What the H$%* is wrong with my zoanthids?

[Ding2daDong]

I just recently bought a nice zoanthid colony and since I purchased them only a few (8-9) polyps have opened since and the rest are starting to look really bad. I acclimated them properly and all my par. are good. I currently keep alot of other zoanthids that are doing fine at all levels in my tank. Heres some pics.

Any way to save these? Should I take them out of the tank? This is just sooo frustrating when you work so hard to provide for these living things and everything is perfect and they just die. I am about ready to rip my hair out.


Thanks

-Matt

 

[dc_909]

If I were you I would remove them good polyps and place in Qtank if you have one or at least mount to different rocks. Most of the colony is gone. As far as what it is, I couldn't tell you.

 

[Kigs]

I've seen few of those colonies come in recently at different LFS(s). Most of them seemed to have some sort of fungus infection on them. Next time, for your wallet's sake, learn to spot signs of unhealthy zoas. I'm sorry about your colony, but all I can suggest is what dc_909 has suggested.

 

[plaz]

Similar experience - I had 3 of 6 aquacultured frags do that recently from a reputable on-line vendor (they have a good reputation here). The other 3 are fine - but I only have one polyp still alive from the 3 that melted. A 7th was doa and they gave us a credit.

I forgot to tell the vendor to put in a heat back and it was in the 30s at night. I was wondering if it could have happened because it got too cold... on the other hand, a clam and lps in the order is doing fine?

Another possibility - I also dipped these for the first time (freshwater with matched ph and temp). I left them 4 minutes which I think may have been too long. Did you dip yours?

 

[Tallinu]

Like DC says, move the healthy ones asap. Anything that looks clean and still healthy pry it up and move it away. You can start entire colonies from one polyp. Get that rock out of your tank and any of that debris from the rotting Zoo's.

Tallinu

 

[MoCha920]

have you dipped your zoos in lugol solution? make sure those zoos dont have any of the zooanthid killers which are

the zoanthid eating nudibranch and spiders

peace...

 

[twon8]

you should dip in some sw with a few drops of lugol's, also i would cut off the dead polyps, and peel off any of the white stuff. you could also apply some lugols directly onto the worst polyps as it can only help at this point.

 

[cmsargent]

I had a colony that looked about like that...fuzzy white growth on them. I cut out all the dead and near death polyps and seperated the open oned onto new frags. The frags were diped in the Lugal/FW dip. About half of the frags (maybe 1/6th of the orignial colony) made it.
Good luck.

 

[acrylic_300]

If you have hermit crabs....just leave the zoos alone because the crabs will know before You Do what ones will make it.

Iv'e seen this twice...once when I dipped without adjusting the PH and twice when I held a frag in my hand for too long and my body temp killed it.

 

[I Found Nemo]

I have had that quite a few times just blast them a couple times a day with a turkey baster some will slowly diminish but they will recover they key is keeping them cleaned off. If you have any other zoos do blast them also cause it can spread. some zoo will blow off and find a new place to set up home. Don't worry they can be saved just blast them off

 

[TWallace]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8477072#post8477072 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by plaz
Similar experience - I had 3 of 6 aquacultured frags do that recently from a reputable on-line vendor (they have a good reputation here). The other 3 are fine - but I only have one polyp still alive from the 3 that melted. A 7th was doa and they gave us a credit.

I forgot to tell the vendor to put in a heat back and it was in the 30s at night. I was wondering if it could have happened because it got too cold... on the other hand, a clam and lps in the order is doing fine?

I had a similar experience recently with a shipment of zoanthids without a heat pack, probably from the same vendor as yours, given your comment about their reputation. Fedex screwed up the order so it took 2 days to receive them and the water was down to 67 degrees when I finally acclimated them. All of mine turned out fine despite that temperature difference.