Unknown threat to zoas

[Cerberusfish]

Something is happening to my zoas. At first I noticed some recession on the colony of fire and ice zoas I have on a rock that I'm using to build a zoa garden. Then I had a 1 inch frag plug totally covered in the same fire and ice zoas that overnight was halfway completely cleaned off. I asked the owners of 2 different LFSs near me about it and neither of them could think of anything specific. These issues did start occuring after I added an emerald crab, but they said an emerald crab likely wouldn't have eaten them that quickly, especially just one. Now here's the kicker, I just got a small frag of rasta zoas a couple days ago and now after coming home from work there's nothing but a tiny bit of flesh left of them. It was only 2 polyps but still VERY frustrating. Any ideas of things to check/look for? I havent noticed any sort of pyramid snails, that's what one owner told me to check for. All these colonies and frags are either on the sand bed or close to it so I asked if my current spaghetti worm infestation could have caused it and they said not like it's happening.

 

[PBnJOnWheat]

Something is happening to my zoas. At first I noticed some recession on the colony of fire and ice zoas I have on a rock that I'm using to build a zoa garden. Then I had a 1 inch frag plug totally covered in the same fire and ice zoas that overnight was halfway completely cleaned off. I asked the owners of 2 different LFSs near me about it and neither of them could think of anything specific. These issues did start occuring after I added an emerald crab, but they said an emerald crab likely wouldn't have eaten them that quickly, especially just one. Now here's the kicker, I just got a small frag of rasta zoas a couple days ago and now after coming home from work there's nothing but a tiny bit of flesh left of them. It was only 2 polyps but still VERY frustrating. Any ideas of things to check/look for? I havent noticed any sort of pyramid snails, that's what one owner told me to check for. All these colonies and frags are either on the sand bed or close to it so I asked if my current spaghetti worm infestation could have caused it and they said not like it's happening.

Honestly I’m not sure, does it occur overnight? If so I’d wait and see if you can spot it, or buy a quick $20 baby monitor aimed at ur zoas and try to catch it. Not sure what would cause that, maybe @footgal knows

 

[Cerberusfish]

Honestly I’m not sure, does it occur overnight? If so I’d wait and see if you can spot it, or buy a quick $20 baby monitor aimed at ur zoas and try to catch it. Not sure what would cause that, maybe @footgal knows

Yeah I've only noticed anything the next day from seeing them totally fine. I tried raising the rastas in the hopes that tiny bit of flesh recovers. I've had stranger things happen in my tank in terms of recovery so I'm just going to hope for the best for them. I also went ahead and moved up the other frag I bought with them. That one so far is fine.

 

[PBnJOnWheat]

Yeah I've only noticed anything the next day from seeing them totally fine. I tried raising the rastas in the hopes that tiny bit of flesh recovers. I've had stranger things happen in my tank in terms of recovery so I'm just going to hope for the best for them. I also went ahead and moved up the other frag I bought with them. That one so far is fine.

Gotcha gotcha I’d take some pics, show us what it looks like I’m not sure what eats zoas, especially their flesh like that. Do you think it could be a fish? Not sure best thing is to see what it is then go from there

 

[Cerberusfish]

Gotcha gotcha I’d take some pics, show us what it looks like I’m not sure what eats zoas, especially their flesh like that. Do you think it could be a fish? Not sure best thing is to see what it is then go from there

I'm pretty sure it's not a fish. I have a tomini tang, 5 mollies, 2 clowns, 2 yellow tail damsels, 2 blue green chromis, 1 royal gramma, 1 foxface rabbit fish, 2 firefish, 3 cleaner shrimp, 1 peppermint shrimp, 1 emerald crab, a sand sifting star, a pincushion urchin, and some snails and hermits along with a Christmas wrasse I got a week or so ago.

 

[DungSl1nger]

I feel your pain I had 5 wiped clean Sunday morning and two the day before. So clean it looked like the plug was new. I moved them to a frag rack on glass and the remaining frags are ok

 

[PBnJOnWheat]

I'm pretty sure it's not a fish. I have a tomini tang, 5 mollies, 2 clowns, 2 yellow tail damsels, 2 blue green chromis, 1 royal gramma, 1 foxface rabbit fish, 2 firefish, 3 cleaner shrimp, 1 peppermint shrimp, 1 emerald crab, a sand sifting star, a pincushion urchin, and some snails and hermits along with a Christmas wrasse I got a week or so ago.

