Zoo Dip

MUCHO REEF · #1 10/13/2004, 12:41 PM

I take no credit for this, it's really no big deal to do. All of the items used are most likely underneath your cabinet already. I have performed this for years on hundreds, yes, hundreds of zoos and it has worked every single time. No I'm not being cocky or anything like that, this really and truly works as many RC members have PM'd me directly saying so. No I'm not looking for a that-a-boy or anything, I just see that a lot of reefers have ask about it so I thought I would post it in its own thread.

Each and every zoo that goes into my tank, healthy or not, gets a dip. This dip has worked for most every ailments my zoos have had. Some will require a bit of surgery and in some rare cases where I have received a colony with a very nasty fungus, I have deviated slighlty and placed several drops of Lugols Iodine directly onto the infected colony after a bit of surgery. I see that a lot of people are dealing with the whitish, opaque to yellowish fungus or some sort on your colonies. For some reason this happens alot during shipment and I'm sure a lot of you will concur. The key to saving a colony with this issue is to act immediately. You must remove all of the fungus with tweezers outside of your tank. Now using a very sharp razor blade, cut down and around the entire area that was affected. If you have a large rock and you want to be sure that you have irradicated the problem, remove 2 or 3 rows of good zoos around the area that was infected. Rinse the colony well with tank water using a turkey baster or the like, still outside of your reef, now perform the dip with the dipping brew below. I sent it to someone last week so i just copied and pasted it below.

"Here's the dipping brew that I have used and most people on RC are using it now as well. If it is performed as soon as you see the signs in the proper manner, success is always attained.

1. Using a 5 gallon white bucket, add 3 gallons of RO water.
2. Now add 1 or 2 drops of Lugol's Iodine per gallon of RO water.
3. Set your PH to 8.2
4. Set your water temp. at 78 degrees
5. If you have some Flatworm exit made my Saliferts, add
2 drops per gallon to the RO water to kill any Flatworms

Place the colony in the white bucket right side up. Leaving it there for about 5 minutes. Then grab the rock and invert it and place it in the water 3 inches below the water surface. Now twist the rock as fast as you can in a clockwise and counterclockwise motion for at least a minute. While the rock was sitting still in the RO water, it was killing off all bristle worms, Nudibranchs, flatworms and parasites. It will not kill off any Nudibranch eggs so you will have to inspect the rock for what looks like a tiny white 1/8 of and inch curly white piece of thread. They won't detach from the rock as the sack is very sticky. Inside this egg sack is up to 40 or so eggs just waiting to hatch. If you see one, just remove it with tweezers before placing the rock back into your reef. By the way, once you have finished twisting the rock in the water for a full minute, pull it out the water and dunk it back into the water a few times, splashing and swooshing is good, it dislodges anything that didn't fall off in the twisting motion. You are going to kill off a few copepds as well, but this is ok, as you have tons more already in your reef tank and your sump/fug. The dip will not kill your zoos, trust me, if you do exactly as stated above, you will be fine. If your colony is in declined and has been for some time, it may be too late to save them, but if you always do a dip on the first or second day of the problem, I have had a 99 % success rate at saving my own. I don't care what anyone else says, I know what has and will always work for the above issues. Zoos are all I know and I truly like to help out if and when I can.

Oh, I forgot, once you place the colony back into your reef, make sure they receive some current as they will be a little stressed and might slim a little, but that's ok, they will be fine. Your zoos will open in minutes.Always, ....always run your actinics only for the rest of that day. Actinics will encourage them to open. Try not to introduce any food into the system as well until the following day. On the following day, go back to your normal photoperiod. As I said, the zoos will be a little stressed and your 10 or 12k lighting will only try to encourage them to fully expand when they really don't want to right now because of what they have just experienced. I believe the bright lighting after a dip has and will discourage them from opening as soon. Trust me, you will not kill them my friend."

It would be great if any of you who have tried this would post your results below. I know of several who have emailed or Pm'd me, but I prefer that you mention your experience with the above dip.

Safe reefing everyone

Mucho

PS, I chose Lugols for its medicinal/antiseptic properties. Please remember to wear reef safe gloves. The white bucket will allow you to see everything that you have just killed off. Two drops of Lugols will not hurt or harm the zoos. I use two drops most of the time myself. Best of luck to all of you.

sarduci · #2 10/13/2004, 01:08 PM

I was about to PM you today asking if you had a post somewhere like this one.

Thanks for putting it up!

reefez · #3 10/15/2004, 11:35 AM

One of my colonies would be a total loss if not for the advice and help of Mucho and his dipping method. I would highly reccomend it, and will continue to use it on all future colonier introduced into my reef.

Thanks again Mucho

jcigars · #4 10/15/2004, 12:18 PM

Mucho....I appreciate you sharing.

Getting a few pieces in the morning I'm going to try it for the first time. I will update you all on the results.

MUCHO REEF · #5 10/16/2004, 11:51 AM

Wheeeeeeeeew! glad you saved them reefez.

Jcigars, would love to hear the results.

