disappearing polyps??

[Shultz]

Hi all,

I have approx 43 different zoa's in my tank (have posted pics in this forum) but in the last month or so I've noticed some, maybe half a dozen or so are losing polyps, can't see any sign of disease/fungus/nudi's but the size of the colony's seems to be shrinking???

admittedly I did get some nudis from somewhere, but they were only ever found on one rock & I've not found anymore for weeks (found 5 in total)

My tank is softie dominated with just one plating & one normal montipora so I'm sure its not chemical warfare?

I've not added any new zoa's/corals for a good 3 months or so, the only things I've changed is the lighting from 10k BLV's to 15k XM's (150w MH) & the salt from IO to Aquamedic

The bulbs I changed because the tank looked to white & washed out, I wonder if these bulbs don't work too well on the noname magnetic ballasts I have whereas the BLV's were fine? Or prehaps not so much PAR in the tank??? though 300w over 70gal tank should be fine for Zoa's???? I do have 127w of PC actinics as well.

The salt brand I changed because although IO is a lovely balanced salt is low in cal/alk/mag as it was designed for FO tanks, I've tried reef crystals twice & both buckets have been out of balance for the above parameters & not worth the extra Ã"šÃ‚£'s IMHO!

The aquamedic is around 450 cal & 10 dKH, the mag is a little low at 1200, but I don't mind buffering just one thing?

I have plenty of flow as I have a tunze stream in there whipping things up, all other parameters test fine, pH has always been aroun d 7.9-8.1

I keep the Sg @ 35ppt (1.026)

Any thoughts or suggestions would be most welcome

Many Thanks,

Shelton.

 

[MUCHO REEF]

Sorry to hear of the lost, but to be very honest with you, missing or shrinking colonies are one sign of a nudi infestation. As the nudis eat away at the base of the polyps, they will slowly begin to detach at the base and the current blows them away. You will also notice polyps detaching during the swooshing process of a dip if you have nudis for the same reasons stated above. I would suggest that you continue searching and dipping for nudis. I'm sure that you already know this, but visible inspection is just as important as dipping. Just when you think you have killed them all, if but one is missed and deposits an egg sack on a rock, in less than 2 weeks you'll have 30 to 50 new juvis in your tank.

Just curious if you are adding vitamins and/or amino acids?

Good luck my friend.

Mucho

 

[Shultz]

I'll keep looking for the nudi's, alot of my rocks can't be removed from the tank Would the nudi's attack all Zoa's in the tank, or one certain colour? would it even be all the Zoa's from one area in the sea?

I do dose Seachems Reef+ twice a week, is that good or bad?

Cheers Shelton.

 

[CoralNutz]

I think that the fact you have already found 5 nudis and zoas are continually disapearing that nudies are in fact the problem. I don't know how you can combat them if you can't take the rocks out of the tank.

Hopefully some others will chime in with some advice for that.

But on a side not for other reefers, this is yet another example of why it's so important to dip and IMO quarentine new zoas. Better to fight the problem before you put them in your display tank than after.