Something ate some of my Palys

Oldsalt01

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 9, 2015
Messages
526
Reaction score
372
Location
Palm Bay, Fl
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I'm not sure limpets are the culprit. I suppose it depends on the species, but I have some and they've been model citizens, cleaning up algae but leaving my zoas alone.
 
OP
OP
John3

John3

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 24, 2017
Messages
1,301
Reaction score
1,335
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hard to see in the pic but I believe they were keyhole limpets. Can’t say for certain but it’s a start. I’m gonna get a good look in the morning again before the light comes on.
 
OP
OP
John3

John3

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 24, 2017
Messages
1,301
Reaction score
1,335
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have another pretty large colony of zoas that are on a old mussel shell that only half have been opening. I decided to pull it and do a peroxide and iodine dip. Low and behold 3 more keyhole limpets fell off. Not even sure where they were in the colony. These guys have all been small so far. I’m guessing I will be dealing with them for s while again.
 

TinyChocobo

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
May 11, 2016
Messages
708
Reaction score
352
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have another pretty large colony of zoas that are on a old mussel shell that only half have been opening. I decided to pull it and do a peroxide and iodine dip. Low and behold 3 more keyhole limpets fell off. Not even sure where they were in the colony. These guys have all been small so far. I’m guessing I will be dealing with them for s while again.
It's my understanding they don't really reproduce much in an aquarium - so physical removal should work.
 
OP
OP
John3

John3

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 24, 2017
Messages
1,301
Reaction score
1,335
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I’m thinking these must have hatched. 7 so far all about the same size. There’s almost no way they came in on anything unless they were eggs at that point.

I had some come in with my live rock and I picked out the bigger ones. I had a 6 line wrasse back then and he ate all kinds of stuff off the rock. I haven’t seen a limpet for 8 months until just recently.
 
OP
OP
John3

John3

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 24, 2017
Messages
1,301
Reaction score
1,335
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Bringing this thread back up with an update.

I believe the culprit the whole time was an emerald crab. After removing all the limpets things seemed to be fine for a couple weeks. Then yesterday I noticed the same patch of Palys has a couple chewed polyps. I also had a small 2 polyp patch go missing a week ago. Then last night before bed I took a look in the tank and sure enough there was the crab picking off chunks of the paly.

I’ve been feeding a lot more pellets lately versus frozen food like I used too. I’m thinking between less food and very little algae he’s starving and turning in the corals. Regardless he’s now heading to another tank.
 

trajik

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 30, 2016
Messages
38
Reaction score
12
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
If you keep palys, I would still plan to eradicate those asterina as you see them. They like to smother zoas and nibble a bit. Never completely lost any due to asterina, but I’ve been diligent to keep an eye. They multiply extremely fast, so if you catch them early you’re much better off.
 
Back
Top