Desperate, please help!

[rackyrane]

I am freaking out and scared I am going to lose all of my zoos.
I recently discovered that I have zoanthid spiders. I don't know where they came from, but I am about 95% sure this is what they are. So far, my zoos aren't fading, but I noticed that I had some loose polyps floating around. I gathered them up, put them on some rubble and tried to get them to attach. When I was taking the rubberband off of the fragged rock, I saw the first spider. I looked them up (on zoaid.com) and I think that I have them.

I have done FW dips and dips with iodine solution. So far, I have gotten a total of 8 of them off. I am going to let the zoos rest for about 3 or 4 days and then I am going to dip them again. I put the infected ones in QT.

What can I do to get rid of these things? I don't want to lose my zoos. I have only been in the hobby for about 4 months and if I lose my zoos, I may quit. Are there any predators to eat them?

This really sucks. My family and I are planning a trip to California and we are planning on hitting as many of the LFS as we can. Our zoo selection here is pretty limited. Now, I am afraid to buy anymore. I also was about to ask about some of the ones I wanted to buy here. I saw that someone had the Tubs blues. Boy, I want those and some mean greens. Now I guess I better not.

Can anyone help me? Sorry about the long post, but you guys seem so friendly and helpful. I really am desperate.

 

[twon8]

i've seen the spiders here and there, never more than a few at a time; honestly i wouldnt' worry too much about them, they dont' seem to become a plague like nudi's can. just inspect your zoas and do a fw dip on any colonies that are closed up.

 

[rackyrane]

Really, you don't think I will lose all of my zoos? Another forum I was on made me scared. Do you think that I should wait before buying anymore zoos? I'm terribly addicted to them already. I have even thought about getting a nano and just making it a zoo tank.

 

[twon8]

I don't think that the spiders reproduce fast enough to be a major concern.


if you dipped them i think you likely killed all of them, maybe in a week or so inspect the zoas again, the spiders are easy to spot.

 

[Azurel]

Yea I would keep dipping them, keep dipping them every 3-4 days in FW that will kill anything that is in the open. Dip all of your zoas even ones that don't to be bothered.....Just to be safe..

 

[rackyrane]

Thanks guys. I will keep dipping everybody until I see no spiders at all.
What about baby spiders? Do the spiders lay eggs in the polyps?

 

[Reef Gardener]

Also inspect them after the dip and tweezer off the spiders you do find. Creepy looking critters!! I absolutely hate spiders so it figures some of my zoa had them.

 

[MarvinsReef]

I agree with all of the above suggestions... keep at it.. good luck and keep us posted..

 

[revhtree]

I agree as well....

Like it matters! LOL!

 

[revhtree]

Also do they weave webs of lies and deciet?





(im worthless)

 

[ct_vol]

I guess I agree too... But do these spiders run around outside of the water? Like if one falls off the rock will it run away?

Now theres a scary thought... Going to dip your rock, one jumps off, runs off, and finds its way from a QT to your display tank... EEEK!!!!! Not to mention, they're freaky looking little buggers... Ashley would wig out if she knew one of them were running around...

 

[Azurel]

Supposedly they do lay eggs inside the polyp, I found that out at wetwebmedia.com......They do not move that fast actually they are very slow methodical movers. It's almost like they are in very cold water and look like they have a hard time moving. I think they move like this so the polyps do not close before they can insert their probosces(spelling) their injector that they feed with......

 

[Kigs!]

I'd love to see some pictures. Not being curious out of your exepense but I wanna see what they look like, other than from the pics on zoaid.

 

[rackyrane]

I plan on dipping again this weekend. If I find anymore (and here's hoping that I don't!) I will try and post them here. They sure are ugly little buggers and hard to kill. I did have one get away from me. I had the zoos on a plastic white tray while I inspected them. I put one on the tray because I thought he was dead. Never did find that thing again. Now I have nightmares about it crawling around on my countertop. :shaking:

 

[rackyrane]

Good news!
I performed a FW dip of all my unattached zoos last night and did not get a single spider! :laughing4:

I am so stoked. I plan on dipping them once a week for the next 4 weeks and then stopping. I am worried about the attached ones though. They are on my base rock at the bottom and can't be gotten off. Will just keep watching as none seen so far.