Zoanthid pest?
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: Softies
Forum Description: This is the place to ask questions soft corals.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=74251
Printed Date: December 13 2025 at 12:35pm
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Topic: Zoanthid pest?
Posted By: AcroNem
Subject: Zoanthid pest?
Date Posted: January 04 2015 at 5:51pm
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[IMG]uploads/4407/IMG_20150104_174212_345-1.jpg[/IMG So I just noticed this strand of eggs all over the base of this plug and rock. Can anybody ID what they came from? I'm assuming a pest but I'm open to good news as well. I've got another colony that hasn't opened in three days but I haven't worried until now. Thanks for any help! |
Replies:
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: January 04 2015 at 7:23pm
 Bracket at the end of the link was missing, so I added it to allow the pic to show.  Those look like snail eggs to me possibly a type of Cerith Snail. Pic of one type of Cerith Snail eggs below. I'm not the expert regarding pests, that's ReefdUp. Hopefully she will see this and chime in. Aloha   ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
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Posted By: AcroNem
Date Posted: January 04 2015 at 7:46pm
| The egg strands look way too long to be from a type of Zoa eating sea slug but I wanted to be sure. And these three small colonies are new and haven't opened in almost a week so it's worrying me. Thanks Mark! |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: January 04 2015 at 7:48pm
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When it comes to Zoanthids not opening up, there are reasons other than pests. I recently got some Zoas that I wasn't too sure about so I gave them and their rock a 15 second freshwater dip n' swish to see if anything would come off. Some things did come off, but I wasn't sure it was any kind of pest. Sometimes a bad bacterial film irritates the polyps. Sometimes it's an external bacterial or fungal disease that makes them eventually melt away. The freshwater dip n' swish is one way to help rid the polyps of external problems. Again ReefdUp will be able to provide more correct information. ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: AcroNem
Date Posted: January 04 2015 at 7:52pm
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I haven't done a freshwater dip yet, but I have seachem reef dip I used when I first got them in and that usually works fine I've never had problems with polyps before. Hopefully she chimes in I don't know what's making them stay closed it's strange. ------------- 150G mixed reef, growing coral farm. Thirteenth year keeping reefs, always here to talk fish. 801-850-7577. |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: January 04 2015 at 7:52pm
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I sometimes use a soft toothbrush on Zoa and Paly polyps. You'd be surprised how they actually like a "back scratch" of sorts and will open soon after. It's a good way to clear algae and detritus from between the polyps. Putting them in a high flow area for a little while can sometimes help, too. ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: ReefdUp
Date Posted: January 04 2015 at 8:28pm
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Just lost my long post. They're likely cerith or another larger snail type. Zoa-eating nudis have very small eggs sacs, usually smaller than a single polyp. ------------- www.reefdup.com Diving since 2009, reefkeeping since 2007, & fishkeeping since 1987 200g, 75g, & 15g Systems PADI Advanced Open Water |
Posted By: AcroNem
Date Posted: January 04 2015 at 8:31pm
| That's good to hear, these new colonies are most likely just getting used to the tank still hopefully they open soon. thank you for your help :) |
Posted By: Molli
Date Posted: January 05 2015 at 8:56am
| Did you see them opened up in the tank you purchased them from? |
Posted By: AcroNem
Date Posted: January 05 2015 at 9:17am
They were ordered in so I didn't see them in person but the five other colonies in the same box are doing great so it's confusing. Here's a pic of the two that are doing the worst, I've tried dipping them, lightly brushing them off and blasting them with a power head to keep them clean but no luck. 
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Posted By: Pete Moss
Date Posted: January 07 2015 at 9:30am
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I have pulled in a few colonies of zoanthids in my day, so I'll throw in my two cents. The eggs on your colony do not look like the eggs of the normal zoanthid predators. I always recommend a bayers dip, quarantine, then a hydrogen peroxide dip, then quarantine, then putting the colony in the display. That will take care of pests most of the time :P Another option is light acclimation. With new zoanthids I often have to dim my lights and put them near the bottom of the tank for them to get used to the new lighting. Try plopping them on the sand bed. A water test is always a good choice, make sure all your parameters are in check. Finally, certain zoanthid sp. are very sensitive to salinity swings. Do you get a lot of evaporation? Do you have an auto top off? ------------- 125g 90g 2x33g 34g What stores do I recommend? Up North: Bill ( Saltwater Paradise 801-317-8115 ) Down South: Jerry ( Reef On 801-563-0600 ) Member of GCFB |
Posted By: AcroNem
Date Posted: January 07 2015 at 9:45am
| These new colonies have been on the sand bed since I got them I've only just started moving the ones that are doing well up in the tank. I'll try dimming them a bit too. As far as parameter swings everything is stable and normal. So I doubt it would be a water quality issue but I've done two changes since then to be sure. I'll be dipping them again today I'll see if anything changes. Thanks for the help! |
Posted By: Pete Moss
Date Posted: January 07 2015 at 9:49am
One last thing, in the first picture I noticed what looks like feather dusters or small clove polyps? Are there any feather dusters mixed in with the colonies? I have had feather dusters bother zoanthids before. Clove polyps would do the same. If there are any mixed in with the colony, use tweasers to pluck them out.
 If parameters are good, and pests are removed, sometimes it is just a waiting game. I had a rasta colony decide to wait a week and a half before opening up. ( just acclimating to lighting changes ) ------------- 125g 90g 2x33g 34g What stores do I recommend? Up North: Bill ( Saltwater Paradise 801-317-8115 ) Down South: Jerry ( Reef On 801-563-0600 ) Member of GCFB |
Posted By: AcroNem
Date Posted: January 07 2015 at 9:52am
| They are tiny clove polyps, that colony is open and growing already so I wasn't going to remove them yet. If they'll end up causing problems I'll remove them though. |
Posted By: Pete Moss
Date Posted: January 07 2015 at 9:58am
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Well it sounds like you're doing everything right! Keep them clean, and wait for those cute lil guys to open up. Good luck :) ------------- 125g 90g 2x33g 34g What stores do I recommend? Up North: Bill ( Saltwater Paradise 801-317-8115 ) Down South: Jerry ( Reef On 801-563-0600 ) Member of GCFB |
Posted By: ReefdUp
Date Posted: January 07 2015 at 10:03am
To me, your colony looks like it is infected with some sort of disease, not a pest. It probably succumbed during the trip to your tank. I would treat with Furan2 dips (good antibiotic with widespread applicability, particularly against gram-negative bacteria which is common in reef infections.)
I do something similar. It's probably overkill for most people, but pests/algae still have made it past: Remove all exposed rock Hydrogen peroxide dip (takes care of many pests and algae...do not use on SPS) Bayer dip (takes care of almost all pests) Coral Rx (takes care of many infections and some pests...do not use on smooth-skinned Acropora) Superglue over all remaining exposed rock QT for 30 days Repeat dips then move to secondary QT for growout. Repeat dips then move to display. ------------- www.reefdup.com Diving since 2009, reefkeeping since 2007, & fishkeeping since 1987 200g, 75g, & 15g Systems PADI Advanced Open Water |
Pete Moss wrote:Posted By: Pete Moss
Date Posted: January 07 2015 at 10:41am
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I have some furan 2 on hand if you need any. Saved me from the zoa pox on multiple occasions.
Nicki's quarantine procedures are top notch. I've seen them in person. She has saved some corals from near death. If you ever get the chance to check out her setup, I highly recommend it. ------------- 125g 90g 2x33g 34g What stores do I recommend? Up North: Bill ( Saltwater Paradise 801-317-8115 ) Down South: Jerry ( Reef On 801-563-0600 ) Member of GCFB |