyp head

Cool i will Google it because I'm just making a mess

 

[ying yang]

Cool i will Google it because I'm just making a mess

Goodluck.
Even though all over Internet that not many zoas actually have that much palytoxin and usually a certain kind of paly that doesn't grow in mat form but has single polyps not attached to a mat etc etc ,I'm no expert and lots articles out there explaining which ones do and which don't or at least gives you clues what to look for to have a more educated guess.

Don't think it would hurt to wear the appropriate ppe like goggles,mask,gloves etc especially if taking zoas out the tank and cutting just incase aggrevate them that much they decide to squirt you etc,as we all different sized bodies and can be more sensitive to some things than next person.

But to anyone reading this,best thing to do if any questions regarding palytoxin is read some articles from the professionals and get some off their knowledge even if say for example I cut 100's off zoas and never had any problems and advise everyone to just go ahead and cut their zoas as all will be well etc ( which I'm not advising that,always best do some research and read some articles and even watch some YouTube videos on ways to do it safely and what ppe ( personal protective equipment ) to wear .

Thought best state this before get replies saying I said something wrong ha ha

 

[Lavey29]

Goodluck.
Even though all over Internet that not many zoas actually have that much palytoxin and usually a certain kind of paly that doesn't grow in mat form but has single polyps not attached to a mat etc etc ,I'm no expert and lots articles out there explaining which ones do and which don't or at least gives you clues what to look for to have a more educated guess.

Don't think it would hurt to wear the appropriate ppe like goggles,mask,gloves etc especially if taking zoas out the tank and cutting just incase aggrevate them that much they decide to squirt you etc,as we all different sized bodies and can be more sensitive to some things than next person.

But to anyone reading this,best thing to do if any questions regarding palytoxin is read some articles from the professionals and get some off their knowledge even if say for example I cut 100's off zoas and never had any problems and advise everyone to just go ahead and cut their zoas as all will be well etc ( which I'm not advising that,always best do some research and read some articles and even watch some YouTube videos on ways to do it safely and what ppe ( personal protective equipment ) to wear .

Thought best state this before get replies saying I said something wrong ha ha

Thanks for sharing I'm not concerned about palotoxin but am concerned if they would put anything toxic into the water column during pruning that might make my livestock sick.

 

[Jmcdaniel0]

Cool i will Google it because I'm just making a mess

Zoas are pretty easy to frag. I wear latex gloves when I frag any coral, and I have never had an issue with it. Find some local reefers and trade with em.