Xenia vs. Zoanthids

[sihaya]

I don't know if anyone else has this problem too often, but I had this ugly xenia growing over my pretty zoanthids. I tried picking the xenia off with tweezers, but I could never get much of it off. Then the other day I tried something a little more drastic. I remembered from when I used to kill aptasia with a NaOH/kalk mix that when I'd squirt it on aptasia nestled in zoanthids, the zoanthids managed to survive (so long as they closed up before the NaOH/Kalk hit them). So I tried this to kill the xenia to save the zoanthids. And it seems to work. The xenia die, but the zoanthids live (granted, they're not too happy for a little while, but mine recovered pretty quick).

So I just thought I'd post this for anyone trying to save their zoanthids from xenia... it's a pretty drastic solution, and I certainly wouldn't do it for large amounts of xenia. But if you're at your wits end I think it's worth trying as a last resort.

[charlie]

So let me get this right, you are killing weeds to grow more weeds????

Sounds good tho, I think if I had that problem, I would just let it go. JMHO

[sihaya]

LOL.... I know. But it's the lesser of two evils and at least the zoanthids are pretty. I swear I never meant to put this especially ugly species of xenia in my tank. It's truly more annoying than the aptasia.

[charlie]

What kind of Xenia is it Sara??? Got any pics??

[Poseidon]

Xenia, Zoanthids, Yellow polyps, Green Star polyps, they are all WEEDS! I can't get rid of the darn things!!!! I even took out the whole freakin rock they were growing on, and they still manage to be in my tank somewhere....

[charlie]

You ought to see the bottom of my 80. About another month and I won't be able to see the bottom corners from the zooanthid mat that is growing. I can see another trip over to Spokane coming in the future. Someone is gonna get a bunch!!!!

[sihaya]

Ugh... I'd rather not even take a picture of them. They basically look like long, skinny, feathery aptasia.

It's always funny when I see threads on people asking how to frag zoanthids as if they were actually worried about killing them. Sometimes I just want to say "you know... an onion dicer should do just fine." But unfortunately it seems like a lot of newbies are a little too uptight for that kind of humor... lol Seriously though, when you can squirt something with NaOH and it recovers within a day or two as if nothing happened... that's kinda disturbing.

[charlie]

Ugh... I'd rather not even take a picture of them. They basically look like long, skinny, feathery aptasia.

It's always funny when I see threads on people asking how to frag zoanthids as if they were actually worried about killing them. Sometimes I just want to say "you know... an onion dicer should do just fine." But unfortunately it seems like a lot of newbies are a little too uptight for that kind of humor... lol Seriously though, when you can squirt something with NaOH and it recovers within a day or two as if nothing happened... that's kinda disturbing.

The only thing you gotta do with zooanthids when you "frag" them, is make sure you have gloves on and eye protection. Other than that, hack away, you can't hurt em

[sihaya]

Well, if you put them in an onion dicer, you should be protected... ;) j/k!

[charlie]

Well, if you put them in an onion dicer, you should be protected... ;) j/k!

That is a good thought

[CSeaSee]

...Zoanthids, Yellow polyps, Green Star polyps, they are all WEEDS!...

I like my weeds! (maybe I should rephrase... )
One man's weed is another man's flower!