Zoas have been looking like this for some time now. Advice needed!

[cORALfREEK]

So I have a few zoa frags and 2 colonies, which I've had for about 3 years now. The colonies started from frags and covered the rock in a few short months in my biocube. 3 years later and there sitting in my 90g which has been up for about 2 years now. Since the start of my 90 I've barely had luck with zoas. They are receeding, and constantly look like they do in the pics. Everything, and I mean everything else in my tank does wonderful. I've had awesome growth out of LPS and all my montipora are growing rapidly. Ive also tried running higher and lower nutrients with no change in the zoas whatsoever.

I have one mp40 qd, and one older mp40 which is the master. Tank has great alternating current throughout, also has nice chaotic flow up top where all my acros are (which are growing fast but colors are not so good).

I dose brs 2 part with a bubble magus doser.

180 gal SCA skimmer which skims very well no issues. Skimming somewhat wet right now.

I also use a reefbreeders photon 32 led for the lighting. Blue at 64, White at 20 for about 9.5 hrs with 2hrs ramping up and 2hrs ramping down. Also have a par meter, so no issues there.

I run two little fishes hydrocarbon, about a cup in a nextreef reactor. Change it out monthly.

15gal wc every 2 weeks. I feed about 2 cubes of mysis daily. 2 pinches new life spectrum pellets, and 1/4 sheet of nori for the following...

1 black ice clown, 1 kole tang, 1 hum huma (about 3 inches), 1 yellow blotch rabbitfish, 1 bengai cardinal, 1 male lyretail.

All my levels are as follows,

Temp. 79-80 stable.
Salinity. 1.025
Alk 9.3 dkh
Calc. 450 ppm
Mag. 1380ppm
Ph. 8.2
Nitrate @ 8ppm via salifert.
P04 @ .055 via hannah ulr
No nitrite or ammonia present.

Also, al these zoas have been in different light and flow conditions with no positive response.

When I fist introduced this colony from my biocube.

Now...

Any input? I'm stumped.

 

[rags111875]

What have you introduced new? I suspect pests of some sort.
Had some nudibranches on mine - and nudibranch eggs as well.
Bayer-dipped them, scraped off the eggs, and reintroduced. So far, all have opened.
They only close like yours now when the hermits clean out some GHA in between polyps.

 

[cORALfREEK]

I really wish that were that case, ive gone through them for pests multiple times in the past year. Dipped in ro, they've also been dipped in a peroxide solution, and coral rx. Unless im not seeing things, I spend hrs with a light checking them out at night. Only thing I see is asterina starts eating dead polyps.

 

[cORALfREEK]

What have you introduced new? I suspect pests of some sort.
Had some nudibranches on mine - and nudibranch eggs as well.
Bayer-dipped them, scraped off the eggs, and reintroduced. So far, all have opened.
They only close like yours now when the hermits clean out some GHA in between polyps.

Also I dip every new frag in coral rx before introducing them.

 

[organism]

Dipped in ro

On a side note, dipping corals in RO is not productive and a good way to end up with less corals.

It looks like your zoas are reaching for light, is it a lower intensity than the previous tank? Did you acclimate to the new lighting?

 

[cORALfREEK]

On a side note, dipping corals in RO is not productive and a good way to end up with less corals.

It looks like your zoas are reaching for light, is it a lower intensity than the previous tank? Did you acclimate to the new lighting?

Its not lightning im 200% positive, they are getting plenty. The ones reaching are up high. They have also been in low light with no change at all whatsoever. Im getting ready to toss them all in the trash. Im tired of looking at half dead zoas.

 

[cORALfREEK]

On a side note, dipping corals in RO is not productive and a good way to end up with less corals.

It looks like your zoas are reaching for light, is it a lower intensity than the previous tank? Did you acclimate to the new lighting?

They have also been acclimated. They've been in the tank from the start over a year ago. Looked good for a little and then that was it.

 

[blasterman789]

I'm actually seeing healthy zoa colonies because they are spreading good at the base, but something in the water column is irritating them. If LPS is doing good it's likely not water parameters. Possible classic chemical warfare.

