while doing a little housework in my tank i discovered some hairy mushrooms and an assortment of polyps(zoos)? growing quite well behind rocks ect,should i try to remove these or leave them alone ,if better to remove how would i remove the mushrooms from the rock they are on and the same for the polyps?
softies and sps
- Thread starter ollie51
- Start date
Help Support Reef Aquarium & Tank Building Forum:
servo
Acro Addict
IMHO, I would remove any mushrooms. They will sting your SPS. You'll get multiple opinions on Zoas. IMO, I would pull out zoas. They will grow so quick and could grow over/into the bases of any SPS. THey can be much more benign and you can have a tank with both, but I wouldn't. Thats me.
kevinpo
Expert
Controlling physical contact is the concern here. The majority of SPS corals have little defense against their encroachment. Over time the above mentioned corals can multiply to the point where it can be quite a chore to remove them. I have used calcium hydroxide (pickling lime) to kill them but they can also be removed from the rocks using tweezers. Be sure to wear gloves and eye protection when doing so.
Regards,
Kevin
Regards,
Kevin
spongebob lover
flea whisperer
i agree with what kevin and servo say ... but also... you don't have to kill them 
, you can always sell them ....i'm sure someone with a soft coral tank would be interested in them
, you can always sell them ....i'm sure someone with a soft coral tank would be interested in them Jan
Well-known member
It's the palytoxin in the zoanthids you need to worry about. I read a post about a fellow who squished some between his fingers and ended up in the ER with antiphylactic shock.
MAGDRL Mom
Critters
Zoas/palys are very toxic - wear gloves and eye protection. Best to remove them out of the water.
Mushrooms, try to chisel off part of the rock, if you leave a piece of the mushroom, it will grow back.
I have a mixed reef, but run carbon and dose ozone to address any chemical warfare issues with the corals so their energy goes to growing and not on defense and offense.
Mushrooms, try to chisel off part of the rock, if you leave a piece of the mushroom, it will grow back.
I have a mixed reef, but run carbon and dose ozone to address any chemical warfare issues with the corals so their energy goes to growing and not on defense and offense.
kevinpo
Expert
Hello,
Use the tweezers to peel the mushrooms at their base from the rock. This works best if you remove the rock from the tank but can be done in the tank. The mushrooms can suddenly retract into a ball and squirt some fluid from their centers. If it hits you in the eye it can be extremely painful for about 10 hours or so. Flush with water if this happens. Be sure to wash your hands very well after handling any corals.
I have not tried to peel Zooanthids off a rock. I usually just cut up the rock they're on and then pull them apart.
If you just want to control their spread then you can use calcium hydoxide (pickling lime) mixed with water to the thickness of honey and cover the corals with it in the direction you want them to stop advancing. This will have to be repeated evry couple of months to halt their advance.
Regards,
Kevin
Use the tweezers to peel the mushrooms at their base from the rock. This works best if you remove the rock from the tank but can be done in the tank. The mushrooms can suddenly retract into a ball and squirt some fluid from their centers. If it hits you in the eye it can be extremely painful for about 10 hours or so. Flush with water if this happens. Be sure to wash your hands very well after handling any corals.
I have not tried to peel Zooanthids off a rock. I usually just cut up the rock they're on and then pull them apart.
If you just want to control their spread then you can use calcium hydoxide (pickling lime) mixed with water to the thickness of honey and cover the corals with it in the direction you want them to stop advancing. This will have to be repeated evry couple of months to halt their advance.
Regards,
Kevin
As we moved to an SPS tank I had to remove some softies from the tank...I use needle nose pliers to pull of stuffs that have grown onto rock...the hardest part of this process is really the pang I get in my stomach when doing this...I really always try to remove in such a way that I can save the corals and give/trade them.
Similar threads
- Locked
