Zoa eating culprit?

[Dolphin2409]

Bought small rock with zoas last week with about 50 zoas on it. This morning the rock has been pulled about a foot across the sandbed and the zoas have completely munched on.

Who is likely culprit....

• 2 x Clownfish
• 2 x Pajama Cardinals
• Azure Damsel
• Royal Gramma
• Bicolor Blenny
• Foxface
• Chalk goby

 

[hds4216]

I would not consider any of those fish likely culprits. Maybe the foxface. Any inverts or anything?

 

[Dolphin2409]

I would not consider any of those fish likely culprits. Maybe the foxface. Any inverts or anything?

The only official inverts are nassarius snails and a fighting conch. I’ve had items dragged along sandbed before and it only happens during nighttime if that helps.

 

[Dolphin2409]

And now just found a little chunk of about 10 zoas that had been pulled off, lying in the sandbed.

 

[Dolphin2409]

And now just found a little chunk of about 10 zoas that had been pulled off, lying in the sandbed.

Another chunk stacked up in pile of empty shells. Something seems to be gathering ‘stuff’ and piling it rather than actually eating then I think.

 

[Dolphin2409]

Another chunk stacked up in pile of empty shells. Something seems to be gathering ‘stuff’ and piling it rather than actually eating then I think.

 

[Dolphin2409]

What I recovered.

 

[DED65]

This sounds similar to something that I went through in the last few weeks. I tried looking at night with a red light, but nothing was found this way. I caught a glimpse of the culprit a few minutes after baiting a bottle trap with sardines and placing it in the area of the shells. I started watching the area with a nanny camera and when I saw the movement, I grabbed my phone and got some pictures. I was able to get an ID from the wonderful people on here that are always willing to help. I'm not saying that you have what I did, just sharing the experience!

 

[Dolphin2409]

This sounds similar to something that I went through in the last few weeks. I tried looking at night with a red light, but nothing was found this way. I caught a glimpse of the culprit a few minutes after baiting a bottle trap with sardines and placing it in the area of the shells. I started watching the area with a nanny camera and when I saw the movement, I grabbed my phone and got some pictures. I was able to get an ID from the wonderful people on here that are always willing to help. I'm not saying that you have what I did, just sharing the experience!

Oh crap! I hope not. I just read your thread. Now I don’t want to put my hand in the tank in case I get dragged around!!!

 

[DED65]

Oh no, I was just relating how I found out the cause of the issues I was having. From what I have seen, what I had is pretty rare and you most likely don't have one. At first, I started noticing empty shells piling up, then a couple of small burrows underneath the rock, then a couple of corals being eaten and heavy ones being drug around. It could be a number of things and hopefully you find an easy solution!

 

[Dolphin2409]

Oh no, I was just relating how I found out the cause of the issues I was having. From what I have seen, what I had is pretty rare and you most likely don't have one. At first, I started noticing empty shells piling up, then a couple of small burrows underneath the rock, then a couple of corals being eaten and heavy ones being drug around. It could be a number of things and hopefully you find an easy solution!

Yep, hopefully it’s nothing as extreme. That said, I do have the shells piling up, corals eaten and heavy stuff pulled around sandbed. I have not seen any burrows but I do have an almost completely enclosed cave with some small openings at sandbed level running down middle of peninsula tank so there could easily be some. I’m going to steer away from putting corals on sandbed and see if that makes any difference

 

[redeyejedi]

This sounds similar to something that I went through in the last few weeks. I tried looking at night with a red light, but nothing was found this way. I caught a glimpse of the culprit a few minutes after baiting a bottle trap with sardines and placing it in the area of the shells. I started watching the area with a nanny camera and when I saw the movement, I grabbed my phone and got some pictures. I was able to get an ID from the wonderful people on here that are always willing to help. I'm not saying that you have what I did, just sharing the experience!

Its early here so i might of missed it but you dont actually mention what was moving your stuff around.

 

[Dolphin2409]

Its early here so i might of missed it but you dont actually mention what was moving your stuff

He found a 2 foot bobbit (or similar) worm by tearing down the tank

 

[DED65]

I didn't mention what I had because I didn't want to freak the OP out. If you look on my posts, look at "this can't be a worm...

 

[Dolphin2409]

I didn't mention what I had because I didn't want to freak the OP out. If you look on my posts, look at "this can't be a worm...

.

 

[Dolphin2409]

.

 

[Dolphin2409]

That was supposed to be a smiley face

 

[Dolphin2409]

So, yesterday, I glued the newly created and recovered zoa frags to a rock that is fixed in place in the sand and rises about 3 inches out of the sandbed and put the original rock that had the zoas back in its original place in sandbed

This morning: the original rock has been dragged and turned upside down again and the zoa frags have been pulled from their new rock. I have again found the frags in the same place as I found them yesterday - stuck between two rocks that form part of the peninsula. I think whatever is doing this is not eating the zoas but is ‘collecting’ then - that’s supposed to be my job!

I have now placed the original rock and the zoa frags on top of the main peninsula so they are now about 18 inches off the sand bed.

Will be interesting to see what happens. If there is more damage / movement overnight does this make it more likely to be a fish or to be a worm (lockness monster)? I’m thinking the extra height from sand bed would deter a worm?

if I make no more posts after this one, then it also managed to get me during the night!!! Tell the kids I love them!!!

 

[Karen00]

I swear the Kevin Bacon movie Tremors is based on these worms. They are the stuff of nightmares!! :-D I am eagerly following this thread!

 

[Dolphin2409]

I swear the Kevin Bacon movie Tremors is based on these worms. They are the stuff of nightmares!! :-D I am eagerly following this thread!

Lol. I think you’re right. If this keeps going I’ll have to consider an all-nighter, and not the good type!