Zoa Spiders!

[dodgerblew]

If this were me I'd remove the rock entirely. Those are very common Zoas and very easy to find and replace. If you might hurt the polyps because they're already stressed and being destroyed and if the ZS are confined to that place and aren't in any other Zoas then I'd take it out, sacrifice the Zoas , pressure wash the rock and either bleach and rinse the rock and let bake in the sun or just pressure wash and let the rock dry out and start over. Might get a small cycle going again but not like it's all dead rock and I'd rather deal with possibly some pest algae then deal with the pest spider. That's me

 

[Tahoe61]

I would think Interceptor would be an effective treatment as the drug targets Arthropods. You would have to remove shrimps and crabs prior to treatment.

 

[Bdog4u2]

My wrasses would chow down on those suckers, they love hunting in zoa gardens. I'd toss a melanurus or xmas wrasse in there if you want to try natural route plus they're cool fish and hardy

 

[Ben Weaver]

My wrasses would chow down on those suckers, they love hunting in zoa gardens. I'd toss a melanurus or xmas wrasse in there if you want to try natural route plus they're cool fish and hardy

I like this. Thanks for backing up the wrasse idea.
I'm definitely not looking to through out the zoas just to be on the safe side. Although I can understand why someone would. Money doesn't grow on trees for me and I have enjoyed watching these guys grow! So I'm willing to put effort into saving them :)

 

[Tarpongriller]

Wonder if a haliquin shrimp would go after those spiders? I know I had a outbreak of small serpentine starfish and he got them all. Now I buy $10 chocolate chip stars every 2 week.

 

[Ben Weaver]

Wonder if a haliquin shrimp would go after those spiders? I know I had a outbreak of small serpentine starfish and he got them all. Now I buy $10 chocolate chip stars every 2 week.

I'd love to watch a harliquin shrimp! But... it would take him a while to eat all the asterina stars and start looking for something else! :)

 

[Engloid]

Are these more active at night?

 

[Ben Weaver]

Are these more active at night?

I believe so, unless they are just hidden during the day. But they are definitely easier to find at night and they seem to be feeding.

 

[dodgerblew]

Wonder if a haliquin shrimp would go after those spiders? I know I had a outbreak of small serpentine starfish and he got them all. Now I buy $10 chocolate chip stars every 2 week.

No. Harlequin Shrimps diet is strictly starfish.

 

[dodgerblew]

I like this. Thanks for backing up the wrasse idea.
I'm definitely not looking to through out the zoas just to be on the safe side. Although I can understand why someone would. Money doesn't grow on trees for me and I have enjoyed watching these guys grow! So I'm willing to put effort into saving them :)

I appreciate your position. Moneys tight for me too. My self, I would prefer replacing one Zoa colony with a new frag then those pests advancing on your other Zoas and you having to replace all and going a natural route by introducing a predator doesn't guarantee that it will eat or eradicate these pests. You don't list your location but if by chance you're located in SoCal I have some replacement Zoas I can give you and that's the best price I can offer

 

[Ben Weaver]

I appreciate your position. Moneys tight for me too. My self, I would prefer replacing one Zoa colony with a new frag then those pests advancing on your other Zoas and you having to replace all and going a natural route by introducing a predator doesn't guarantee that it will eat or eradicate these pests. You don't list your location but if by chance you're located in SoCal I have some replacement Zoas I can give you and that's the best price I can offer

Yeah I feel you... and I think if I'm not able to get these under control and they keep killing these, I belive I will go that route. The only other zoas I have are 2 different colonies on their own individual
rocks(easy to dip). So I'm going to do my best to save this colony. That's a very generous offer man, I really apriciate it! Some times it feels like every one in this hobby is stingy because we are all pour so much money into this hobby! :D
it's refreshing to see your generosity!

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[Ben Weaver]

Oh and SoCal is about as far from me as you can get on this continent :) I'm in PA

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[dodgerblew]

Zoas ship easier in my opinion then hard corals and fish. Probably if shipping at right time of year get them there fairly cheap and quick. If you lose em, let me know and I can send you some blondies (BBEB). Good luck.

 

[Ben Weaver]

Zoas ship easier in my opinion then hard corals and fish. Probably if shipping at right time of year get them there fairly cheap and quick. If you lose em, let me know and I can send you some blondies (BBEB). Good luck.

That's super kind of you! I let you know.
Do you think these are blondies? I was thinking they are eagle eyes.
Here's a good picture under blues.

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[dodgerblew]

Watermelons is what came to my mind but they're very similar to me so one or the other. I don't have those but I have a lot of these; they're referred to as blondies or bbeb

 

[Ben Weaver]

Yeah those are really close! The only differences between them are the red skirts.
Nice picture!

 

[Ben Weaver]

@Lionfish Lair
So I have some new pictures for you to look at.
I found this in a zoa tonight. It looked like an egg of some sort so I popped it and for what looked like 1 zoa spider in it.
Do you think this is an egg? Or do you have any other ideas?
Full egg

Split open

Contents separated.

 

[Engloid]

@Lionfish Lair
So I have some new pictures for you to look at.
I found this in a zoa tonight. It looked like an egg of some sort so I popped it and for what looked like 1 zoa spider in it.
Do you think this is an egg? Or do you have any other ideas?
Full egg

Split open

Contents separated.

Looks like a spider to ke. You need a jewelers loope. You can get some cheap at various places. Holding it right against the camera phone lens will give great macro shots.

I have found one spider in my tank and based on the looks of some colonies, I suspect there are more....but I cant find any. How are you guys finding them so easily.

 

[dodgerblew]

Looks to me like you just discovered a zoa spider egg. Wow, that's interesting. How small is it and how did you find it?

 

[Ben Weaver]

Looks like a spider to ke. You need a jewelers loope. You can get some cheap at various places. Holding it right against the camera phone lens will give great macro shots.

I have found one spider in my tank and based on the looks of some colonies, I suspect there are more....but I cant find any. How are you guys finding them so easily.

Yeah that's a good idea! :)
You really really have to just stare at them. Almost polyp by polyp. Don't expect to see something moving.
The majority I have seen at night with a flashlight. They are often (for me at least) sitting with there body centered over the polyp and legs sorta hang over the edges. These are what I look for.
Other then that you just have to look super close.
Zoas don't usually have anything on there flesh but it might be a good idea to blow them off with a pipette or something so they stand out a little more.
Also the place I found the egg was directly under a closed head. It had a hole in the side of the polyp were it must have been inserted.
You can see these by the discoloration of the flesh of the polyp. Instead of the normal purplish color they were a light, very pail yellow.