Zoanthids went MIA, possibly eaten by something?

[1seahorse]

I had some Green Bay Packer Zoa. go missing over night, almost all of colony on a frag piece! It's paced on the bottom of tank. So here's the dumb question ... Lol... What likes to eat these? I thought they had some neurotoxicity to them?

[BBQHILLBILLY]

Ive seen crabs pick through zoas to try to get the pods but a colony overnight sounds like a fish maybe . . .? whats in the tank?
who is active at night? most fish dont eat overnight that Ive seen. shrimp maybe . . .

[jcnkt_ellis]

If you have an urchin I blame it...my short spine would pick up and carry around any frag that wasn't expertly glued down and then loose them in the rocks.

[pfcreed]

astrena star fish, these little guys went crazy in my tank and just started eating zoas like they bought them themselves. needless to say i let them worship the sun gods for a couple of days.

[Sherita]

astrena star fish, these little guys went crazy in my tank and just started eating zoas like they bought them themselves. needless to say i let them worship the sun gods for a couple of days.

Ugh. I had a run in a few months back with the zoa eating form of the asterinas. Harlequin shrimp solved the problem, but I keep an eye out to be sure.

[350gt]

Emerald crabs!!!! Hermit crabs....... Those are the 2 I caught eating my zoas...


i also caught a velvet damsel eating away.... So with out setting up a camera or sitting there all day you will never really know.....


if you have a camcorder or camera... Set it to record while your away.... It took a few times but I found out it was a damsel of all my fish.. Very unexpected..


the crabs I caught at night by luck, I was walking by and noticed a colony moving.... Crabs were having a feast at my expense.... I killed them all!!!

[1seahorse]

Your info cleared up a few things... first I think my blue leg and red Scarlett's could have done that, and second, I never knew about asterinas!!!! I have one in my tank, maybe more.... I always thought it was just a baby sand sifting star that was growing really slowly! Lol I may have found my answer! I got to get them out before them find my high-end zoa. I always let them be, thought they were detritus eaters. I would even clean around them with my mag float! lol lol. Thanks guys!!!!

[350gt]

Not all asterinas are bad!...



I have tons in my tank.... They don't bother a thing.


Best bet is to set up the camera and be patient..

[jcnkt_ellis]

I agree, I have so many asterinas its not even funny and none have touched any corals, I've even watched them clean junk that's settled on top of my monti caps without ever damaging a thing. Just make sure that they are the culprit because they bred like cockroachs and will be very hard to get fully out.

[350gt]

I bought a harlequin shrimp to keep my population down, it helped a lot..

[jcnkt_ellis]

I bought a harlequin shrimp to keep my population down, it helped a lot..

I've been wanting one because I think they look awesome...do you have only invert safe fish or does the harlequin just hide enough to not be a target?

[350gt]

At first he hid all day only coming out at night.... Lately he's been all over the tank during the day.... Only fish I worry about is my melanarus wrasse... I've had him a few months now, so I think the wrasse isn't interested....

[1seahorse]

OK, won't jump into conclusions then. I have

snails: bumble bee, nassarius, cerith, turbo, astraea,

crabs: dwarf blue, red scarlet,

shrimp:skunk

fish: green chromis. , yellow tang, 6 line wrasse, snowflake clownfish , and dispar Anthias

[Scutterborn]

I'd blame the crabs. I've pulled crabs that would eat my zoas before.


-Ben-

[jcnkt_ellis]

I have a dwarf blue and a red scarlet in my nano with zoas and both are model citizens, at least until the dwarf blue decided they like the red scarlet's shell better, so I'd go for the other comments about setting up surveillance or closely watching the tank before pulling livestock...

My three biggest fears, in your situation, would be to (1) introduce a predator I don't really want or need who doesn't solve the problem, (2) take out things I do like on a hunch and it doesn't solve the problem, and (3) reduce my CUC only to find out they weren't the problem

[ramsey]

If you we're going to remove the hermits, I'd start with the blue leg. Scarlett's that I've had have always seemed less aggressive. I don't trust any crabs though, especially non-hermit crabs like emeralds.

[350gt]

I trust no crab!


even hermits now.....

[rrasco]

There is supposedly a zoa eating amphipod. Do you have any big pods?

[1seahorse]

hmm... still thinking may be hermits...no big pods. my 6 line doesn't allow it.