Zoo's Growing Over SPS Help Needed

[RMotta]

I have a small problem with some Zoo's growing all over this small SPS coral I have. Do I just take the whole rock out of the tank and cut away the Zoo's or is there something else I do... any help you be great!

By the way, I attached this SPS frag pictured to the rock about 6 Months ago. The rock only had about 5 Zoo's on it. I didnt think they would be an issue this close to the frag.

Thanks
Rich

 

[Mrs. Delta]

I would try to take the sps off the rock and mount it somewhere else, preferably a rock without zoas. You could cut back the zoas, but they will return and pose the same problem again. If you do cut back zoas, make sure you wear gloves and goggles because they have been known to squirt toxins.

 

[Behrmon]

Those Green skirts with Purplish centers can take off like wild fire!! I put about 15 polyps on my overflow a few months ago and prob have a good 300 polyps there now, I'd move that rock away from anything you don't want them on.

 

[Joel A]

i think those zoas are really nice looking actually.

But yeah, i would cut back the zoas a little bit, so you can get at the base of the sps, then remove the sps and remount elsewhere.

 

[Leroy]

Go in and Freddy Kruger the zoos, save them in a cup and offer them up to a local novice thats up for mounting a few zoo frags.

 

[Aquaman_68]

as stated above..clipping the sps & remounting it to another rock is the best plan of attack...I suggest moving that zoo rock from any live rock or you will have all your LR covered with zoas. Never a good idea to mount zoos ontop of live rock...Once they get a foot hold they are impossible to erradicate... I always keep zoos on seperate rubble on the sandbed away from my LR!!!

HTH,
B

 

[Jim Tansey]

Brian,

For the most part good advice, I had the very aggressive green ones in my tank I would often see them starting to spread in the other end of the tank far away from a direct contact path. My advice would be to stay away zoas if you your main interest is SPS.

Jim

 

[Mrs. Delta]

We had that problem with mushrooms in our 135, Jim. The mushroom polyps would just release, float across the tank and land wherever they wanted. When we broke down the tank, we were surprised to see how many different places they were growing. It's good to be on the cautious side when keeping SPS.

 

[RMotta]

Thanks for all the advise.
I guess my plan of attack will be.
1)Remove the whole rock from the tank.
2)Cut away the unwanted Zoo's.
3)Remove the SPS
4)Re-mount on another clean rock.

I have heard these can squirt out a toxin, Besides safety glasses and gloves anything else I should be concerned about?

I will operate either this coming weekend 8/16 or next 8/23. I will try to save as many as possible so If any one is interested in a few of these Zoos. Let me know. I will put them aside.

I also have a Huge Hammer Coral Colony that needs to be fraged. Has about 20-25 heads. Any advice on fraging these?

Thanks
Rich

 

[Greg Hiller]

Some people have so much problem with Zoa's growing in their SPS tank that they have tried to bring in Zoa predators to wipe out all of them (not me)!

 

[fanaglethebagle]

I'm sure there are people on the boards that would be more than happy to take some of those away from you.

 

[Bobbofin]

Those green zoos with purple centers do grow fast. I have them all over the place in my tank. They over take other zoos. I have a zoo & lps tank. My torch, frogspawn and hammer sting the hell out of them and keep them at bay though.