How to remova Zoas

[Mrcote1]

I bought Zoas that are exploding in numbers. Both zoas pictured started off with frags of like 4 polyps about 6 months ago. Now im concerned they will completely take over the tank.

Unfortunately, there is no way to remove the rocks they are on as they are about 80lbs.

Anyone ever successfully remove zoas from a rock under the water still in the tank?

 

[KrisReef]

This is one of the difficult things about this hobby. When we purchase a really beautiful frag it often seems that the most favored coral is the one that recedes and dies first, while the frags we hope to grow in only a small area will quickly expand beyond our wildest dreams and become nuisance corals that require constant trimming to keep them in place.
You might find an Angel fish that eats them but it too will want to eat them all and not just keep them in check. (Ask me about my aiptasia eating filefish!)

Some of these corals are all or nothing and I hope you find a way to keep these in check without having to dismantle the tank. I have never had much luck with these things, hopefully someone else will have a workaround for you?

 

[Mrcote1]

This is one of the difficult things about this hobby. When we purchase a really beautiful frag it often seems that the most favored coral is the one that recedes and dies first, while the frags we hope to grow in only a small area will quickly expand beyond our wildest dreams and become nuisance corals that require constant trimming to keep them in place.
You might find an Angel fish that eats them but it too will want to eat them all and not just keep them in check. (Ask me about my aiptasia eating filefish!)

Some of these corals are all or nothing and I hope you find a way to keep these in check without having to dismantle the tank. I have never had much luck with these things, hopefully someone else will have a workaround for you?

I bought tons of Zoa frags about 6 months ago and now im terrified.

I may try getting under the polyps with a toothpick and see if i can just get the polyps off the rock. If I do like 5 or 6 every couple of days im hoping any palytoxin can be absorbed by activated carbon which I will run heavily.

If anyone has other ideas im all ears.

I wish Majestic Angles only ate zoas, thats my dream fish but I have too many expensive torches to try it

 

[ColorMeGone]

Nice looking flowers of the sea.

 

[kevgib67]

I think @luis angel did earlier this year. Care to help this fellow out if I’m right?

 

[luis angel]

I think @luis angel did earlier this year. Care to help this fellow out if I’m right?

No buddy, it wasn't me. I can't remove mine, so what I do is pinch them off with tweezers to frag them, and that's how I reduce the population, but I don't know how to eliminate them completely. Maybe @tbrown @tharbin @Rocks reef

 

[tharbin]

I've always avoided Zoas, don't like how fast they spread and I like a tank that matures slowly. Tim, @tbrown has, and frags, Zoas so maybe he can help.

 

[tbrown]

Unfortunately you've got what appear to be very prolific Zoas there. I use a pair of freshwater tank plant snips and cut off clumps and glue them to frag plugs when I frag them. I've heard cutting the polyps off and then spreading Kalk Paste over the mat can potentially kill them back but it will also raise your alkalinity.

 

[Rocks reef]

I would snip them off and cover with super glue gel or epoxy.

 

[tbrown]

I would snip them off and cover with super glue gel or epoxy.

He can't get the rock out though. The epoxy work under water?

 

[Mrcote1]

So if any part of the polyp is left behind, then the Zoas will just continue to regrow?

Why cant $200 torches be like that

 

[MegabiteOG]

I have the same ones in my tank and would like to do the same. It’s a non stop battle. I was pulling them off for a while but haven’t for a bit. They grow like crazy!

 

[Mrcote1]

I have the same ones in my tank and would like to do the same. It’s a non stop battle. I was pulling them off for a while but haven’t for a bit. They grow like crazy!

Were you trying to eradicate them and you can't because they are that bad, or were you you just trying to thin the colony?

 

[MegabiteOG]

Were you trying to eradicate them and you can't because they are that bad, or were you you just trying to thin the colony?

Thin to eradicate eventually. Not sure how promising.

 

[Sickness69]

Lol I believe i have the same exact ones doing the same thing! I believe they're the angel wings zoas I got from Tidal Gardens back in July.. Started off with 3 Polyps and now they're growing like weeds!

 

[ElZesto]

If you agitate them in the water you’ll see they have a like stringy network between all of them. I just used tweezers and an xacto knife in my tank to pull them out. Pull with tweezers while scraping the foot with the knife. Tbh it’s challenging and frustrating, you’ll end up just crushing/tearing like half of them. But if the goal is to kill/knock them back, it works. Good luck!

 

[AlexG818]

This is one of the difficult things about this hobby. When we purchase a really beautiful frag it often seems that the most favored coral is the one that recedes and dies first, while the frags we hope to grow in only a small area will quickly expand beyond our wildest dreams and become nuisance corals that require constant trimming to keep them in place.
You might find an Angel fish that eats them but it too will want to eat them all and not just keep them in check. (Ask me about my aiptasia eating filefish!)

Some of these corals are all or nothing and I hope you find a way to keep these in check without having to dismantle the tank. I have never had much luck with these things, hopefully someone else will have a workaround for you?

I bought tons of Zoa frags about 6 months ago and now im terrified.

I may try getting under the polyps with a toothpick and see if i can just get the polyps off the rock. If I do like 5 or 6 every couple of days im hoping any palytoxin can be absorbed by activated carbon which I will run heavily.

If anyone has other ideas im all ears.

I wish Majestic Angles only ate zoas, thats my dream fish but I have too many expensive torches to try it

I have a majestic angel and he keeps zoas in check only picks on them when they are closed. Never touches my torchers. Also hade a large blue face angel which was always nibbling on the zoas.

 

[Mrcote1]

Just removed the first set of about 10 polyps onto 2 frag plugs. I used a 1/8" wood chisel to try and work under the polyps and avoid cutting the polyps open.

They were definitely expelling stuff into the water so now ill monitor for 24 hours and make sure no ill effects. Im running a bag with about 1.5 cups of activated carbon as well.

Ill update tomorrow if all is good and continue at this rate

 

[MegabiteOG]

Just removed the first set of about 10 polyps onto 2 frag plugs. I used a 1/8" wood chisel to try and work under the polyps and avoid cutting the polyps open.

They were definitely expelling stuff into the water so now ill monitor for 24 hours and make sure no ill effects. Im running a bag with about 1.5 cups of activated carbon as well.

Ill update tomorrow if all is good and continue at this rate

Good luck! I had no ill effect when I was pulling them out. Personally be careful with palytoxins they may excrete. I've never had an issue but know of one person that had a very bad reaction.

 

[ou12004]

I have used bone cutters to chop them off the rock in the tank, shorter handled ones are better for in tank work. Just make sure you dry them well