Zoas For Beginners

What are the skirts? The ones that are left seem to open, theres just no more like they disappeared where they used to be. Eaten, melted, I dont know... The other thing that is part of the equation is that the coral line on the rocks has stopped growing, but Ive tested Calcium and all my levels are good: Phosphate, Nitrite,Nitrate etc...
 
The skirts are the edges of the polyp opening. When a polyp closes, sometimes the skirt still shows a bit.

These skirts are brown, for example.
IMAG0267.jpg


You said you have PC lighting... wattage? Kelvin rating?
 
I agree with most of the posts here saying that zoas are relative easy to keep, but not all zoas have the same light/flow needs. Beside, Iodine and Strongtium play an important role for the zoas' growth.

With your provided picture, it seems to me your yellow zoa need a little more flow. Your light seems not to have a good spectrum to bring up the zoa color, and this may be harmful to them in the long time running.

Here are some tips:
+ For zoa with deep color (like PPE, Gorilla nipple, tub blue) they do not need much light.
+ For zoa with bright color (like dragon eye, rasta, eagle eye) they love to be place in moderate light.
+ Most of zoas don't like strong flow but they need flow to clean the polyps to stay healthy.
+ Iodine and Strongtium should be in check for zoas.
+ Chemical warfare heavily affects on zoas.
 
ZoaLover said:
I agree with most of the posts here saying that zoas are relative easy to keep, but not all zoas have the same light/flow needs. Beside, Iodine and Strongtium play an important role for the zoas' growth.

With your provided picture, it seems to me your yellow zoa need a little more flow. Your light seems not to have a good spectrum to bring up the zoa color, and this may be harmful to them in the long time running.

Here are some tips:
+ For zoa with deep color (like PPE, Gorilla nipple, tub blue) they do not need much light.
+ For zoa with bright color (like dragon eye, rasta, eagle eye) they love to be place in moderate light.
+ Most of zoas don't like strong flow but they need flow to clean the polyps to stay healthy.
+ Iodine and Strongtium should be in check for zoas.
+ Chemical warfare heavily affects on zoas.
Click to expand...

THANKS! I add iodine weekly to the tank, but haven't ever added Strongtium. Is that in Essential elements or do I need to get just that, or is there enough in weekly waterchanges? Is there a test kid for these two elements because I dont have that either. Wow, there's a lot of things to test for though :spin3:

Im going to have to look at my lighting tonight and see what I have, that was never in the equation, but maybe it could be adding to the problem.
 
SchmittyG said:
THANKS! I add iodine weekly to the tank, but haven't ever added Strongtium. Is that in Essential elements or do I need to get just that, or is there enough in weekly waterchanges? Is there a test kid for these two elements because I dont have that either. Wow, there's a lot of things to test for though :spin3:

Im going to have to look at my lighting tonight and see what I have, that was never in the equation, but maybe it could be adding to the problem.
Click to expand...

IMO, on the shot of your tank, you don't need to dose Strontium as your tank's load is not heavy. Your weekly water change is fine for it.
You should have a test kit for iodine as it is toxin if it exceed the need.

What salt are you using? I used Aquavitro and had a good result of keeping zoa.

Good luck
 
Im STILL having no luck with zoas and everything else is doing good. I have the feeling something is eating them or irritating... I cant think of anything else. Everything else is doing good and the water conditions are on point with weekly water changes and good water flow with a protein skimmer. Is it true if I get a wrasse, they might be able to eliminate any predators that I might not be able to see that might be eating the zoas?
 
SchmittyG said:
The PH was low,and I did a water change and bought some PH buffer.
Click to expand...

Our zoas have always done well, and we consistently have "high" nitrates. A month ago the zoas started looking bad, so I checked the pH and it was low. Buffered it back up, and the zoas are very happy again. It took a couple of weeks for them to start showing noticeable improvement. Mine also looked like they were being eaten. I was obsessively looking at all of them with a magnifying glass lights on & off for 3 weeks & never found a thing (I have to admit I still look, it's habit now LOL).

Also, be careful dosing iodine or anything that you can't test for. Iodine is easy to overdose and is not good when it happens.
 
Thanks for the help, Im still battling and pretty much have given up on zoas and even polyps until I see better results from everything. The mushrooms look decent but not great and my Australian branching coral looks good as does my anemones and frogspawn... I NEED to get an Iodine test kit, I have everything else and have my water condition pretty close to what it need be for the test kits I have: Nitrate, Nitrite, Ph, Kh, Calcium, Salinity.

How many hours do you think I should run my power compacts and do you think getting LED would benefit?
 
Maybe I can help. What are you using to measure salinity?
Things greatly improved in my tank when I purchased a decent hydrometer and ditched the cheap swing arm thing I was using for years. Getting it up to 1.26 really made the difference.
Also I would recommend just breaking down and buying a 4 stage R.O. system. Would not trust the LFS for mixed water and definitely would not top off with tap water.
 
Isn't 1.26 high for salinity??? I always thought 1.21 or 1.22? I don't use tap water I've been buying distiller water for top off
 
SchmittyG said:
Isn't 1.26 high for salinity??? I always thought 1.21 or 1.22? I don't use tap water I've been buying distiller water for top off
Click to expand...

Definitely would recommend getting it 1.24-1.26, but having an accurately calibrated hydrometer is really important before you start raising salinity.
Sorry, I made a mistake about the tap water.... thought I read that in a previous post.
 
greenskull said:
Ah, here it is:
Click to expand...

Yes, i have stopped doing that and currently top off with distilled... Do you think the problem could be these damn asteria stars? I got hundreds. Thinking about getting a Harlequin shrimp this week to try and get rid of em all and see if that helps...
 
SchmittyG said:
Yes, i have stopped doing that and currently top off with distilled... Do you think the problem could be these damn asteria stars? I got hundreds. Thinking about getting a Harlequin shrimp this week to try and get rid of em all and see if that helps...
Click to expand...

Could be, but I wouldn't panic until I saw them actually eating on 'em.
Maybe sneak a look with a flashlight a couple of hours after lights out to see what's going on.
Hope things work out. :thumbsup:
 
Went to LFS today and found out my hydrometer is .03 lower then it should be so my salinity has be 1.026-also learned I need to add more calcium and magnesium but that shouldn't effect zoas. Now for the big news: I am going to stop buying the LFS salt water and start making my own. Apparently this could be a big improvement. Time shall tell...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

H
Purposeful zoa infestation?
Replies
5
Views
315
harriehack
H
65madreefer
Not new just haven’t been in it forever
Replies
13
Views
583
65madreefer
65madreefer
G
Zoa question
Replies
2
Views
318
Dustin07
D
G
Need some advise on fish for 40 breeder
Replies
7
Views
360
griss
griss
D
Zoanthid Resources, Books, and Name Origins
Replies
0
Views
207
Dustin07
D
Back
Top