Zoanthid don't look right. - How do i dip them?

[masta]

[In a previous thread, somebody more experienced than I wrote:

I do not have any "flatworm exit", or "lugols", but I'm interested in doing a dip anyways of fresh water. I must say the notion of a peroxide dip scares me, as I don't want to harm my pets, so if anybody can help dispel my fears, would be appreciated. :lookaround:

Oh, I almost forgot to describe my situation!

So a few days ago a small colony of zoa's had two or three smaller polyps discolor, yet they are open and active.

This morning another larger colony I notice a few polyps are not opening up. So this is not normal, and I want to be proactive like the guy in that quote.

Parameters:

<li>nitrite: 0
<li>ammonia: 0
<li>nitrate: 20
<li>pH: 8.0
<li>temperature: 80.4 f
<li>salinity: 1.023
<li>lights: 4Wpg

I'm cycling out some water right now, and after I study the dip process I will hopefully get to the zoa's tonight or tomorrow.]

 

[melev]

[Various things affect zoanthids. In my experience, as long as the tank is set up like a reef with good water quality, they are pretty easy to keep.

Usually they will close up if they are being bothered, if the salinity is too high, or if there is a fungus.

For larger polyped zoanthids, they seemingly strangle themselves. I've seen what looks like a fiber wrapped around the trunk, and it tightens. It is very strange. In those cases, I've use a turkey baster to blast and suck each affected polyp until the top (which looks like a cap at this point) flips off and falls away. The cap seems to stifle the zoanthid, but breaking it off allows the polyp to reopen. I've only had to do this with larger polyps, never the tiny ones the size of pencil erasers.

Lately, I've had asterinas (tiny white/blue starfish) killing my large polyped zoos, but I picked off all the ones I could find and tossed them in the refugium. The zoos have made a remarkable recovery.]