Neptune Aquatics

Zoa pruning?

Chromis

Chromis

Supporting Member
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So once you get a zoa overtaking a rock, what techniques do you use to prune them? Is it possible to scrape 5-10 zoas off a rock and not damage them too much? Should I give up on saving any of them and scrape away while siphoning water during a water change to reduce any toxins they might let out?


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try to use a bone cutter just to cut the upper layer/portion of the rock with zoa.In that way you could save the zoa too...


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This is a post I made in my tank journal regarding a question about fragging zoas.

"My tool choice for zoas/palys is a #10 scalpel blade and tweezers

If it's on a frag plate with superglue and not a lot of growth yet, I usually just pop it off and accept the superglue into tank after Bayer dip as long as it's not a big glob. If it's got some growth on the plug/rock, I kind of cut/grind under the zoa/paly matting with the scalpel and take some of the plug/rock with it so that I'm actually taking off plug/rock and not directly pulling the matting off. If I have to cut that matting between two polyps at some point, I'd rather do that than take the plug/rock into my tank. This method probably requires more patience and a steady hand especially with the smaller polyps, but you import less plug/rock into your tank.

I can't stress enough that you should wear gloves if you use scalpels, not just because of the palytoxin, but because the scalpels are extremely sharp and can easily cut you if you slip while holding a rock/frag. I use a pair of tight fitting gardening gloves.

You can get a hundred disposable blades and a handle for $8 on amazon."

Is the rock easily removable? If not, your tool of choice will likely depend on your aquascape.
 
Haven't tried scalpels yet. I've been using dental tarter scrapers (also off Amazon) for removing star polyps, and they work well for that, but I end up shredding the zoas to death. So maybe the trick is to scalpel the bulk of the zoas away, superglue to a plug for later, and scrape the remainder away?


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