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Semper Fi 1959
07/14/2008, 09:44 AM
Quick question for all of you zoo lovers...

I have several large colonies of zoanthids in my care and quite a few peppermint shrimp - at least 10. A few weeks ago I seperated them and housed them in seperate tanks while a new tank was setup. The peppermint shrimp have been back in the new tank for awhile, but the zoo's just got added back last night. For some reason after adding some of the zoo's a few shrimps started going crazy with one of the colonies...they started 'picking' in between the polyps, and appeared to be eating something. Again, they looked like they were picking in BETWEEN the zoanthids. Are they? Or are they eating my zoo's? Should I be worried? What can I do? Do you have any ideas?

I'll post a pic later but I am also wondering what to do about a zoanthid colony that isnt opening completely. They were just added back to the tank and adjusting...BUT...they seem to be getting overrun by a big pink sponge. ?? How do I kill the sponge?

Skeptic_07
07/14/2008, 10:03 AM
theres probably detritus or food caught in there. i wouldnt worry about the shrimps. they are probably just finding food that has settled between the polyps.

as for the sponge, how to remove it? just use some foreceps or tweezers and rip it out, sponges are soft and easy to remove IME. i bought a colony that had sponge growing around alot of the polyps. It was one of those white sponges that are kinda ugly so i removed all of it. the polyps seemed really irritated and didnt open for a few weeks after i removed the sponge. some zoanthid hav a symbiotic relationship with sponges and cant live without them. Those are probably NOT the ones you have but it seems like the zoas we get somewhat enjoy the protection of the sponge. of course i could be completely wrong about this and I dont really know what is best to do. I just removed the sponge on mine because it was ugly and the polyps seemed to have a negative reaction at first but then they opened up again and are reproducing pretty well now. I'd wait to get a second opinion on the sponge issue.

slipondajimmy
07/14/2008, 05:51 PM
Anytime I add or even move something in my tank my peppermints go and check it out.

ukguy
07/14/2008, 09:10 PM
a couple of times I've moved zoos around and my peppermints have gone crazy for bubble algae thats grown since they grazed there last.

thefatboy
07/15/2008, 09:34 AM
i wish my peppermint went crazy for bubble algae