Problem with LR pests - advice?

[lightsluvr]

I have an infestation of bristleworms in my 120G seahorse / zoa tanks. I know the reason for the abundance of bristleworms; it's from aggressive feeding of the seahorses.
I have many beautiful flourishing zoanthid colonies in this tank (thanks to our good friend Zoanuts). Some of the colonies are firmly attached to large pieces of LR.
I have decided to give the LR an RO/DI bath in the next few weeks to cut down on the bristleworms. I will do the same for LS, which is also "bristling".
Many of my colonies can be removed from the rock. Others can be submerged except for the section covered with zoas...
My question for the experts here: Can healthy zoanthids tolerate a fresh water dip? It would be much easier if I could just submerge the entire rock for say a minute or two. However, I absolutely refuse to endanger my precious coral...
Advice?
Thanks.

LL

(I know how beneficial bristleworms can be and I know why I have so many...I am just trying to "thin the herd")

 

[treylane]

For "thinning the herd" biological control is probably your best long-term solution, throw a wrasse or longnose butterfly in there or something.

But if you want to dip, zoas can take a few minutes of freshwater no problem.

 

[ahayes13]

i would agree that the zoanthids can handle a few minutes in fresh water. and should be just fine.
i got rid of alot of my bristleworms with several freshwater baths and by carefully removing them when i would see them in the tank.

 

[lightsluvr]

Thanks...

Thanks for the reassurances...I've been told to "annoy" the zoas a little before the dip, so they close up and trap salt water in their closed polyps...correct?

Wrasses, redbanded coral shrimp and long-nosed butterfly don't do well with seahorses...

LL

 

[flricordia]

Won't the F/W bath kill the bacteria too though? I would look for something that will eat them before dipping, unless you are just going to do a little at at a time to give the beneficial bacteria time to recolonize.
Do the bristleworms you have bother the zoas/seahorses? I know some are pests, but most that we get in the tank are scavengers. I have several that are huge but never seem to do anything but try and grab soem of the foods for my zoas/fish.
Anither thing that may work too is a few drops of FWexit per gallon or S/W in a bucket. Shouldn't kill off the bacteria and won't harm the zoas. I do this when getting new zoas and I notice it kills worms but doesn't bother the zoas.

 

[lightsluvr]

FW Exit will kill bristleworms??? I like that idea, if it will work!

LL

 

[ahayes13]

i always dip with iodine + fw exit mix. im not positive if it will kill the bristleworms but i have had it kill other types of worms, and snails, spiders, etc.... i would say you could give it a shot. the iodine/fw exit wont hurt your zoas.
ive never irritated mine to get them to close up. but generally when you just bump them a bit they will anyways.

 

[Ladipyg]

Try making a trap first...a clear test tube proped against the rock with a nice chunk of krill or shrimp in the bottom after lights out...next morning, cap it, take it out and dump. Move it to a different area when you catch less where you are. You'd be surprised how many you'll see in the bottom of the tube. Make sure it's at an angle so they can slide in but not crawl back out.

 

[flricordia]

FW Exit will kill bristleworms??? I like that idea, if it will work!

LL

I take about 3 drops of FWE and a cap or two of Kent's Iodine to a gl of tank water and place anything that I think has a critter on it I don't want and/or new zoas and leave them in there for about 15-20 minutes and have noticed it kills the worms. I would rather keep them alive but a side affect I have to contend with if I want all the other hitchhikers gone too. Will also kill the small brittles and crabs in the LR so be aware of this. I still wouldn't do too much LR at once though. Maybe a 5th each week and I am sure it will take care of the majority of the worms. Rinse the rock in clean S/W to remove any FWE excess before placing back in you tank I would recommend.

 

[msman825]

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FW Exit will kill bristleworms??? I like that idea, if it will work! I would not treat a seahorse tank with FW exit. just buy you a couple of those bristleworms traps and bait it up and drop it in

 

[sleeper]

If you go with the test tube idea, post pics!

 

[flricordia]

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FW Exit will kill bristleworms??? I like that idea, if it will work! I would not treat a seahorse tank with FW exit. just buy you a couple of those bristleworms traps and bait it up and drop it in

Especially witha higher dose. Use a bucket of tank water to treat the LR as I said and rinse it in fresh tnak water before returning it. I wouldn't even treat a tank with FWE at recommended dose. I know there is a lot of sucess with it, but I have seen disasters too withit in a display tank.