Zoos - what should I do..

Reef Aquarium & Tank Building Forum

Help Support Reef Aquarium & Tank Building Forum:

bklynmet

bklynmet

Active member
Joined
Oct 27, 2006
Messages
28
Location
Elkhart, IN
I just joined RF after being on RC for a while. SO here is my question.

Zoos have been catching my eye more with each trip to a LFS or tank photo showing them. I currently have green star polyps, anchor hammer, nice-size green favia, green striped shrooms, red shrooms, purple ribbon gorgonian and blastos - oh and a monti. cap.. I intend for the tank to be predominantly LPS with just a few SPS types. Tank is 75g, w/ 18g sump, 10g refugium. I have 5 fish - yellow tang, sixline, oscellaris, bengai cardinal and lawnmower blenny. Cleaners are 2 serpent starfish, variety of snails, and two red-legged hermits.

Water params - T=78 to 80, SG 1.025, Nitrates - 2.5ppm, Phosphates - not detecable iwth my test kit, Ca = 415ppm, Alk = 9dkH, Mg = 1240ppm.

1. I'm interested in Zoos and wonderiing about compatibility with the current inhabitants. I envision them filling gaps between corals - if possible.

2. What QT measures and/or treatments do you do before introducing into tank - aside from the normal acclimation?

3. Precations when fragging? I know they expel toxic chemicals into the water.

4. Precautions in general with zoos so they don't kill everything in the tank?

Anything else I may need to know - which isn't that much with zoos.
 
Well, if you have been around RC for a while, then you know about this thread:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=451720

You should always treat new zoanthids with this dip as a minimum.

Be careful, when you want them to fill gaps between other corals, you have to remember they will just keep on spreading and grow up over other the other corals, if you let them. As long as you provide good growing conditions for them.

If you frag your zoanthids, do so in a separate container.


Zoanthids will not kill everything in your tank.

They can be toxic, so if you handle them, use rubber gloves.
 
Thanks Finn for the link... it was the first time I read it. I do not normally cruise the Zoa forums. Just started today to get as much info as possible before deciding for sure if they should be added. I know Mucho saif FWE was optional - do you recommend using it for the 'pre-emptive' dip?
 
There have been threads on RC where people swear by it and threads where people say it does nothing.
But I tell you, if there is even a remote chance that it will help remove pests from an expensive colony of zoanthids, I will use it.

I do use it.

If you do decide to start keeping zoanthids I would recommend using the freshwater dip and use Lugols iodine not regular iodine.
Also, I would use it at a strenght of 5-6 drops per gallon of freshwater.
 
Finn after the dip do you QT?

I have a small 7gal tank with regular NO lighting, a MJ1200, and a bag of bio-beads. Would this be enough or do I need carbon and HO lights?
 
zoos are very kewl and colorful, i don't think you'd have a problem keeping some.
yeah RC has a lot on zoos and i have learned a few things from them.
The dip i think it's helpful because if you buy a colony that is infected of nudis (which sometimes you can't see) then you could infest your whole tank and not know about it until your zoos start disapearing :( .

Finn after the dip do you QT?

I have a small 7gal tank with regular NO lighting, a MJ1200, and a bag of bio-beads. Would this be enough or do I need carbon and HO lights?
Click to expand...

i don't know Martin, but i'd do it if i was you, just to make sure you didn't miss anything.
 
Meche said:
Finn after the dip do you QT?

I have a small 7gal tank with regular NO lighting, a MJ1200, and a bag of bio-beads. Would this be enough or do I need carbon and HO lights?
Click to expand...


The more you can do to make sure that you do not infest your main tank with a coral preditor, the better.
In the past, I have been careless in that area, thinking that the zoanthids are completely nudi free after doing the dip and I have paid for that,, dearly.:cry:

I would say that to be safe, use a q-tank after the dip.

You should get the absolute best lights you can for zoanthids.
Many people will say that they are a low light coral and you can use any lights. While that may be true, the better the lighting, the better they look.
I'd look for a skimmer also.
 
You should get the absolute best lights you can for zoanthids.
Many people will say that they are a low light coral and you can use any lights. While that may be true, the better the lighting, the better they look.
I'd look for a skimmer also.
Click to expand...

I ment for the QT tank. I have T-5s for the 55gal display. Would the regular lights be ok for a month in QT?
 
Just about any lights would be ok in a q-tank.
I wouldn't think that it would take a month for any problems to manafest itself with zoanthids. I would think that you would be able to see any problems with them within a week or so.
 
i thnk thats what finn was getting at.. get the best lights that you can for them - know that theyll look better for it..

Based on my experience so far with corals, i'm thinking just using 6500k in the qt would promote growth while in there.

i think for a qt that if you do frequent water changes then the filter media becomes less important. I think some sore of biologicanl media is important for a qt tank. I keep a small sponge im a heavy flow region of the sump just to keep it 'charged' for when I do use qt.

a note on the use of carbon in a qt tank - do not use it if you need medication wo stay in the water column as the carbon would filter it out.
 
Sorry bklynmet for taking over your thread. Just one last question, is the generic freshwater/saltwater bulb good enough or should I get a replacement with a specific spectrum?
 
Meche, I'm assuming we're stll talking QT. Lighting doesn't matter for fish in QT. Corals, In my opininion need something like a 6500 at the least if staying in QT for an extended period - I'm talking about corals where their photosynthetic zooanthelle (sp?) is their primary source of nutrition.

Which ties us back to zoos - are there certain types of food that they need? or is specific spot feeding not required unless trying to accelerate growth like trumpet corals.
 
Meche, I'm assuming we're stll talking QT. Lighting doesn't matter for fish in QT. Corals, In my opininion need something like a 6500 at the least if staying in QT for an extended period - I'm talking about corals where their photosynthetic zooanthelle (sp?) is their primary source of nutrition.
Click to expand...

Yes exactly, thanks.


Spot feeding in a q-tank is not required for zoanthids.
Click to expand...

What about in the display?

are there certain types of food that they need? or is specific spot feeding not required unless trying to accelerate growth like trumpet corals.
Click to expand...
 
Some palythoa and protopalythoas will eat different types of foods like Coral Frenzy, cyclop-ezee, etc but most zoanthids don't seem to.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top