Hundreds of Zoas melted overnight!

[Mr. Comer]

I came home from work and have almost lost all Zoas on the left side of my tank. They have been growing well over the past 14 months. No water/lighting changes and everything else looks good. What happend?

 

[Mr. Comer]

After loosing all my zoas on the left side of the tank the ones on the right shrived up and then the next day started to melt. I pulled out what I could and coral dipped them. I also found a couple healthy zoas dipped them and am moving them to my other tank. I've been reefing for 8 years and have never seen zoas turn so quick. Some of these made the trip from Oregon to Texas last year in the nastiest of conditions. They were some of the goodies that didn't scrape off.
My best guess is some kind of parasite. But I haven't introduced any new coral for months? I started feeding nori but that shouldn't cause this problem. Anyone have some input?

 

[reefwars]

Sounds fishy....fish list?

 

[Molly1414]

Stray voltage maybe. What are your water parameters ?

 

[Mr. Comer]

I added a orange spot rabbit fish last month. I haven't noticed him nipping at anything but he is my key suspect. The rest of the fish I've had for about a year (red sea sailfin, 4 percs, melanarus wrasse, dragon sand sifter, fox face lo, and a flame angel). I feed once a day plus always try to have nori available. My red and orange zoa's havent been touched yet.
I have been carbon dosing for the last two months and have had a small algae boom but this should keep my rabbits/tang busy.

 

[lhm nole]

I added a orange spot rabbit fish last month. I haven't noticed him nipping at anything but he is my key suspect. The rest of the fish I've had for about a year (red sea sailfin, 4 percs, melanarus wrasse, dragon sand sifter, fox face lo, and a flame angel). I feed once a day plus always try to have nori available. My red and orange zoa's havent been touched yet.
I have been carbon dosing for the last two months and have had a small algae boom but this should keep my rabbits/tang busy.

Rabbitfish will do it recently lost 20 fruit loops though they just melted and all my acans was closed so I watched my tank for 4 hours straight and caught my copperband nipping... Reef safe with caution I think I will pass on those guys from now on

 

[650-IS350]

spot rabbit

that's your culprit. although vegetarian.. they will go after Z's and P's if hungry. Once they get a taste, all over. Tangs do this as well.

 

[d-man]

But why would they have melted from the rabbitfish?
I would think for him to rip through that many he would have seen it happen during the waking hrs.

I think it would be something chemical to happen.

 

[Mr. Comer]

I removed the orange spot and no more melting/missing zoas. A few zoas have managed to survive and are opening back up. After being in this hobby for 8 years I learn constantly new lessons. This lesson: even if you feed a fish shrimp and flakes daily and have nori always available they may still prefer spendy zoas.

 

[reefwars]

I removed the orange spot and no more melting/missing zoas. A few zoas have managed to survive and are opening back up. After being in this hobby for 8 years I learn constantly new lessons. This lesson: even if you feed a fish shrimp and flakes daily and have nori always available they may still prefer spendy zoas.

yup and they never lose the taste for corals once they start eating them

 

[reefwars]

But why would they have melted from the rabbitfish?
I would think for him to rip through that many he would have seen it happen during the waking hrs.

I think it would be something chemical to happen.

because the rabbit eats a chunk of polyps and then runs off , when he returns he eats another polyp etc....eventually the damaged polyps cannot heal and melt overnight.

 

[Azar]

Yeah , I'm not sure..
How big is your tank, how big is the fish.. how many zoa colonys. .? People have different thoughts on what a big colony of zoas is. Depending on your filter /sump system , if what you said is true that hundreds of zoas where gone in the matter of 2 days. I'm figuring you would be able to see the aftermath floating around your tank or sand bed.