Update: Got a large Mandarin, I know I only have a 16 gallon tank, but it has tons of pods for now. I plan on rehoming him when he handles my pod problem. Although right now he goes to sleep at night and that is when those pods come out ... so unless he starts hunting during the night he's not doing me any good. I've tried to catch them and have only been able to suck 1 out and see tons of others that i just cant get to in the holes of the live rock.
Zoa's are still getting damaged/or totally eaten daily...
As for the people who keep telling me that pods don't eat Zoa's...
Here is a discussion from Bob Fenner, the marine biologist that wrote this.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Conscientious-Marine-Aquarist-Professional/dp/1890087998
"Meat eating amphipods... comp./removal 8/26/2009
Hello! I have a nano tank (approximately 20g) that up until recently has not had any problems—all creatures are growing, show great polyp extension, and coloration. My parameters are all in line with the hobby standards and I do not dose anything.
I change approximately 40-50% of the tank water per month, which is about 2.5g per week. I recently noticed seemingly large amphipods hanging out at the base of my red people eater Zoanthid colony and I just assumed they were cleaning up, until now. The last few nights I have witnessed the amphipods eating the skirts and then moving on to flesh surrounding the mouth and by morning all that's left of the polyp is a horrible looking nub. They have devoured almost four polyps and I fear it's going to continue.
The rest of the colony continues to look beautiful, fully extends, and doesn't have Nudibranchs, Zoa spiders, poxs, or any type of infection.
I have done some research and it seems that there's differing opinions whether amphipods actually behave in this manner.
For three nights, I have personally witness these creatures sitting, picking, and eating the flesh. I have tried to shoo them away, but can not sit in front of the tank all night. Also, I have purchased a 6-line wrasse to help control the amphipod population, but it seems that the wrasse goes to sleep well before the amphipods come out.
I have thought about feeding the tank extra food in case the amphipods are starving, which doesn't seem like a good idea due to increasing the nutrient load and aiding in another meat eating amphipod explosion. I've thought about removing the Zoanthids to another tank, but I'm worried that the amphipods will just start munching on another colony. Do you have any other suggestions? Words of wisdom?
I greatly appreciate your help. WetWebMedia is a fantastic resource, thank you!
Sincerely,
May S.
"
That is just one instance out of a TON that I've found with posts of other people ACTUALLY SEEING the Amphipods eating the zoa's. Some have freshwater dipped, others have nuked the tank with interceptor and others have had success with fish...The main thing i've found is that it it is mostly people with nano's and nothing eatting the pods that has a problem with this.
Most people with larger tanks end up with fish that go after the pods and control the population so that this doesn't happen or it happens to such a small degree that they don't even notice it.
