Zoa questions...

[JammyBirch]

I have a Zoa frag, it seems to doing well finally, the only thing I don't like about it is the frag plug. I tried to gently remove it from the plug but the LFS used some type of really hard adhesive.

Two questions how do you guys remove frags from the frag plugs? The other question is how long does it usually take for a Zoa to grow over the plug and spread to a rock?

I'm looking at getting another coral but I'm sick of looking at the plug, I need to know how to get around that.

[pyithar]

use a razor blade and cut through between plug and glue. and superglue gel the polyps to a piece of live rock.

[JammyBirch]

Originally Posted by pyithar

use a razor blade and cut through between plug and glue. and superglue gel the polyps to a piece of live rock.

Tried that the glue is like a rock...

[pyithar]

try using a chisel if razor blades don't work.

[shesacharmer]

Wear gloves and eye protection whenever attempting to remove zoas or palys from plugs or rock. Paly toxin is NO JOKE!

[JeffyT]

Hey Jammy,

I would also try posting this in the coral propagation thread. I think the guys browsing that could help you too if you have more questions!

[m0nkie]

how fast it grows depend on your tank and # of polyps now.

my small colony of 20 polyps grew over the plug into the rock within a month. I have well over 30-40polyps now.

my smaller 2 polyp frag has about 5 polyp now after a month.

keep your parameters in check, specially Alkalinity, and don't touch those zoas. They will double within a month

edit: also depend on how nice they look. usually i find the super nice ones grow slower than ugly brown ones

[m0nkie]

I actually prefer leaving them on the plug. When they do grow over the rock, I just rip the plug out. I keep the ones on my rock to seed and for show. The plug I take out and frag into many pieces.

[cloak]

Does the plug have a stem? If so, you might want to use a saw or something and cut that off. Now that the bottom is somewhat flat, it can be glued or epoxied anywhere in your tank much easier. As far as growth goes, it's kind of hard to say. Some zoanthids just grow faster than others. In might take a month, it could take 6 months before the plug is completely covered.
Like mentioned above though, sometimes you can pop the coral off the plug with a razor blade or a screwdriver, other times this process can be more trouble than it's worth. You don't want to damage the coral in any way, so you might just have to get used to looking at the plugs for awhile. GL.

[JammyBirch]

Originally Posted by JeffyT

Hey Jammy,

I would also try posting this in the coral propagation thread. I think the guys browsing that could help you too if you have more questions!

Didn't know there was one thank...

Zoa toxins??? Ah...really? I had no idea actually feel pretty dumb for not researching that...thanks for the heads up.

[Chrisnif]

Oh yes there is nothing quite like Zoa toxin. Cut my finger fragging some and got it in the cut, swelled up worse than a Copperhead bite.

[jjmg]

I've never had any problem with toxin but I've read horror stories. Gloves are your friend. Unless this is a really big bare plug, I'd just find a nice place in your rocks and allow the Zoas to cover it and move onto the rock. No reason to mess with breaking it off then trying to get it to mount again. Patients is your friend.

[Teenreefer15]

wear gloves and eye protection when doing this. The toxin is real.

[Teenreefer15]

You can put the plug in the sandbed but would not recommend doing this on an expensive frag if its your first time. You can use a razor blade to cut between the frag and glue. Some glues become really hard so you could try a chisel or a flat headed screw driver.

[Eac7466]

Went to the hospital with the worst hives ever. I was fragging Zoe's

[fearyaks]

Here are some interesting RC posts on palytoxins...
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1858696
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...ight=palytoxin
and this one -



If you don't want to read, wash your hands, wear protective eyewear and don't pour boiling water on Zoas.

[fordfx584]

Bone cutters are great!

[Crooked Reef]

They could be deadly. Read up. Chances are slim to begin with that you will get any toxin in yourself but if it does you can really mess yourself up. Depending on the species and concentration it can send you into respiratory arrest. Probably one of the most dangerous things in most tanks and most people have no idea. Think of how many people have them and how few get poisoned by them though and it shows you how small of a chance there is to poison yourself. Doing things like fragging them obviously adds risk. But with eye and hand protection they are pretty safe.

[JammyBirch]

I was out of town for a week the first thing I noticed was the Zoa moved onto the rock, finally. So I'll let it set up then remove the frag plug and who knows, sell it back to the LFS for another frag.