Zoanthids and Waving Hand Stars

[jkp rules]

So about two and a half months ago I bought a small chunk of rubble with about four species of zoanthids on it and some waving hand star polyps. Both seem to be thriving but the waving hands completely hide the zoas when they open. Anyway, the star polyps spread to a larger rock that the chunk of rubble sits on, so I would like to take off the original piece that has the zoas on it and scrape off/frag the stars so that i can see the zoas. Any advice on a good way to do that?

 

[coraljunky]

Is it anthelia, xenia, or green star polyps? Each are fragged differently.

 

[jkp rules]

I can't find the proper name for them. Here's a picture. They're a darker brown in person.

 

[jkp rules]

bump

 

[loopy101]

i was hoping some one would answer this! i am curious to see how one would go about seperating the coral on a rock like this!!

 

[rebelprettyboy]

umm
Play with it while in the tank for a while tl everything closes up. And take it out the water.
Once its all closed you could see where the mat of the zoas are and peel them off that way and glue them to plugs or rock whichever you wanna do. And then ull just have ur Xenia on that rock.
2nd choice would be to have likea miller xenia frags. Just taeke it out the water and go at it with some scissors. But i wouldnt do that.
3rd. U could take it out the water get a screwdriver and hammer and chip around the zoas by breaking the rock to seperate it form the xenia. In the end you would still have xenia with the zoas which would be easier to remove than taking them off the whole rock

 

[nofish]

xenia will spread pretty fast so keep an eyeball on it..

 

[jkp rules]

Thanks everyone. I could be wrong, but I don't think those are xenia. At least, they are much darker brown than the pulsing stuff I have and are made up of like eight or so really long tenticals on a short stalk. They seem to propagate by vinelike tendrals that move along the rock and sprout more polyps.
Anyway, whatever they are I tried pealing some of it off and leaving the zoas in place which is much easier said than done since they form a complicated webbing around everything. I was able to get a good bit of it off but i'm gonna have to take another wack at it. I don't know if its even gonna be possable to get it all. In the past if there was any bit of flesh left on the rock, more started sprouting.

 

[sula]

I agree, I don't think its Xenia, I think its Anthelia. It really will grow back from any little piece left behind......

 

[jkp rules]

Yeah, I looked up some pictures of anthelia and i don't think it's that either. The wavy finger parts aren't feathery like anthelia and there's deffinately no pulsing. I'm out of town right now, but when I get back in a few days I'll try and get a better picture and maybe someone will be able to ID it.

 

[paintballer768]

Xenia doesnt need to pulse, thats only the Red Sea variety I believe. Im guessing anthelia but if its not then its going to be xenia. Youre best bet would be to chisel the zoas out of there, because if you cut the xenia, theyll grow back from the little bits of tissue still left on the rock, and it will just be a problem again.