If a zoa colony dies does it release toxins into the water?
 

Setting up a new tank, bringing my live rock from existing tank over to the new tank. One rock is covered with some (150+) nice orange zoas, which I don’t want taking over any of my main rockwork in the new setup.

Question, let’s say I flip the rock over in the new tank and said zoas die a slow death due to no light, will they release their toxins into the water and poison the other corals/fish/me/etc? Sorry if this is a dumb question, but you can’t be too careful with the corals that can send you to the hospital. It is either flip the rock and let them die, or give to my lfs for trade in of some sort.

Thanks!

If you have 150orange zoa's on a rock it is definitely worth trading or selling on a local group or getting credit at the LFS. With that said yes you can flip it to smother without big problems.

Sent using Tapatalk.

Trade them. Even if you get less than what you think they should be worth it's better than risking toxins for one. Second those tough bastards may survive and start to grow up the sides of the flipped rock.

post a pic of the orange zoas, most likely they are not toxic

I second the trading notion. Worst case scenario, you take it to a local fish store and trade them for a comparably sized piece of live rock and some credits.

Here is a pic of them, actually two kinds of zoas on there. I will trade in the entire rock. Any estimates on what it could be worth?

I'm in Chicago...how big it the rock?

Definitely trade it in if you don't want them. I guess it depends on what you have as far as how much it could be worth. If they were utter chaos, those sell for about $15 a polyp from a local reefer probably double that at a LFS.

those are zoanthids, not toxic

They are too nice to kill off. If your afraid they will take over other rocks consider keeping the rock they are on separate on the sand away from other rock work. I do that with Green Star Polyp. I would love to have my zoas back but my fish suddenly to a liking to them before I could get them out.

It is probably a 5-10lb rock. I will be taking the main rock structure a part here this week to move to my new tank and can send you a pic if interested. Just PM me.

Those are pretty nice zoanthids.
Easily worth $100 or more.

+1 On this... They always seem to come back. I've had some I've been trying to get rid of for a while now. :uzi:

Trade them!