zoanthids turning all white

[kikireef]

I have this one frag that has about 25 heads total but about 7 or 8 of them have completely turned white, don't open and appear dead. My other frags throughout my tank amongst my other softies are all thriving. Is there something that would cause this on just one frag? I also have these 2 little things that protrude out of the rock they are on but retract when a fish comes close. It almost appears to be like a feather duster but I'm pretty sure it isn't. Could this be the zoa killer? I will try to get a picture but so far my pics come out crappy.

 

[650-IS350]

anything here look familiar ?

http://www.coralpedia.com/index.php?module=Gallery2&g2_itemId=384

 

[kikireef]

I know I have seen some asterina starfish in my tank but cant see any on this frag. I can't tell if its the skelleton or not but it almost appears like spiderwebs attached to some of them.

 

[kikireef]

Sort of looks like hydroids....sort of but can't really tell...

 

[kikireef]

Would using an exacto knife and cutting off the dead heads help?

 

[blammomike]

i couldnt hurt

 

[sedor]

I would get rid of them as well. Getting up close and personal might reveal whats causing the problem as well. Another thing you can do is take a flashlight to the tank at night. Thats when you get to see most of the pest action IMO.

 

[zoadude]

that sounds weird. Never seen a zoanthid loose all its zoothanthellae unless it had been without light for a time. Has to be something irritating it to cause it to expel all its algae or for the algae it to die off.
Wouldn't think hydroids would cause them to go white though. At least I have never seen it in my experience and I have dealt with hydroids out the ying-yang.
Was this a new zoanthid or one that you have had for a time in the same spot and what lind of lighting? You say everything else is doing fine. Are the zoanthids close to a leather or possible nighttime sweepers of an LPS?

 

[kikireef]

Its not next to any lps however it is about 12" away from a large leather coral. I do have another 2 zoe frags about the same distance and they are unaffected. My lighting is (4) 96w PC 50/50 bulbs. The lighting hasn't changed at all and this frag was growing very well up until about 2 weeks ago when some of the heads turned all white.