One by one, Zoa Colonies dying???

[osu133lbs]

I have a issue that I am sure someone on here has had before. I have now lost two entire colonies of zoanthids, first was my pinks 200+ polyps, then only one of my green colonies 75-100 polyps, now my Hawaiian Blues appear to be the next victim. The greens didn't appear to be affected at all until the entire pink colony was gone, and like wise with the blues. The bases appear to shrivel, discolor and then dead or dying flesh is eaten by pods... I am removing my blue colony, dipping it and transferring it to another reefers tank, I am unable to remove the other colonies because they are on rocks to large to be moved.... Any ideas as to what kind of invisible pest or disease I should be looking for? I have spent countless hours watching and see no sign of spiders... All my other corals are thriving, ie. digi, acro, poci, slimer, monti, milli, torch, and even 5 or 6 other colonies of Zoanthids... Water quality is frequently tested and is very stable and lights are changed out about every 6-8 months... The process is slow and sickining. Losing my stomach watch the blues melt away..:mad2: Thanks for any insights!

josh

 

[osu133lbs]

pics

pics

Hopefully these pics are visible... if not i'll post via snapfish[/ATTACH]

 

[zeppelin]

From the pic, those may be caribbeans. If they are, they like higher light and higher flow. Caribbeans are tricky sometimes, and dont last long for allot of people.

How long had you had the ones that bit the dust?

 

[osu133lbs]

I had the pinks for about two years they grew from a 15 polyp frag to 200+, these blues grew from a 10 polyp frag about two and a half years ago. They are under 500 watts of MH and 260 more Actinic with very high flow... The greens i had a shorter time and it was a smaller colony, still substantial though...

 

[osu133lbs]

fyi, my greens were intermixed with other green polyps and only one of the species died off??? The others are thriving...

 

[zeppelin]

Well, you have had them awhile then for sure. I am having good luck with my zoas adding Vitamin C to my tank. They are in much better shape now than they were getting after a few years in the tank.

 

[Pescado Amigo]

Sure sounds like a pest moving from one frag to the next. I had some small brittle stars (-2cm) doing the same thing. It took me months to figure it out. Once I knew what I was looking for, I could spot them easily. I got rid of about 10, and things are back on track. Good luck.

 

[Crawf71]

I would also check for pests. I had something eating my zoas when I first got into the hobby. Turned out I had a species of pods that ate them.

Best of luck.

 

[landers96]

I have the same excat thing going on right now. I've watch for hours and find nothing, just melting zoa's. I've gotten up at 2-3 in the morning more than a few times with a flash light and all I see on them is amphipods. So I have to assume it's them killing the zoa's. Everyone calls me crazy for thinking this, but noone has a better explanation. I've lost 4 colony's of zoa's and am currently losing my 5th. And it's one at a time not all at once. I've been dipping very frequently and them seem to do better for a day or two then right back to dying. I just don't get this one.

 

[osu133lbs]

crawf71 and Landers do you guys have any wrasses or other pod eating fish? I don't have one currently and am thinking about adding one to the system to help combat the massive number of pods... I too suspect pods?? No other explanation...

 

[Crawf71]

At the time i didn't. I got a six line and that seems to help a ton.

Six lines are a small addition to a tank your size. And are prettu fun to watch since they are an active fish.

 

[landers96]

no I don't right now. I've been looking in a yellow coris wrasse though. A six line was also a thought, but I read that they get aggresive as the get older.

 

[RokleM]

Sixlines are the devil! :lol:

Yellow coris wrasse is a much better decision in my opinion.

 

[landers96]

Does any of your PE colony's get affected? It doesn't seem as though mine do.

 

[Crawf71]

I must have a six line that one brick short.

Must of the day he twitches to himself on the side of the tank. Well his own reflection.

Funny as hell to watch!

 

[osu133lbs]

Anyone had experience with "Peppermint shrimp" eating zoas? I have read some accounts of them eating anemones and ricordias.... my rics have been shrunken lately as well... I am wondering if the "PS" that I picked up are picking??? I know there are several shrimp species sold as PS....