Zoanthids closed for several weeks

[240gallons]

This particular tank is 6 years old.
75g with (2) Chinese LED fixtures.

I haven't added any live stock except fire shrimp and snails in approx 2 years.
I haven't changed lighting cycle ever.

Water changes monthly approx 40%
All soft coral, and LPS, doing great.
multiple chalice and euphilia frags growing.

Zoanthids haven't open for weeks EXCEPT for 2 small colonies of 1 species of Zoanthid (armor of gods). kinda wierd..

Temp 74
ph 8.3
KH 12
Cal 380
TDS 0 on top off

This is all I've tested for in years, but I do healthy frequent h2o changes to replenish all trace elements.

Am I dealing with a bug?

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[sde1500]

Weird they all closed. Might be something pestering them. Notice anything on them? I'd say your calcium is a little low, shouldn't bother them, your alk is definitely higher than I ever aim for. That may bug them. What's your magnesium level?

 

[240gallons]

Weird they all closed. Might be something pestering them. Notice anything on them? I'd say your calcium is a little low, shouldn't bother them, your alk is definitely higher than I ever aim for. That may bug them. What's your magnesium level?

Haven't tested mag. With no hard corals and just a couple chalaces parameters are generally corrected with water changes. I just use BRS part a and b.

Update: I did a FW/lugols dip on a colony yesterday with no change at all. This leads me to believe it's not pest.

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[blasterman789]

They're partially closed - not closed. At least not all of them. Not being semantical but this is BIG difference. Partially closed zoos like this globally in the tank points to something in the water column is irritating them, and with the tank being mature we can likely eliminate the obvious things like water born bacteria / algae blooms. A diatom break out would do it, but again, this is a mature tank and it would take some pretty bad city / well water to feed the diatoms.

I can guarantee you it's not a mag/calcium/alk/unobtanium issue.

My guess, if I were to have to put some money on it would be dead snail / hermit / fish is causing the issue. Other possibility is with a tank this size a rock fell over with a good clump of zoos on them, has damaged or killed that clump, and you haven't found it.

A dead/dying euphilia will cause zoos to do this as well.

 

[sde1500]

Do you run any carbon?

 

[240gallons]

Thanks for the input. I did think I felt a mild burn/sting after rearranging a rock. I thought it was in my head, but after reading the response above there could be some toxins floating around. I do run carbon just a few day a month to polish water. I'll try another 35gal water change tomorrow and see what happens.

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[240gallons]

Absolutely frustrated!

I've changed every ro/do filter. Water still test TEXT BOOK reef parameters and the tank looks exactly the same.

I can see no pest, and the AOG polyps seem to open fully compared to the other 10 colonies.
I've dipped them, done multiple large water changes, ensured everything is perfect and zoanthids still won't fully open.

I've run Carbon reactor for well over a week adjusted lights and lost for ideas....

The only thing I can think to do is drop these zoas in another reefers tank and see what happens, however, that would be irresponsible. cross contamination is a possibility.

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[240gallons]

actually......just stumbled across something interesting. The water in my ATO bucket has some black mold in the container. Could black mold be affecting zoanthids?

Seems like the mold would die immediately if introduced to Salt water. either way, going to bleach container.

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[garygonzales]

whats your nitrate at...?? when mine was high my zoas closed up...

 

[Zafak]

Have you had a soft coral or leather coral fight with another coral? I had something similar happen when a zenias fell on an acan colony in my first tank. Every other coral reacted.

Or could it be a stray current from a shorting out electronic?

You mentioned being stung, could a coral in your tank that is not happy that is shedding stinging cells into the water?

 

[Zafak]

actually......just stumbled across something interesting. The water in my ATO bucket has some black mold in the container. Could black mold be affecting zoanthids?

Seems like the mold would die immediately if introduced to Salt water. either way, going to bleach container.

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The mold would die, but any toxins or antibiotics it produced would go into the water.

 

[Reefer40b]

I know its kinda older method but people have had success with dosing vitamin C for closed Zoas. I actually just bumped that thread to the top as I was curious if anyone is still on the vitamin C train.

 

[sjet]

Isn't temp 74 kind of low?

 

[240gallons]

so approx 1 month later and things got progressively worse.

I had to toss a huge plate that I've had for 10+years. It started to show skeleton on the edege of one side. I monitored it closely and it just kept getting worse.

Zoanthids were completely closed for the past few days. Just did a 80% water change.



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[Randyz]

I think your KH is too high from your original post. Have parameters changed since?

 

[fishy_mcfish]

I'm having the same issues with my zoas as well. I test my water and everything like phosphates and nitrates are zero or below .25. I have tried bigger water changes, dosing vitamin c moving the zoas around and nothing seems to help them.


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[240gallons]

I'm having the same issues with my zoas as well. I test my water and everything like phosphates and nitrates are zero or below .25. I have tried bigger water changes, dosing vitamin c moving the zoas around and nothing seems to help them.


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I think I found my problem. Do you have frogspawn and or torch corals?
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2665776

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[sde1500]

I think I found my problem. Do you have frogspawn and or torch corals?
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2665776

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It would be the softies like the toadstool not your Euphyillia causing the warfare issues if I had to bet.

 

[240gallons]

Skimmer seems to be pulling the clear/yellowish slime from the water column.

zoanthids are enjoying it!!

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