question: Why are my zoo polyps so small in size?

[weiky]

I bought some spiderman and sunnyD frags a while back, each about 5 polyps. The mother colonies were both normal size but all my polyps are about half the size: meaning half the height and half the diameter across. Why is this? Am I deffiecient of a trace elemnet?
I use RO/DI water, 6- T5 lights, 50 gallon tank, they are moved to the bottom of the tank (18" deep), water chemistry is all very normal, no spikes in anything. flow is medium to low. Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[cjtabares]

How long have you had them? I know I have bought some frgas the polyps start pretty small but they will grow.

 

[LBFish]

Have you tested your magnesium? I've just learned that low magnesium could cause that problem. Your mag should be around 1350 to 1400 I believe.

 

[weiky]

i have had them for about 7 months now. I do add magnesium and its around 1300

 

[cjtabares]

Have you seen new polyp growth?

 

[Ritten]

How often do you change water? Mine love water changes.

 

[weiky]

water changes are about 10% weekly to bi-weekly depending on the time i have each weekend. They grew a few new polyps at first and have not seen anyhting new in months no :-(

 

[Friday Night]

temp?

 

[StillerNat]

some of mine are doing the same thing too. i got one frag with like 10 orange colored ones and one frag is bigger than the other frag by atleast 30%.
when i got my red hornet it was tiny and it double the size now.
i just think when they are happy and thriving they bloat up and look full, when they are not happy, then they shrivel up.

 

[elmafioso52988]

I had some spiderMan zoa a while back and my polyps were tiny aswell. They were about 1/3 of the size of regular zoa. This was while they were fully open. I lost them to zoa pox. They might have been stressed out.

 

[camlov2]

larger height or size can mean that they are streaching for light. I guess small size or height could mean too much light.

 

[Number2]

I was going to say too much light also.

 

[coralpimp2009]

Tag

Tag

Tagging along. Never had this problem but never hurts to know what to look for if I do.

 

[650-IS350]

Alk, pH and Temp ? where they placed all the way at the bottom right away?

 

[SIR PATRICK]

read my mind- just what I came here for....

joining this post for info, and posting one of my own, just in case.

alk, ph and temp huh? Might want to check my mag too...could be low.

Would like to hear more on the alk, ph, temp, and mag affects for small polyps.

 

[650-IS350]

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/zoanthidcompfaqs.htm

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-03/rhf/index.php
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.php
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-07/rhf/index.php