Zoanthid eating spiders!!

[FishyFishFish]

No response from @AquaSD yet

 

[elcapitan1993]

AquaSD did email me and they did refund my money, I just wanted to update everyone on this, I’m going to have to set a QT tank up and dip and watch any corals I buy, hopefully my next experience with them/other online vendors goes well, because it really sucks trying to establish a reef tank when you can’t count on the frags you order to be clean

 

[elcapitan1993]

No response from @AquaSD yet

They emailed me today, did you email them?

 

[robbyg]

it really sucks trying to establish a reef tank when you can’t count on the frags you order to be clean

Never count on them being clean!
Always assume they have hitchhikers.

 

[iMi]

I cannot believe this... I am having the same problem. Same vendor. Just found more spiders and have already lost a few frags. What is the best thing to do now? I dipped everything prior to getting them in the tank but I believe the spiders are inside the polyps, so it doesn't really help.

I am coincidently setting up a new tank. In a few days I'll be able to move everything but the zoas into a new tank. Is there a broad treatment that can be employed in a zoa only treatment tank?

What should I do?

 

[zoaprince]

I cannot believe this... I am having the same problem. Same vendor. Just found more spiders and have already lost a few frags. What is the best thing to do now? I dipped everything prior to getting them in the tank but I believe the spiders are inside the polyps, so it doesn't really help.

I am coincidently setting up a new tank. In a few days I'll be able to move everything but the zoas into a new tank. Is there a broad treatment that can be employed in a zoa only treatment tank?

What should I do?

Yikes that's three people in the thread so far.

 

[iMi]

Yikes that's three people in the thread so far.

I am pulling more and more of these monsters out of the tank. I have a rock that is a little island. It has a few zoas on it and they seem to be doing well. One is closed up a little now but that's probably because I'm messing with it.

Would it be a good idea to pull it out of the tank, dip it in iodine and put it in the new tank for now? The new one only has live sand in it. Waiting on rock. Or will I just risk contaminating the new tank?

I'm up to at least two dozen now. All from three frags that were looking the worse. Already lost two or three completely.

 

[Urtoo]

Don’t risk it

 

[iMi]

Also saw a tiny little worm that was crawling on one of the zoas and when disturbed it ran down the side of the rock and into a hole. It's tiny. Like slightly thicker than a hair and about 1/4 inch long. Any idea what it might be?

 

[iMi]

Don’t risk it

If the tank has not zoas in it, will the spiders eventually starve and die off?

 

[vetteguy53081]

This is the reason for dipping. We all heard, we all know and we all should assume there is something out there each shipment. Agreeing with footgal- Alternate dipping for 10 days pulling all zoa and using reading glasses which magnifies images and look for any left in tank as well as eggs which are tiny.
Day 1 - peroxide 3%
Day 2- Bayer, coralx etc
Day 3 - Peroxide AND SO FORTH.

DO NOTE: Sometimes dips will not work and you may have to resort to manual removal daily and eventually they will be gone. They often use the actual zoanthids mucous as protection for eggs and offspring, so keep up killing adults and it should end after a while. Some crabs will kill them such AS arrow crabs. These spiders do have a few other known predators. It is important that you carry out research before adding any new livestock to your aquarium to ensure they are compatible with your existing stock, and that you can meet their care requirements.
Known predators but not guaranteed include:
-Copperband Butterflyfish
- Butterfly Fish
- Six Line Wrasse
- Melanurus Wrasse
- yellow Coris Wrasse

 

[TheSaltyNurse]

Truly I didn’t even know this was a thing. As if land spiders aren’t bad enough, now they are in our fish tanks

 

[iMi]

This is the reason for dipping. We all heard, we all know and we all should assume there is something out there each shipment. Agreeing with footgal- Alternate dipping for 10 days pulling all zoa and using reading glasses which magnifies images and look for any left in tank as well as eggs which are tiny.
Day 1 - peroxide 3%
Day 2- Bayer, coralx etc
Day 3 - Peroxide AND SO FORTH.

DO NOTE: Sometimes dips will not work and you may have to resort to manual removal daily and eventually they will be gone. They often use the actual zoanthids mucous as protection for eggs and offspring, so keep up killing adults and it should end after a while. Some worms will kill them such AS arrow crabs. These spiders do have a few other known predators. It is important that you carry out research before adding any new livestock to your aquarium to ensure they are compatible with your existing stock, and that you can meet their care requirements.
Known predators include:
-Copperband Butterflyfish
- Butterfly Fish
- Six Line Wrasse
- Melanurus Wrasse
- yellow Coris Wrasse

Thanks for the info. I dip everything new and these frags were no exception. Would it make sense to just remove the worse ones that look to be beyond salvage? I have a bunch that are looking completely healthy. Just dip those?

I am getting a six line wrasse for the new tank. I know they eat quite a few undesirables. Glad to hear they will eat spiders as well. Should I go get one sooner and put him in this tank now and then move him over to the new one later? There is only a yellow watchman in this tank right now.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks for the info. I dip everything new and these frags were no exception. Would it make sense to just remove the worse ones that look to be beyond salvage? I have a bunch that are looking completely healthy. Just dip those?

I am getting a six line wrasse for the new tank. I know they eat quite a few undesirables. Glad to hear they will eat spiders as well. Should I go get one sooner and put him in this tank now and then move him over to the new one later? There is only a yellow watchman in this tank right now.

In the tank- sooner the better.
As for ones that look sad- consider using even a tub as a holding tank and see if they recover which is a good gamble.

 

[iMi]

In the tank- sooner the better.
As for ones that look sad- consider using even a tub as a holding tank and see if they recover which is a good gamble.

Got it, will go get one tomorrow. Would it be safe to move all other corals into the new tank and omit the zoas? Keep them it what will now effectively be a quarantine tank?

Also, any idea on how long these spiders can survive in a tank without zoas to eat?

 

[FishyFishFish]

They emailed me today, did you email them?

Yes, but only on Monday night. Let’s see if they respond. The issue isn’t the money as it’s only a $7 frag; the issue is the potential infestation I might now have to deal with, and what it means for my other Zoas. I doubt they are going to offer to replace them. Hopefully I have got away with just the 2 spiders, but I’m not convinced there won’t be more.

 

[FishyFishFish]

All of mine were dipped as well, but that clearly doesn’t work on Zoa spiders.

 

[vetteguy53081]

That poses a good question??? They hide within the head of the zoa and rely on slime for reproduction. The question is- Just Zoa slime or other forms of slime. Again- total removal is best

 

[FishyFishFish]

I have been refunded for my Zoa (which I have now thrown away). I'm not sure my $7 frag was worth this additional headache when trying to start up my new reef.

They appear to think it came in on a large shipment from Vietnam, which doesn't fill me with confidence.

 

[iMi]

I have been refunded for my Zoa (which I have now thrown away). I'm not sure my $7 frag was worth this additional headache when trying to start up my new reef.

They appear to think it came in on a large shipment from Vietnam, which doesn't fill me with confidence.

I bought several frags of zoas from them during that February flash sale here. I would say most are gone or in pretty bad shape. It looks like those spiders don't move well over sand because the island with existing zoas is still looking okay.

When did you make your purchase? I'm curious how long they have been having this "Vietnam source" problem.