Mighty Morphin' Zoas

[jdegrasse]

Hey all,

I have a colony a neon green Zoanthids from Dr. Mac. A few (20%) of the polyps have morphed on me. The oral disc became larger and the tentacles also grew longer. The color also faded, but hasn't browned out. If I didn't know better, I'd say they were palys. These are not hitchhikers. The polyps actually morphed.

My Orange Zoas on the same rock don't this. None of my other Zoas in the tank do this. Water params are within spec and all other livestock exhibit odd behavior.

Anyone had this happen to them? Any thoughts as to why?

Jeff

 

[MUCHO REEF]

Hey all,

I have a colony a neon green Zoanthids from Dr. Mac. A few (20%) of the polyps have morphed on me. The oral disc became larger and the tentacles also grew longer. The color also faded, but hasn't browned out. If I didn't know better, I'd say they were palys. These are not hitchhikers. The polyps actually morphed.

My Orange Zoas on the same rock don't this. None of my other Zoas in the tank do this. Water params are within spec and all other livestock exhibit odd behavior.

Anyone had this happen to them? Any thoughts as to why?

Jeff

Hello jdegrasse, Hallelujah, great question.

What you are experiencing is common. I won't go as far as to call it normal, but it happens. It is further proof from many past discussions here that each system dictates and determines colaration, growth, rate of growth, rate of expansion etc etc etc. Environment i.e. lighting, parameters, current, fish population, nutrient levels, photoperiod, age of system, bulb type, wattage, K value, photosynthesis etc etc and even make up water, will determine all that I mentioned above.

Each of the changes you have witnessed with your new aquisitons, I, and many others have experienced as well.

Oral disc expansion can be attributed to optimal parameters or an increase food source.

Skirt elongation/extension and/or rapid growth can be attributed to optimal current which sweeps away any waste and delievers nutrients whether it's ( particulates, zooplankton, bacteria, organics), all of which they will consume whether it is a secondary or primary source of nutrient uptake.

The coral shift is totally explainable and was most likely due to environmental influences as well. These polyps have an innat ability to adapt to most lighting types and intensities. Most likely your lighting type was far more intense than in the previous system. As a result of this dramatic change/shift etc, your polyps began to expel some of their single cell algae called Zooxanthellae. Zooxanthellae is responsible for nutrient delivery and it also gives them their color/pigmentation. Your polyps experienced light shock when you placed them in your tank and they expelled some of their Zooxanthellae, thus the color shift. There's a lot more I could share on this, but this is the gist of what and why you experienced this shift.


I have provided two links below loaded with a lot of great information and other great links that are very very informative. Please check them out.


http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2063338&highlight=mucho+morph

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1309820&highlight=morphing+reasons+and+results+


Regarding the polyp with the color shift, most likely it was placed too close to your lighting source. Place it lower, in line with current and leave it untouched until the color is restored.

Sorry to go overboard, good luck.

Mucho Reef

 

[MUCHO REEF]

One added caveat to the above post I want to add is this. It doesn't have to ever happen and yes it can be avoided. My comment might have been misleading in saying it happens to all of us. Many years ago I set up certain protocols for every single new purchase and I share it with new reefers all the time.

1. Look, ask, inquire etc of the type of lighting on the system they came from and make the appropriate placement in your tank once they arrive.

For example, if your new zoanthids were propagated in a tank with a 20" depth with dual 10k and 14k bulbs T5's and you place them in your new system with a 20" depth with dual 400's or 250's with a magnetic ballast, you're going to experience some serious possible polyp retraction, possible mass expulsion of Zooxanthellae, bleaching or browning out and even death. I have seen it time and time again locally and on line.

Even if the two systems were identical in depth and they were taken from the substrate in the old system and you placed them in the upper third of your system, it is possible the same scenario would play out.

With each new purchase one should inquire of the lighting, lighting type, wattage, k value, placement level, parameters, how long have they had them, were they propagated or just cut and glued, how recently were they fragged, how often has the parent colony is/has been fragged even how they fragged them. You will be surprised how many experienced reefers, inexperienced reefers and newbies who will pick up a frag yesterday, frag it today and will sell it tomorrow. That should NEVER be done, EVER. This is what these names and skyhigh prices has produced in reefing today.


I firmly believe all new purchases should be QT'd if possible. If not, a close inspection, then place them on the substrate away from any rock or coral, in line with random current to both feed and remove any slim produced as a result of stress due to the journey home.


If at all possible, and if you are making a series of new purchases, I always perform a 10% to 20% well aerated WC 48 hours before the purchase when possible. Followed up with testing of your basic parameters beforehand.

If running actinic supplementation, I would run them only for the first photoperiod at half the normal full photoperiod.

When following this protocol for the past 12 years, my polyp expansion rate is usually 95% on the very first day. I have even extended this to the second day for the 5% delayed expansion, it will not hurt your polyps. Also, every 14 days, leave your tank completely dark for the entire day. If possible, keep the entire room dark for that day as well if possible. This closely replicates rainy, stormy, cloudy days in the wild. 9 times out of 10, when I return to the normal photoperiod on the next day, every polyp in the tank expands like crazy providing your system is mature and all parameters are in check. I will find the link of a guy on RC who tried it and his expansion was out of this world after only one day. Stay tuned.


Good luck and please keep us posted.


Mucho Reef

 

[jdegrasse]

Wow! Thank you for the info!

Much appreciated!

 

[MUCHO REEF]

You're welcome. So what's the updated status on your polyps?


Mooch

 

[Reefmaster08]

Any new pics > >?

 

[MUCHO REEF]

Will try one more time for an update. It's always good to know how things turned out. ok, good luck mate.


Mooch