Zoa questions

RiffRaff

New member
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This is what the colony looked like about a month ago.
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This is what it looked like last night. It seems like the right side is thinning out a bit. Is there something eating it or am I just paranoid? I know that I have asterina stars in the tank. But not sure how many really.
 
Inspect for nudis. Brush them gently with your fingers to make them close up and look around the stalks closely. They can pick up pigmentation to match the zoas they are on so can be tricky to spot. Also look for little spiral egg packets on the stalks.
 
Look for nudis, sundial snails and fish picking (especially after lights out). Do you have hermit crabs?
 
I do have hermit crabs. But only like 3-6. I did get a new foxface that's pretty much the hungriest fish that's ever existed. I'll have to keep an eye on him.
 
My foxface hasn't ever touched my Zoas. I'd be suprised if he's causing the problem. I don't believe they're the typical suspect for coral nipping.
 
This is what happens to my zoas. That's why I quit them :(

They explode with growth and then do exactly what yours are doing.
 
Google sundial snnail and see if that matches anything you see in/around zoas
Had one eating at a colony for a while. Thought It was a cute little snail till I looked it up Bastard
 
No Ive never seen anything like that. I guess I could do a coral dip today and see if that helps at all. Gonna be a pain since it is a base rock and kind of big. But I suppose PITA is what built this hobby in the first place.
 
My foxface hasn't ever touched my Zoas. I'd be suprised if he's causing the problem. I don't believe they're the typical suspect for coral nipping.

Wouldn't you know it, not an hour after I posted this yesterday, I'm watching my tank and noticed my foxface by my zoas. Hadn't ever seen him do it before, but he took a nip at one of them. Can't tell if he did any damage, but I'm going to have to watch him.
 
Foxface are like a puppy. Chew on everything that looks chewable. They mean no harm I wouldn't sweat it. If it continues you probably have algae growing on your colony/frag.

RiffRaff my guess is you have zoa eating nudibranches. When you see them closed up like that they've recently been aggravated. Google Image Search; (zoanthid eating nudibranch)

They look like boogers climbing on and between zoanthid polyps. Keep an eye out for eggs. If they are found there are many threads written on quarantine and eradication on reef central.
 
I've never spotted a sundial with lights on. They usually find a crevice to hide in during this time.
 
This is what happens to my zoas. That's why I quit them :(

They explode with growth and then do exactly what yours are doing.

Some of the knowledgeable folks in the Zoanthid Forum think this is from lack of food. The colony grows great and then starts to peter out, the idea is that target feeding them keeps them strong and growing.
 
I just saw the foxface munch on some different zoas here too. Still going to dO a dip with them later though
 
I don't generally target feed the zoas, but I do dose the tank. And they seem happier with phyto feast than when I use oyster feast. So I've been sticking with that. I'll start target feeding them tomorrow. But I did a dip tonight. Didn't see much but some bristle worms. And 1 worm about the size of a #2 pencil fell off when I pulled the rock out. And peeled about 4 or 5 stomatella snails off the rock before I dipped it as well.
 
Well they are looking much better. Just noticed as I was cleaning the glass. So of course they all closed up so I can't get a good pic.
 
A month later
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Not sure if it was the coral dip or the newest additions I weekly target feeding but they're are definitely looking much better
 
Good deal RiffRaff :thumbsup: I've recently experience something similar with a few of my colonies. I think its due to a drop in flow (vortech got a bit clogged) and/or reduction of feeding (been feeding the fish more flake than Rod's Food lately). I've upped both and waiting to see what happens.
 
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