zoanthids question

freedom · Sep 25, 2009

Hi,
I'm in search of zoanthids and came upon this web site. I'm very new at reef keeping and zoas so I have many questions and not finding to much.. Do you mind answering at least one for me?
I cant for the life of me keep my zoas attached to anything ---plugs,rubble,rock, I have tried super glue gel, and aqua mend from Home Depot. (where I work)
What is the best way to get those puppies to hold on?
One more question ;;;How do I know I got the right zoanthids when ordered? They seem to all come as a bland grey color or are closed.
Also I would love to see a list of great places to buy. at great prices of course. Thanks
freedom

xiongaquatics · Sep 25, 2009

i use super glue gel and it work perfect for me. the 99cent gel dont work as good as the $3 gel.
to know that you got the right zoa is to let the zoa open up. wait a week or 2 and check the picture you order with the zoa you got and see if it's the same one.

ahayes13 · Sep 25, 2009

keep in mind though that sometimes the pics of zoanthids are very close up (making them look so intense) or are taken under some really nice actinics... so they may not look Exactly like the picture, but should be fairly close.

super glue gel is the best to use, as long as it contains cyanoacrylate. (loctite super glue gel i think works well, i use it often). aquamend works great for corals or attaching plugs/disks to rock work, doesnt work that great just for zoas though. better off using super glue gel.

softiegirl · Sep 26, 2009

take the zoa you want to attach out of the tank. place a small glob of glue on the DRY rubble rock or plug, blot the bottom of the zoa and place it on the glue. keep it out of the tank for a couple of minutes to set then put on a frag rack that's out of a strong current so it has time to attach. Good luck and happy fragging!

lightsluvr · Sep 27, 2009

softiegirl said:
take the zoa you want to attach out of the tank. place a small glob of glue on the DRY rubble rock or plug, blot the bottom of the zoa and place it on the glue. keep it out of the tank for a couple of minutes to set then put on a frag rack that's out of a strong current so it has time to attach. Good luck and happy fragging!

This is the way I have fragged many zoanthids... just don't hold the zoa to the glue with your fingers! :tongue: Bad stuff will happen... Been there done that. Got the rocks on my fingers to prove it... :angel:

LL

ontosrob · Sep 29, 2009

Take the portion of the Zoa frag you want to put the gel glue on and place it on some paper towel. You want this portion reasonably dry. Glue the frag to the rock/plug and let it air dry for 2 - 3 minutes. Next, have a bowl with your tank water and dip the frag in the water for a few seconds (the dipping will speed up the curing of the glue). Then finally let it air dry for about 5 minutes. Don't worry the air dry time will not harm the frag.

Wy Renegade · Sep 29, 2009

They can also be glued in the tank with superglue gel, although this takes a little more work and a lot more practice. dry the zoa frag and place a dab (or glob) on the underside of the frag (I typically try to put the glue on whatever the zoas are attached to, rather than the colony itself, as superglue can burn the colony and kill your zoas). quickly place the frag into the tank against whatever rock or surface you are trying to glue it to. Slow count to about 15 or 20, then twist the frag a little to settle it and expose the remainder of the glue to water. Hold for another 30 seconds or so, and your frag should be attached. Most typically, you will have to repeat this process a second time with the frag in the same spot - can't tell you why but it typically doesn't stick well the first time, but will the second. Be careful not to glue the frag to your fingers! Once attached, the colony will begin to grow and spread on its own. HTH

lkjr409 · Oct 23, 2009

This is the glue I buy from Lowes...about $3/tube...works really well.

Railrider1920 · Oct 28, 2009

Just remember to use caution while working with zoas. They contain a paly toxin that can be pretty bad. Try to wear gloves (latex, vinyl) and some glasses. If the zoa squirts while you are handling it, that is the stuff you want to be careful with. Also the slimy stuff that gets on your hand while handling them.

If you have a polyp that came off the colony or if the zoas are not on a rock at all, you can put them into a cup with some sand or small pieces of rubble in it. Leave them there for a week or so. Sometimes the zoas will attach to something by them selves. If they will attach to some rock or sand, it will be easier to glue it down to right where you want. Leave the aquamend for attaching larger pieces of rock or coral to other rocks.
HTH

starfish · Oct 28, 2009

Since you are very new to reef keeping and zoanthids I would recommend finding a shop in your area to buy from that way you can at least see them in the tank. You have to be careful looking at pics on line not all but many are enhanced in color and the closeness of the pic makes them look much larger than they really are. Sometimes it takes zoa's several weeks in a new system before they really color up adjusting to the new light. You also have to know if they like intense light or lower light that can make a big differance where you place them in your tank.

Obsessed · Nov 16, 2009

Yeah the biggest thing is making sure the rock you are gluing to is dry, and dab the bottom of the zoa on a papertowel before gluing it. That has worked for me

Littlebigaj · Nov 25, 2009

I've also had good luck with super glue gel and zoas. Here's a neat site for identifying your zoanthids.

CoralPedia.com! :: The definitive repository for named Corals!

makingbubbles · Jan 13, 2010

Crazy glue gel from wal-mart. Trick is glue dosent apply well under water. Apply glue to damp rock first then press zoas to it.

Wy Renegade · Jan 13, 2010

Dollar store locally carries three tubes of superglue gel for a $1, works just like the more expensive stuff.l Maybe a little less in the actual tube, but since I seldom use a whole tube of the regular in one shot anyway, no big deal.

Nanofins · Jan 14, 2010

I can only imagine the trouble you might be experiencing getting the super glue to work for you would be that you are gluing inside the tank, though I could be wrong. Done right, cyanoacrylate super glue should work like a charm. Do the gluing outside of the tank, and attach to the rock or surface you want to mount the polyps to and then return to the tank. The curing time outside the tank is unnecessary. Water acts as a catalyst for the glue curing and will only speed the process. No need to keep them outside the tank once glued down.

AquaMend, on the other hand, is going to be impossible for working with zoas. It takes a long time to bond to surfaces and is slower to cure. Zoas don't stick to it, at least not in a workable timeframe.