Zoanthids turning a different color

[ahmad_14]

First of all let me preface this by saying sorry if this question has been asked/answered already. So I have a 14g biocube with newly installed (3 week old) DIY led light kit. I have had the tank up and running for about five years now and try to do 10% weekly water changes. So the issue im having is as follows: I have recently purchased a frag of about nine dragon eye zoas and a frag of pipe organs. I placed the zoas closer to the top (about 4in away from the light) and the pipes on the sand. A couple of polyps of my zoas are starting to change color in the center (orange area) to a blueish color. and my pipe organs are not even coming out (its been two days since purchase). Im hoping its just them getting acclimated to the LEDs but I wanted everyone's opinion.

Im not sure if the LEDs are too bright or not. I have one 24w 700ma driver, driving 12 LEDs in series and four in parallel. It comes out to about 2.4v and 2.38watts per LED and a total measured 13,000 lumens (not sure if that makes a difference). I would include a picture but all the pictures I take of my tank now (since install of leds) are a big blue blur, even though in person, it looks clear white and AMAZING!! I hope I dont have to change up the LED configuration im really happy with the color and how amazing everything looks.

 

[A. Grandis]

Probably bleaching. That's bad!
Please put the colony on the substrate (sand or gravel) as soon as possible.
Every time you get new colonies or frags you should start to acclimate them to the light from the bottom of the tank, so they don't have a shock with the new lights.
Leave them on the substrate until normal color comes back. It can take a while, depending on the conditions of the colony!
Good luck!

Grandis.

 

[ahmad_14]

Thank you so much Grandis! I moved them the second I read your reply. Thanks again!

 

[A. Grandis]

No problem!
If you have a chance to take pictures please do, so we can take a look...
Hope it didn't get damaged really bad under the new lights.

Grandis.

 

[ahmad_14]

Here's an image. I already moved them to the substrate so hopefully things will get better. Would you by any chance know why the pipe organs are not coming out of their "pipes"? They are in a pretty low flow area on the bottom of the tank.

 

[ahmad_14]

 

[ahmad_14]

For some reason, Its not posting the image, so here's a link

http://postimage.org/image/l6yjstff9/

 

[A. Grandis]

Thanks for the image!
They have a white/gray film on them on the center, correct?
That needs to be addressed. It could be fungus or bacterial infection.
There is no signs of bleaching on some of the polyps, so I would assume that the problem is the infection only.

Dip the colony in a bowl with 8 to 10 oz of tank water. Put 3 or 4 drops of Lugol's solution and dip the colony for a minute.
Rinse the colony in another small container with tank water before return it to the tank.
Act fast, please!
Repeat the treatment after 24 hours, if needed, or if the polyps show any worse signs of film on them.
You could cut the affected polyps away, if the treatment doesn't work at first.
I'm glad you posted the picture!
Good luck and let us know...

Grandis.

 

[A. Grandis]

I believe, and hope, the organ pipe coral (Tubipora musica) could still be getting adapted to your system.
Perhaps someone else will post more about the Tubipora.
Pics?

Grandis.

 

[ahmad_14]

Actually, that last picture I posted was not that great in quality. Here is a better one.

 

[ahmad_14]

Grandis, thanks so much for the quick replies and info! What do you think about the new pic I posted of the zoas? Its a bit clearer than the last one. I'll post a pick of the organ pipe coral in a minute. Thanks again!

 

[A. Grandis]

My pleasure!
Yep, I would dip it as I posted before.
The dipping won't hurt! It can only help, when done properly!!
The faster you do, the more probabilities to save the colony.
It really looks like an infection of some sort to me.

There is another zoa colony (?) close to the orange/green one on the second picture. If I'm not mistaken that colony is affected by infection also. If so, dip it, please.

It is a normal recommended practice also to dip all the zoas before introducing them in your aquarium! Aways!

Bleaching is different. I would do the dip and bring it down to the substrate because it's new in the system anyway.
Hope you have Lugo's solution! Iodine tincture would do the job also.
Good luck!

Grandis.

 

[ahmad_14]

Im gonna dip them first thing in the morning. I dont have any Lugo's, but ill go to my LFS and get some ASAP. That colony behind the Zoas in the second picture is actually the organ pipes. Here is another pic of them. I really need to get a decent camera, my cell phone isn't cutting it.


photo hosting

 

[A. Grandis]

Well, hard to say. I don't keep organ pipe corals, so...
But the slime look like cyano to me.
I would dip in Lugol's as well.
There are other solutions if you don't find Lugol's, like Coral RX.
I never tried Coral RX, but many say that it's really good.

Hope others could help you in regards to the organ pipe coral.

Keep us updated!

Grandis.

 

[ahmad_14]

I have dipped the zoas and the pipe corals in Lugols exactly as you specified in your earlier post. Just waiting to see how things go. Thanks again for all the help Grandis!!

 

[A. Grandis]

You're welcome!
It should give you signs of recovery in 24 to 48 hours from the dipping.
They could still stay closed, but shouldn't have any further signs of infection.
Please keep them on the sand.

Hope that's it!!
Please keep us posted with more pictures, if possible.

Grandis.