Pictures of destruction

[RichConley]

Originally posted by Peter Eichler

Thiel, Fenner, Shimek, Calfo, Borneman, Nilsen, Fossa, Sprung and any other expererienced reefer could all tell me I'm wrong and it wouldn't change how positive I am that these amphipods eat zoanthids.

Peter, I dont think anyone is saying that the pods aren't eating the zoos.

its a question of whether the zoos are dying because the pods are eating them, or the pods are eating them because theyre dying.

[JGoslee]

I had some problems with pods eating my zoa's/palys about 8 months ago. My sixline started showing signs of ich so I had to QT all my fish including my mandarin. Within a week of having no fish in my tank I started noticing all my PE's (zoanthus gigantus) were closed up. After about 2 weeks all the PE's were closed and some of my palys were starting to stay closed. I could see the pods eating the polyps so I started moving everything to frag racks to get them off the bottom. Moving them helped but I could still see some pods eating at the polyps. I started to panic so I cut my QT short and added the fish back to the tank after a month. It only took a few days for the polyps to start opening again. After a few weeks I moved everything back to the bottom and haven't had a problem since. My mandarin and sixline are fat and happy. Ime some pods definetly eat polyps.

[RichConley]

Originally posted by JGoslee
I had some problems with pods eating my zoa's/palys about 8 months ago. My sixline started showing signs of ich so I had to QT all my fish including my mandarin. Within a week of having no fish in my tank I started noticing all my PE's (zoanthus gigantus) were closed up. After about 2 weeks all the PE's were closed and some of my palys were starting to stay closed. I could see the pods eating the polyps so I started moving everything to frag racks to get them off the bottom. Moving them helped but I could still see some pods eating at the polyps. I started to panic so I cut my QT short and added the fish back to the tank after a month. It only took a few days for the polyps to start opening again. After a few weeks I moved everything back to the bottom and haven't had a problem since. My mandarin and sixline are fat and happy. Ime some pods definetly eat polyps.

Right, but when you moved the fish, did you stop feeding? Were the zoos maybe upset because they didnt have as much food?

[Peter Eichler]

Rich, I know where you're going with this. However, I can assure you that this is happening with perfectly healthy colonies in many cases.

[delsol650]

I've put in several NEW frags and Colonies, same night they were being eaten already, and NO they were eating the dietrus on the rock.. Ive seen them tearing into the skirts, then they actually tear into the mouth etc.... Like I said before, NEVER discount anything if it hasnt happend to you. Its happend to me numerous times... until I've put in NATURAL CONTROLERS ( Wrasses, mandarins and pipefish )...

[JGoslee]

Originally posted by RichConley
Right, but when you moved the fish, did you stop feeding? Were the zoos maybe upset because they didnt have as much food?

The tank was still being fed arctic pods and oyster eggs daily. Theres no doubt in my mind that the only thing that was irritating my zoa's and palys were the pods.
I didn't lose any colonies or entire frags only a few polyps from each colony or frag that was being eaten. These were completely healthy corals before I QT my fish and after I re-added the fish. I still have most if not all the zoa's and palys that were being eaten.

[Reef Junkie]

I think the bottom line is that most people don't have zoa eating pods and some do.

The consensus for most reefers is that their pods only feed on failing zoas.

The reason I'm saying this is to stop people from erradicating all pods from their tank because of a few bad apples.
To make sure it's not outside source causing the zoas to recede before blaming the pods. They are opportunistic and will feed on any failing organism, even McDonalds...

So, I think it would be prudent for the thread starter to check his/her params to make sure it's not the waters condition causing the zoas to recede.

This isn't/hasn't become a thread of two different ideologies, so don't think you're picking sides no matter what you agree with.
You can agree with one group and be completely wrong and your animals will all inevitably die. Who wins there?

Keep an open mind and explore all avenues. There has been a lot of great advice and pointers given here. My advice is to explore them all.

[Don Lino]

Originally posted by Reef Junkie
So, is this the part where you go "na na nana na"?

I actually think your hypothesis is dead on.
That's why I have not been a proponent of heavy feedings.

People tend to feed heavily until they get bored or forget to do it and then these smaller organisims go into survival mode.

You see whole tank crashes and huge algae blooms in these tanks after the feeding stops. I think the best way is to give consistent feedings of just enough.

If you are a heavy feeder, I would throttle back on your feedings, SLOWLY. Filter your water well and add pods eaters. I actually keep 3 wrasses, a rainfords goby, copperband butterfly...

I wasn't a believer when I first heard of pod attacks, but hearing these horror stories and many other and seeing the pictures has made me believe that it's possible.

If I was one of the people that did the ridiculing, I'm sorry, I was wrong. I'm sure you know how I feel when the mob begins bragging about how much they feed and I step in and say not to...

Holy crap, this is true. Come to think of it... I was just in the process of losing my Pink Rim People Eaters colony and every nite I would see some huge pods all over them. I finally conducted a freshwater dip with iodine and killed about twenty pods from that rock alone. I too was a heavy feeder but had some freinds tell me to cut back due to my algea issues, so I did. I havent been feeding as heavy for the past week and almost lost a colony. Lesson learned and thanks so much...