Longest time before zoas open

[SpinyReef]

I just bought a frag through a friend. Let's just say the zoas didn't like their one week stay in my buddy's tank. In addition to that, they had to take a 8h trip in a ziplock bag to reach my tank. I don't know what he did to them, but I'm not certain they'll pull though.

I've had them for 3 days now and no improvement at all. Do you think these are salvageable? Anything I can do to help them other than leaving them alone?

Details: the 2 frags are supposed to be orange bambams. They were healthy before reaching my friend's tank, where they barely opened for a couple of days before staying completly closed like they are right now. My system is ULNS SPS dominated and all other zoanthids are fully open and healthy. Currently they are on the sand bed with moderate flow and what I consider low light (for a SPS tank)

 

[650-IS350]

Month(S) PPE's bought directly from Tyree...they would open 10% at the disk when fully closed then close back up for a couple more months.

 

[MUCHO REEF]

I just bought a frag through a friend. Let's just say the zoas didn't like their one week stay in my buddy's tank. In addition to that, they had to take a 8h trip in a ziplock bag to reach my tank. I don't know what he did to them, but I'm not certain they'll pull though.

I've had them for 3 days now and no improvement at all. Do you think these are salvageable? Anything I can do to help them other than leaving them alone?

Details: the 2 frags are supposed to be orange bambams. They were healthy before reaching my friend's tank, where they barely opened for a couple of days before staying completly closed like they are right now. My system is ULNS SPS dominated and all other zoanthids are fully open and healthy. Currently they are on the sand bed with moderate flow and what I consider low light (for a SPS tank)

Wow, sorry to hear and see this, but don't worry just yet. Polyps can retract for days, weeks and even months. It doesn't mean they are dead, but something has made them very unhappy especially if all your other poylps are expanding. More likely than not, and based upon how you received them, it is most likley stress due to a parameter of which they aren't accustomed to, lighting shift, shock or any one of a number of issues. Usually water acclimation isn't necessary, how every if there was a majot temp shift in the bag water in relation to your tank water and you just dropped them in, yes, that alone will cause retraction. Temp acclimation would have been paramount. Please read/see this link below.


http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1154238&highlight=25+mucho


I will be updating this list with 5 others reasons why your polyps won't expand.

Also, any type of movement, shipping or handling is stressful to all polyps. Not nearly enough to cause mortality unless something was done improperly



In the mean time, a retracted polyp is not a dead or dying polyp. Please see this link below for 12 great clues.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2064276&highlight=mucho+full+bodied


I really can't tell from the pics, but is there any brown haze, residue or build up on those polyps? If so, you will have to remove it and possibly prepare a dip. Let us know and we'll show you how. You will need a soft bristled tooth brush. I have used one for many many years to clean up dirty polyps upon purchase with no issues at all.

Also, do not move them around as it will only delay their expansion.

You mentioned an 8 hour trip in a zip lock bag. What was the ratio of air to water in the bag? Was the temp maintained throughout the trip? Were they secured or bounced around in transit? All of which will contribute to delayed expansion. In short, yes, they are salvageable.

I hope something here helps, please keep us posted and good luck mate.


Mucho Reef

Are you aware of the sniff test to detect decay or decline? Let us know.

....and here's a fun read for you http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1618267

 

[SpinyReef]

Thank you for the detailed answer. The guy who held them for me told me they were in this shape before leaving his tank. I know he has some corals do okay in his tank, but I guess these were too sensitive for his parameters. As far as transit, they were kept at a decent temperature and acclimated as I acclimate acroporas, but I don't believe there was much air in the bag, but there was plenty of water. They did endure quite a bit of stress in the past 2 weeks. In my tank they're kept on the sandbed with moderate flow.

I did the sniff test you speak of in the link and they don't smell much of anything. I am however worried about their dark color and the obvious fact that they're closed. It's now been 6 days since I got them and I haven't seen any improvement. I won't toss them until they're completely gone in the faint hope that one polyp may pull through.

I am worried doing anything might stress them unnecessarily, but I was reading about vitamin C and iodine. Could any good come from that?

Today:

 

[Chriskid]

if you can now keep the asteria stars away from them, they just might pull threw. i have brought back some that never thought would make it. GL

 

[SpinyReef]

So they have now been in my tank for exactly a week. Yesterday, they looked like the last picture. They had some algae growing on the tissue and were looking grim.

Today... 180 turn about! They must have opened during the night which caused the algae to shed because the tissue is looking nice and healthy! It looks like they'll pull through and the color so far is bright!

 

[SpinyReef]

Starting to look good!

 

[aandfsoccr04]

Happy to see they are turning around for you! Gives me hope that if zoas don't open in a day or two it's not the end of the world and time to panic.

 

[bshow24]

zoas have a mind of their own, they open up when they want to, and it is when you want them open that they know this info and decide to stay balled up.

 

[650-IS350]

Nice good to know theyre doing well I still have a paly that I can't remember how it looks as its been closed foe god knows how long n no sign of melt or deteriation

 

[davidadelp]

My whole tank experienced electricity from my pump that screwed up it killed almost everything coral wise in my tank. My Zoas have been closed up for almost 2 weeks now and a few are barely starting to open up most are still closed up tight.