Handling corals and anemones?

juanro

juanro

Member
I've been searching info on various corals (leather, hammers and mushrooms mostly) and I was wondering, how should I handle them?
I've read that I should drip them and others say to just throw them in. Can anyone clear this up?
And is handling them barehanded safe? Saw a thread where a guys thumb cracked open a few days after he cut himself while cutting some corals :S. Which gloves would be safe to use?
Same thing with anemones, all I've been able to find is that I have to drip them, that they will move to where they want and to look out with the power heads, anything else I should know?
BTW, not planning on getting an anemone for a while since I've read about problems with new tanks.
As always, any and all forms of help are appreciated, don't wanna mess up again.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member

If you wear gloves, and you should. No powder surgical gloves.. Some people are allergic and some can get infections because of a cut, our critters live in bacteria water. Zoa actually are toxic and can make you sick to handle them.
Handle any coral or critter as little as possible but don't "toss" anything..you gently release an anemone and coral you hold by the base rock it's on and place it in the tank.
Dipping is good however not all corals do well with dipping, I know brain coral can't be dipped. I don't know which ones can or can't. I ask as I go.
 
juanro

juanro

Member
Thanks for the info, by "toss" I meant that I place them directly into my tank without dripping them first :p, but its always good to clarify...you never know.
 
monsinour

monsinour

Active Member
The coral I get from my LFS, I drip acclimated to my tank for a total of 2.5 hours on warm days and 2 hours on cool days with a heater in the bucket. On corals I got from online, I 30 minute temp floated them and then did the "drain a little, add a little" every 30 minutes for 2 hours.
And yes, gently place them in the tank where you want them to be. Check what corals you would want to dip and always dip zoas. Even if you dont have a specific coral dip for them, dip the zoas anyways. I had a zoa eating nudi drop off my most recent purchase of zoas into the FreshWater dip.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member

They actually make a coral dip, I think it's called Lugals..I am not sure however which corals are safe to be dipped, I know brain coral is a no.no. A freshwater dip also would help but Iam not sure exactly HOW to do it..shakling it around does not sound right.
 
monsinour

monsinour

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Juanro http:///forum/thread/383348/handling-corals-and-anemones#post_3352173
FreshWater dip would be putting it into RO water and shaking it around for a min or so?
I shook the zoas for about 5 seconds and then pulled them out to look it all over well. Duringthe 5 second shake the nudi fell off so I had to make sure there were no eggs. Zoas can be left out of water for a long time and survive rather well, 6 hours tops. Just check what can and cannot be dipped and what it can be dipped in.
 
E

eric b 125

Guest
i went to a local club meeting yesternight with anthony calfo speaking on fragging techniques and he suggested using gloves called "thickies" (i'm pretty sure that was the name brand of them.) they're usually used by mechanics. hey, if calfo is plugging them, they've gotta be good.
 
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