Zoas Receding?

nemofish2217

nemofish2217

New member
What could be causing my zoas to be receding? They have been in the same spot and flourishing for a few months. No white bumps or funguses. It seems like the colony will just start to "whither away." the polyps don't really close up, they just get smaller and smaller until they are gone, its like they are shrinking. It also seems to be just going from colony to colony in a given general area. Any ideas? pests? i do have an emerald crab but i don't think he is the problem.... thanks
 
light bulbs have not been changed since i got the tank in the end of march. it does seem to be the lower part of the tank. However i have a hammer at the bottom of the tank that is doing fine. The lights consist of a 24 watt 10k and 24 watt actinic pc. This is in a biocube 14 gallon. params- p.h.- 8.1, calc. 380, nitrate- 5ppm, nitrite and ammonia- 0, alk 8 dkh.

Like i said before the zoas and palys on the top are doing fine....for now....
 
i would loser the crab and rase the zoa's closer to the light. i would allso check for nubi. you can do that best, late at night after the light have been out for a while. turn just the actinics on some nubi will glow and look like a almost open zoa's. look for other preditors as well. dipping the zoas with iodine could also show signs of unwanted guest.

also just make sure the hammer cant touch any of the zoa's it can do some damage as well.
 
yeah, the hammer is a good distance away from the zoas...the reason i said i don't think it is the emerald is because the polyps look like they are shrinking not being munched by a crab. I could be wrong though.

it looks as though it first starts with the skirts and the moves to the polyp. Its like the skirt shrinks down to nothing. Would nudi's do this to the polyps? i will check tonight to see if i see any predators.
 
also, if the hammer, toadstool, gsp, and shrooms are on the bottom and doing fine, then shouldn't zoas at least be surviving? One group that is showing signs is about half way up. I have a frag of the same type on the sand and it is doing fine...
 
How long have you had the GSP and has it grown bigger recently? Reason is GSP releases chemicals into the water, kinda like chemical warfare... Do you run carbon, and if so how often do you change it....

Dream
 
The gsp was the first coral i put in the tank. No, it does not really grow because i have it isolated on an "island" type rock in the front of the tank. I do run carbon and change it monthly. Could the gsp be my problem? The affected zoas, not toadstool or hammer or anything are the ones fairly close to the gsp.... Everything towards the top looks great....
 
This was taken last month. you can see where the gsp is at. The zoas right above them are no longer there, and the brown ones on the bottom are shrinking. The rde in the middle are starting to look a little crappy.

Fulltankshot-1.jpg
 
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