MR

ejocam · #6 10/16/2004, 02:21 PM

Mods should make this a sticky, great info MUCHO

acroconut · #7 10/17/2004, 05:33 PM

I used Mucho's suggestion of freshwater dip to get rid of zoo eating nudis. I dipped my zoo's for 5 minutes in freshwater every other day for about 12 days. My zoo's are recovering, and I have seen no more nudibranchs. I'm very greatful for the advice. I would have lost all my beautiful blue zoo's had I not dipped them. Thanks Mucho

MUCHO REEF · #8 10/18/2004, 12:46 PM

acroconut, I would continue to look for them though. Just when you think they are gone, they will pop up again. Nudi's will move across live rock with no zoos on them to reach the zoo colonies. Therefore, there is still a great chance that they are in there. I must say, now that I have reread your reply and the 6 dips you did in 12 days, you might have licked them my friend. I would continue to search for egg sacks and remove them ASAP.

I'm glad you saved them and those beautiful blue zoos. Good luck my friend.

Mooch

nine9d · #9 10/18/2004, 02:44 PM

What and how much per/gal do you use to set your ph? Was it baking soda? Thanks for this post.

bkiba · #10 10/18/2004, 08:24 PM

that a boy!!!!

JenDub · #11 10/19/2004, 02:52 PM

I at first did not do fresh water dips, I thought if it's good in the sea, it's good in my tank....not true. My zoos had nudis on them and soon enough they were everywhere in my tank. So in a panic I searched for advice on RC and found Mucho's simple solution. It took a lot of time to remove the eggs and adults but I never lost any zoos. I only wish I did my research first....thanks again Mucho, the reef needs more people like you

ODOG · #12 10/19/2004, 03:25 PM

I wish I had this info before

I was looking in my tank the other day (yesterday) and noticed a small colony of zoo's all closed up...I immediately notcied the nudi's. I did dip in some freshwater, but was in such a panic I didn't worry about temp or ph, but a dippin' and shakin' I went. I was amazed at how many fell off I stopped counting at 12. It was a new colony and it was inspected and dipped before adding, but I wasn't really looking for eggs so I guess they must have just hatched, no ther zoo's seem to be affected, but I guess time will tell. Thanks, and I agree this should be a sticky.

MUCHO REEF · #13 10/19/2004, 04:29 PM

Yes !!!, I'm glad you guys saved them. The thread "Zoo Dip Part II" works equally as well for heavy fungus.

nine9d, I use Bionic 2 part Cal/Alk system so I just added a few drops of the part I to set my PH.

Mooch

PS, what's a sticky? Sorry if it's a stupid question.

sandbaby · #14 10/20/2004, 09:44 AM

Is Lugol's Iodine that you are using for dips the same thing that is used for humans to treat illnesses and infections?

Nas19320 · #15 10/20/2004, 10:15 AM

I'll be getting a few shipments of zoo's this week and next so I'll be sure to give this a try. In the past I have lost zoo's to bad shipments, hopefully I'll see better results by dipping them first. Thanks.

PS- A sticky is when the thread is permanetly on top of the forum list, at least until it is unstuck.

Nas19320 · #16 10/20/2004, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by sandbaby
Is Lugol's Iodine that you are using for dips the same thing that is used for humans to treat illnesses and infections?

Not sure if its the same or not but the ingredients in Lugols is deionized water, potassium iodide, and iodine. HTH

sandbaby · #17 10/20/2004, 10:27 AM

ok I just checked and the ingredients you mentioned and the ingredients of the human use one are the same. Do you know the amount of each ingredient?

Nas19320 · #18 10/20/2004, 11:01 AM

The only amount I found is: Iodine(min) 3500mg/oz

azreefer · #19 10/20/2004, 12:25 PM

What do these nudi's llok like? I recently noticed a few small white nudibranchs cruising around my glass and rocks. They may have been introduced by zoos.

Nas19320 · #20 10/20/2004, 05:48 PM

So problems to be on the look out for are fungus, sundial snails and zoo eating nudibrachs and their eggs? Anything else? Anyone have pics of the eggs or nudibranchs as I've never seen either.

Nas19320 · #21 10/20/2004, 05:53 PM

Finally was able to get a search in and found a thread with pics of the nudibrach and eggs, here it is for those who are wondering:

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...light=zoo+nudi

Nas19320 · #22 10/21/2004, 01:19 PM

What's the process for acclimating and using the dip on new arrivals? Should I acclimate them to my tank water via drip method and then dip them and then acclimate them again or should I just take them out of the bag put them in the dip solution then acclimate them to my tank? I'm getting about 15 frags tommorrow and I want to make sure I do this right. Thanks.

MUCHO REEF · #23 10/21/2004, 01:57 PM

From the bag, to the dip and to your tank, providing you have good parameters across the board. If the bag water is very cold, warm the bag by floating in your tank or the dipping brew. The zoos should be near 78 degrees before going into the dip or your tank. From the dip to your tank and you're good to go.

mooch

impur · #24 10/21/2004, 02:58 PM

Just wanted to say thanks for posting this thread mucho reef!!! I used it to dip my new zoos last night, everything went perfect. I didn't use any iodine, as all i have is Kent's Tech-D but i'm sure it would have sufficed. I acclimated them to my tank water for a hour or so, moved them to the RO and FWE for around 4 min. I saw all sorts of stuff coming out of the rock they are attached to, 2 bristle worms, a couple copepods and what looked very much like an isopod. If it was, then you saved me from a lot of grief!!! I put the zoos in my tank about 10 min before lights out and this morning they were all open and happy, no side effects whatsoever.

Nas19320 · #25 10/21/2004, 03:34 PM

Why would you be worried about Isopods?