The only fish I’d worry about is the rabbit fish. If you don’t see it nipping it’s hard to say what’s doing it

 

[N.Sreefer]

Could be zoa spiders I had a lawnmower blenny that used to bite chunks out of softies of all sorts including zoas.

 

[PBnJOnWheat]

I feel your pain I had 5 wiped clean Sunday morning and two the day before. So clean it looked like the plug was new. I moved them to a frag rack on glass and the remaining frags are ok

In that case it may be a nudibranch in the sand or something that climbs up and munches. If they stopped or can’t reach when you move them idk. Guesses here

 

[Cerberusfish]

So the first pic is what the rastas were on, second is the frag plug the fire and ices are on that was cleaned off half way, and the third pic is the fire and ices that have been slowly receeding. I need to dip that whole rock.

 

[DungSl1nger]

It’s possible. All my zoas were dipped and rinsed well. I’m thinking my pep shrimp isn’t, or my Mithrax crabs are starved.

 

[DungSl1nger]

So the first pic is what the rastas were on, second is the frag plug the fire and ices are on that was cleaned off half way, and the third pic is the fire and ices that have been slowly receeding. I need to dip that whole rock.

Ugh that first one

 

[Cerberusfish]

The only fish I’d worry about is the rabbit fish. If you don’t see it nipping it’s hard to say what’s doing it

He's been a model citizen ever since I got him. I've had him for a few months never bothers anybody or anything.

 

[Cerberusfish]

Ugh that first one

You can barely tell there's flesh there. In hindsight it could be my peppermint shrimp. I've had issues with them before. In fact I've never had a good experience with them. I gave this one one more shot and if I find out he's the culprit I'm never getting another one ever again.

 

[DungSl1nger]

You can barely tell there's flesh there. In hindsight it could be my peppermint shrimp. I've had issues with them before. In fact I've never had a good experience with them. I gave this one one more shot and if I find out he's the culprit I'm never getting another one ever again.

I caught min right next to the frag rack last night. He’s coming out and going in a different tank with my crabs. I’ll set some zoas back in at the scene of the crime and see if it is one of them.

 

[Tonyreeffish]

I can tell you from experience that emerald crabs will eat zoas. I had to throw a big one in the sump after catching it eating a small colony of zoas. I first caught it sittin over the colony picking at night. The next morning there was one polyp and a bunch of ripped flesh. Later that day I caught it as it was finishing the last polyp. If they get a taste for zoas they will definitely eat them. That being said, I have another smaller emerald crab that doesn't touch them. It all depends on the crab I guess. I would switch yours out for a new one just to be safe.

 

[Cerberusfish]

I can tell you from experience that emerald crabs will eat zoas. I had to throw a big one in the sump after catching it eating a small colony of zoas. I first caught it sittin over the colony picking at night. The next morning there was one polyp and a bunch of ripped flesh. Later that day I caught it as it was finishing the last polyp. If they get a taste for zoas they will definitely eat them. That being said, I have another smaller emerald crab that doesn't touch them. It all depends on the crab I guess. I would switch yours out for a new one just to be safe.

That's what I was afraid of. Maybe I'll try and catch him and move him to the sump to see of that's the issue. Any tricks for catching them? Mines usually out in the open, but typically in a spot where he's hard to get to because of an overhang or crag or colony or something.

 

[Tonyreeffish]

They can be tricky to catch. Try to get it to a spot where you can pin it to a rock to keep it from running away, like a corner or when against a rock when its in the open.

 

[Cerberusfish]

They can be tricky to catch. Try to get it to a spot where you can pin it to a rock to keep it from running away, like a corner or when against a rock when its in the open.

Like just push it down with my finger and then pick it up?

 

[Tonyreeffish]

The trick is to be fast haha. Pin it down then get a good grasp of it then pull it out.