Where are my Zoo's Going?

[jjmatti]

Over the last 6 months I have lost about 4 different colonies of some of my favorite zoos. I see nothing eating them, I have done the dip, It just seems like one day there seem to be less of them then the next day a couple more gone, until finally thewre all gone. Leaving nothing but small parts of the stalks behind which eventually disapear as well?

The fish I currently have,
Naso, Hippo, Powder blue, Purple - Tangs
Copperband Butterfly - (Recently added)

Any ideas??

 

[vanceny]

I'm in the same situation. Doesn't look like nudibranches or anything. The only thing I thought it might be is my hippo or clown goby which I've heard have had a history of nipping. I've never seen them do it but is a possibility.

Tagging along for a solution.

 

[PnoyReefeR]

J! u mean u lost the PPE's too .. if you think you dont have pest then it may be the Naso .. I saw him one time picking on my zoas since then I feed him twice a day ... PM me man!

 

[jjmatti]

I was reading another thread (Mucho Reef's - Gaurd Dog Thread)
that leads me to believe that maybe by adding a Wrasse (Dont know which one) might help control any problem pests I may have but dont see or know about.
But like I said I have dipped and looked with a mgnifying glass and have yet to see any pest moving around.

 

[DaveJ]

Could be a number of things... nudis and spiders will show signs of distress before disappearing. But whole polyps missing something is chowing down (grazing) on them. My guess would be your hippo tang. Do this.. see if you can cover your zoos with something like a strawberry basket and see if you lose anymore. If you do lose some, its not the fish.

 

[jjmatti]

that makes sense. there was never any distress, just disappearing one by one, until there were no more. I will try to cover them and see.
Are Hippo Tangs often offenders like Angels??

 

[DaveJ]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10396934#post10396934 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jjmatti
that makes sense. there was never any distress, just disappearing one by one, until there were no more. I will try to cover them and see.
Are Hippo Tangs often offenders like Angels??

I've never seen it personally, but I trust folks like Mucho and others who have seen it. I will tell you this about hippos, they are omnivores, I had one that ate silversides and scallop bits when I fed my corals and inverts, so I would not put it past them.

 

[MTB]

Have you looked in the tank at night? Maybe a zoanthid eatting worm? Could be the hippo. How big is he? I think a larger specimen would be more apt to chow down than a smaller one.

 

[jjmatti]

I have looked at night and have not seen anything (visible to my eye) but the Hippo is fairly large.
Would he quit eating them if I fed more?? Or is it the type of thing that once they acquire the taste they are gone?

 

[jjmcat]

Do you see a brown substance on the stalks?

 

[taithao35]

I did see my blue tang grazed on my zoo/paly.

 

[jjmatti]

Nothing but a small nub of the stalk is left behind.

 

[lfduty]

Watch your Hippo mine will pick at my zoa's

 

[Joy_42]

Hi all...
I'm having a similar problem with my zoa's. The only fish in my tank is a maroon clown that doesn't go near them. It seems like the polyps just fade away. I covered the main colony that I'm concerned about and there hasn't been any change. I have, however, noticed tons of pods crawling on them as well as several large (around 3 inches) bristle worms in the tank. Could either of these be the cause?
The tank is a 14 gal biocube; it's a little over a year old.

Edit: I just looked at the tank with the lights off... there are definitely large pods chowing down on my zoas. I guess I'll start researching what eats pods.

 

[jjmcat]

Check your ALK.

 

[jjmatti]

Check my ALK Meaning it may to be high or to low? Or both?