Zoa control - advice

[kirkwood]

Just wondering what methods are being used when you have a rock covered in generic zoas that you no longer want. How do you remove the zoas while at the same time preserving your live rock. I have aquascaped the rock before with tweezers successfully, but now I realize I just want that variety of zoas out of the tank entirely to make room for newer exotic zoas.

I have thought of removing the rock from the tank when I fill a bucket with tank water for a WC and just using a wire brush to scrub the zoas off. I'm thinking gloves would be in order since they are poisonous. The other idea I had was to just drop the rock into boiling water.. I know that would nuke everything, which would leave me with a dead rock.. If i put that dead rock back into the tank could that lead to a nitrate spike due to all the dead organisms on the rock?? Also if I nuke the rock and then rinse it with tap water am I filling that rock up with phospate and other contaminants from the tap water???

Thanks for advice.

 

[frantz]

Why don't you sell the rock and just buy a new one of the same general size? you'll probably come out on top and help a beginner hobbyist with a well established colony.

 

[scubaethan]

:thumbs: I could take them off your hands

 

[jimknutson]

You could resurface the rock with a band saw. Cut the rock under the zoas then sell em cheap. Or just get a rock that is cured already and chisel it to the size needed to replace it.

 

[dine]

if you decide to boil just be very careful with the steam that comes off. breathing that in will get you a trip to the hospital real quick

 

[kirkwood]

Thanks for the ideas. I may post the rock and see if I can get anything. In reality the value to me is in the rock itself as it is large and a major part of my reef.. Over the weekend I did find a way to remove the rock while maintaining the majority of the reef and aquascaping in tact. My safest bet may just be during my next WC I take the rock out and put it in the bucket of old tank water and work on it with gloves, goggles, tweezers, and a ton of patience.

 

[seth the wine guy]

I still don't think you will have 100% success. They will grow back more than likely. If you're able to remove it I say nuke it after you pick off all you can.

 

[jbdreefs]

I don't mean to be rude, but I'm surprised no one has really objected to the idea of killing off the zoas. Isn't that worse than cycling a new tank with fish? At least the fish have a chance to survive. In this hobby, I thought there was supposed to be a sense of conservatism. IMHO, fragging the rock is much more of a responsible means than simply killing the zoas. I'm sure you could sell the zoas for a good price and come out ahead like another poster mentioned.

 

[izoid]

JBDreefs;735639 wrote: I don't mean to be rude, but I'm surprised no one has really objected to the idea of killing off the zoas. Isn't that worse than cycling a new tank with fish? At least the fish have a chance to survive. In this hobby, I thought there was supposed to be a sense of conservatism. IMHO, fragging the rock is much more of a responsible means than simply killing the zoas. I'm sure you could sell the zoas for a good price and come out ahead like another poster mentioned.

My thoughts exactly. I am disappointed that everyone seems to condone killing the zoas. :wow2:

 

[seth the wine guy]

izoid;735642 wrote: My thoughts exactly. I am disappointed that everyone seems to condone killing the zoas. :wow2:

While my suggestion doesn't fall into this group of folks you are addressing I will take it on as if I were in the group.
So, do you also preserve and save aptasia or bryopsis when you see it in your tank? If so, disregard. If not, I think it's silly when people feel the need to be "disturbed" or "offended". A zoa is a living organism like all the rest. You have just deemed the zoa WORTHY of sparing because you like it. It's a pest in some people's tank just like aptasia, GSP, flatworms, and xenia is in others.

 

[siavashv]

Seth The Wine Guy;735659 wrote: While my suggestion doesn't fall into this group of folks you are addressing I will take it on as if I were in the group.
So, do you also preserve and save aptasia or bryopsis when you see it in your tank? If so, disregard. If not, I think it's silly when people feel the need to be "disturbed" or "offended". A zoa is a living organism like all the rest. You have just deemed the zoa WORTHY of sparing because you like it. It's a pest in some people's tank just like aptasia, GSP, flatworms, and xenia is in others.

Great point... relax people.

 

[izoid]

We could argue the merits of conservation all we want, culling living beings that become predatory but I think it is a bit hypocritical to be the president of a club that touts conservation only to support the destruction of a non invasive species. At the end of the day I prefer to be "silly" rather than hypocrital. Lets save the reefs but wipe out anything in the tank we dont want anymore....hmmm.

 

[izoid]

My post above is a bit harsh and I really do not mean to attack any one person. I just feel that we, as a reefing community, should be about protecting the life that we put in our tanks not destroying it because it no longer "tickles our fancy".

I disagree with Seth's analogy as no one that I know of purposely cultivates aipstasia or bryopsis, etc. The organisms that Seth mentions are all considered nuisance and predatory and if left uncontrolled they will kill everything in a tank.

Zoas are purchased and placed in our tanks in hopes that they will grow and propagate. The OP simply has grown tired of them and no longer wants to look at them but wants something more "exotic" to look at. I feel this is not a valid reason to destroy them and as a club we should not encourage, but we should condemn, this type of activity.

What if I tired of my Lemon Peel Angel? Should I take a wire brush to it until it dies or just drop it in a pot of boiling water?

 

[sleepyreef]

It is your tank, do what you want with it.

Though, if you could remove them without killing them, it would be nice to sell them or even offer them to another reefer.

If people were serious about conservation they would not even have an aquarium. I can only imagine how many must die just so one can make it to our tank.

 

[mvm]

izoid;735725 wrote:

What if I tired of my Lemon Peel Angel? Should I take a wire brush to it until it dies or just drop it in a pot of boiling water?

Isn't this comparing cows to lettuce? I honestly don't see anything wrong with it. Corals are more plants than animals, right?

 

[izoid]

MvM;735732 wrote: Isn't this comparing cows to lettuce? I honestly don't see anything wrong with it. Corals are more plants than animals, right?

I really don't know....makes me think a bit. I can say with certainty that I would not want to eat them on my salad.

I think, but don't know, that algae would be a plant but I wouldn't consider corals the same way. I could be wrong though...wouldn't be the first time.

 

[ralph atl]

Corals are animals that have a symbiotic relationship with algae (plant).

However, did u ever step on an Ant?

I wouldn't want to kill any coral, however, I don't think PETA needs to be involved here.

 

[izoid]

Hey Ralph...I didn't know you were a Bulldog fan, I always thought you followed ND.

Edit:

mysterybox;735740 wrote:

However, did u ever step on an Ant?

Yes I have but I have never dropped my Ant Farm into boiling water.

BTW...I said I wouldn't eat them so I don't know where PETA came from.

 

[ralph atl]

Argggggg.....

I'll shed that crappy logo soon! Lol

 

[holley123]

Where's the pictures? All I see is an argument. I might be interested in the zoas if you put a picture on here