 

[organism]

Im getting ready to toss them all in the trash. Im tired of looking at half dead zoas.

With that mindset why not do yourself a favor and get rid of your tank too? We're in the hobby to keep corals alive, yours are 0% dead. If you want to kill them because they're inconveniencing you then you're in the wrong hobby.

 

[Jone]

yep,,run carbon and gfo...keep up with water changes and you should be good,,plus your zoas good to go. Increase flow,,zoas like more flow than you think they can with stand..

I'm actually seeing healthy zoa colonies because they are spreading good at the base, but something in the water column is irritating them. If LPS is doing good it's likely not water parameters. Possible classic chemical warfare.

 

[cORALfREEK]

Zoas seem to do better when i back my skimmer down some. However my nitrates become an issue then. Im asumming I can feed more?

Also they will look better in the am, but seems as the light gets brighter they start closing and squinting...

 

[moatdaddy]

I zoomed my screen in. I'm fairly certain I can see 3 nudis. What I do is put rock in a bucket with saltwater. Spray colony vigorously with turkey baster. I actually use baby snot sucker. Remove rock onto table out of water. There fine out of water for a bit. Examine what's in the bucket. High powered light. Don't move and just watch. Nudis hate bright yellow light. They will squirm. I am almost certain you will find some. Add Bayer insect killer into bucket with nudis. Giggle. Grab some gloves. Put rock in. Everything beside the zoanthids will die. Swirl around. Give it a minute. Swirl again. Rinse in a different saltwater bucket. Repeat every few days. You want to kill the hatchlings. Also look for the eggs and pop them.

 

[Mrs. Music]

Whch Bayer insect killer do you use?

 

[cORALfREEK]

I zoomed my screen in. I'm fairly certain I can see 3 nudis. What I do is put rock in a bucket with saltwater. Spray colony vigorously with turkey baster. I actually use baby snot sucker. Remove rock onto table out of water. There fine out of water for a bit. Examine what's in the bucket. High powered light. Don't move and just watch. Nudis hate bright yellow light. They will squirm. I am almost certain you will find some. Add Bayer insect killer into bucket with nudis. Giggle. Grab some gloves. Put rock in. Everything beside the zoanthids will die. Swirl around. Give it a minute. Swirl again. Rinse in a different saltwater bucket. Repeat every few days. You want to kill the hatchlings. Also look for the eggs and pop them.

If you can show me the nudis ill give it another try. Ive looked them over out of the water time and time again and have not found one.

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[Nole_87]

I am currently experiencing the same thing in my tank and after reading over hundreds of threads I am starting to think its my water flow.

 

[MikeyAl]

I'm actually seeing healthy zoa colonies because they are spreading good at the base, but something in the water column is irritating them. If LPS is doing good it's likely not water parameters. Possible classic chemical warfare.

That sounds right. They look fine. Do a big water change. Maybe some chemi-pure? I had similar issue and my lfs led me to do this. My zoas are all happy now.


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[cORALfREEK]

That sounds right. They look fine. Do a big water change. Maybe some chemi-pure? I had similar issue and my lfs led me to do this. My zoas are all happy now.


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Im kinda confused as to how one would think they look fine? I see squinting half open colonies, which is expected from time to time. The fact that they havent been open for the whole life of the tank so far is what I consider unhealthy. Mayve one or two good days over the course of a year. Chemi pure is carbon which I already use.

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[cORALfREEK]

At this point I could care less about the zoanthiss. My whole tank looks amazing except for every single zoa polyp, its not worth disrupting the system for any reason. Ill let it be, if they survive then great. All my sps and lps are doing extremely well, if I cant keep zoas, then ill just take the loss and move on.

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[MikeyAl]

Good luck


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[organism]

At this point I could care less about the zoanthiss. My whole tank looks amazing except for every single zoa polyp, its not worth disrupting the system for any reason. Ill let it be, if they survive then great. All my sps and lps are doing extremely well, if I cant keep zoas, then ill just take the loss and move on.

........ and what if whatever is wrong in your tank tips even further out of balance and nukes the rest of your corals because you didn't deal with it when it was just the zoas? Corals looking bad in a tank is a warning sign, ignore it at your own peril.