ideas on clove polyp eradication

[reeferman]

they seem to overwhelm established zoa colonies
heres eagle eyes before

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and after[about 3 months later]

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and the king midas zoas[behind chalice]

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and after[overhead to left behind chalice again]

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Edit: the rpe colony to the right in last pic is colony with cloves growing up the stalks.

 

[acroholic]

One thing I saw in my system before I had any blue clove polyps was most zoas did quite well in the tank, but over the course of several months, as I adopted more and more nutrient export type activities (Cheato refugium, GFO, 100 micron filter socks, sulfur denitrator, judicious feeding), my zoas started to slowly disappear from what I believe was lack of nutrients in the water. Only about 4-5 varieties still remain (purple deaths, nuclear greens, LOR and AOG), and have been fine for a couple years now.

The clove polyps weren't even in the tank yet. I can't say this is your situation, but you may have some factors besides the cloves that are precipitating the decline of your zoas.

My SPS tank water became too low in nutrients to support most zoa growth, IMO. I believe zoas need a certain amount of organics in the water to thrive. This may not have any bearing on your case, but that is what I saw in my system.

 

[reeferman]

i considered that also. as in your case,i also have other colonies that seem to thrive,coincidentally,lotr and aog!i wonder if they are just tougher?the cloves have been in the system for about 18 months but just one small patch being held at bay by a war coral until i nuked them and they spread everywhere.my sps seemed to really take off about the same time as the zoas declined but i attributed that to adding a calcium reactor,getting rid of redbugs and param stability but it may have something to do with the "cleaner" water column.i think i may spot feed the zoas a very little bit in the new tank.

 

[cr500_af]

Dave's tank made me think about "installing" these. They grew right up to coral colonies, but didn't hurt anything. It looks nice.

 

[reeferman]

it looks real nice,in someone elses tank!lol

 

[acroholic]

I also lost all xenia type corals (cespitularia mostly). I can't keep them alive in this SPS system now. Low nutrients again, I think.

 

[reeferman]

well my xenia is thriving,but at least you can cut that stuff!i can see now im gonna be picking your brain a lot Dave.xenia will never make it to the 120[i hope].my wife has a coral beauty that will eat cloves in her tank but it also nips lps.it pecked the eyes out of a chalice.i put rubble in there with cloves on it and it mows them down.too bad it cant be trained.

 

[rbredding]

Nate.. I appreciate the pic, I thought that was what I saw in Dave's tank (that I LOVED, by the way)...

I did a quick google search on them and found several different color varieties... (not just blue - but then again, with google, you can not really be sure that what you're looking at was the same as the search parameter)

Again, I'd gladly take any that you want to get rid of..

(anyone going to the meeting that has some to get rid of?)

 

[reeferman]

i wont be at the meeting but you can have all the covered rocks you want.i am in augusta however.

 

[insane_reef_keeper]

I'm interested in a rock or 2 of the cloves.

 

[reeferman]

you can have them but youve been warned!lol

 

[insane_reef_keeper]

reeferman;642565 wrote: you can have them but youve been warned!lol

Sweet! I can't seem to get them to grow in my tank. So maybe they wont spread. You're not going to the meeting are you?

 

[reeferman]

i wont be there,sorry.