Jan November 22, 2009 Share November 22, 2009 I have a 2 large colonie od zoas that have shrunk. One has been closed up and is shedding or something. the other, a lunar eclipse colony, is shrinking fast. I also have some palys that have been closed for days. I've looked for nudibranch, red bugs, any pest and can't find any. I've dipped them just to make sure. i even dipped the worst of the 2 colonies of zoas in furan-2 becaseu i thought they had zoa pox. Nothing seems to be working. what could be going on? Today I did notice that the lunar eclipse zoas had some cyano on the bases. Does cyanobacteria also affect corals? wil if make them whither away? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epleeds November 22, 2009 Share November 22, 2009 Jan, which tank is it? do you have cleaner or other shrimp in there. they could be aggravating the zoa's. other than that, i have no idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Grenier November 22, 2009 Share November 22, 2009 Any other recent changes light bulb replacement? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan November 22, 2009 Author Share November 22, 2009 It's my display tank. I do have shrimp in there but they're not the cause. They closed and have not opened in days. There is like a systemtic shut down going on. this is why I've been looking for pests. some sections are closed others opened. Some colonies affected, others not. I'm thinking maybe cyano too. Jan,which tank is it? do you have cleaner or other shrimp in there. they could be aggravating the zoa's. other than that, i have no idea. No, no new lights. I added a couple of corals that I purchased from another member about 2-3 weeks ago. They started acting up shortly after i put the new corals in the tank. I dipped and Qt's and saw nothing. I keep looking. Any other recent changes light bulb replacement? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davelin315 November 23, 2009 Share November 23, 2009 Jan, the thought that I'm having is that you have a beautiful tank that is incredibly full of corals that was built up in a very short period of time. I'm thinking that something might be awry with your parameters because the tank is so new and it came together so quickly. Corals don't produce nearly as much waste as vertebrate life in a tank, but they sure do engage in a lot of chemical warfare as well as slime up when annoyed. What are your water parameters at? Some of the old recommendations are that you wait a year before adding any fish or corals to a tank (way too long in my opinion) as the tank has not had time to properly mature. When I set my tank up, I had already had the rock for a year or so before I even put it into the tank. My corals, the very limited number that I had, were put into the tank slowly in order to allow the system to adjust, but again, the rock had already been in the system for a year, just in a different position in the tank. So, long explanation short, I wonder if it has something to do with how new the tank is and how much you have in there? There's a lot of different stuff in your system and some things that I personally wouldn't mix together, so maybe there's some issues between the different corals. I'm by no means positive that this is what it is, but I have to wonder if the speed at which you stocked your system up has something to do with the decline of the zoas and palys. Not trying to be insulting here, just taking some guesses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boret November 23, 2009 Share November 23, 2009 My zoas were melting because my Alk was in the 11-12 range. I lowered and now at around 8 I see growth again. Maybe check the alkalinity see where you are. I was getting high alk off the bat with new saltwater using Reef Crystals salt. I changed to the Brightwell NeoMarine, and I have been pretty happy with the results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefer37 November 23, 2009 Share November 23, 2009 All of my zoas and palys quit opening up (they didnt shed or really melt, just didnt open for a couple weeks). The only thing I could find was my tank was low on I2 and Mg so I started dosing those and they quickly came back and now havent looked better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan November 23, 2009 Author Share November 23, 2009 (edited) Dave, I never take positive input or constructive critisism as an insult. There really is no need to walk on egg shells with me. Thank you for the compliments. You may have a point. You've given me some things to consider. Thank you. incredibly full of corals that was built up in a very short period of time. I'm thinking that something might be awry with your parameters because the tank is so new and it came together so quickly. My zoas were melting because my Alk was in the 11-12 range. I lowered and now at around 8 I see growth again.Maybe check the alkalinity see where you are. I was getting high alk off the bat with new saltwater using Reef Crystals salt. I changed to the Brightwell NeoMarine, and I have been pretty happy with the results. boret, I just added chemi clean to get rid of the cyano. after I do water change i'll check my parameters again. two days ago mag was 1500, ALK was 8. It could have changed. thank you. All of my zoas and palys quit opening up (they didnt shed or really melt, just didnt open for a couple weeks). The only thing I could find was my tank was low on I2 and Mg so I started dosing those and they quickly came back and now havent looked better. What is I2? Edited November 23, 2009 by Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami November 23, 2009 Share November 23, 2009 What is I2? Jan, I think he means iodine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zygote2k November 23, 2009 Share November 23, 2009 My z's and p's close sometimes for days at a time, then they re-open. Maybe they do this for some reason only known to them and when we see it happening we think something is wrong and take drastic measures to make them re-open. FWIW, I never dip corals except upon initial placement in the tank- and then only sps. Since someone made the point that you have many corals that may or may not be suitable or even found together in nature, there might be some chemical warfare going on and the only thing you can do is sit back and wait and observe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrphatstacks November 23, 2009 Share November 23, 2009 ive also read that zoas close for a few days and then when they reopen they look refreshed its has happened on my 3 polyp lord of the rings frag and the colors looked better after reopening. then i also had a frag that i got where the polyps closed up and got smaller and stated getting brown algae on them i read that it was because they were too close to the light and when i moved them down they opened back up but are still recovering. just some of my own personal experience i hope all turns out well with your colonies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happyfeet November 23, 2009 Share November 23, 2009 Same thing started happening to mine. Mine are much newer to a newer tank, but were going fine and then they closed up friday and haven't opened since. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan November 23, 2009 Author Share November 23, 2009 Maybe you have a chemical warfare going on too....let me know if you see any pests. You did got some things from me. I'm hoping that is not hte case with my tank but I just don't know. I can't see anything, but I don't know. Same thing started happening to mine. Mine are much newer to a newer tank, but were going fine and then they closed up friday and haven't opened since. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happyfeet November 23, 2009 Share November 23, 2009 (edited) Maybe you have a chemical warfare going on too....let me know if you see any pests. You did got some things from me. I'm hoping that is not hte case with my tank but I just don't know. I can't see anything, but I don't know. I think it's much more likely that something is awry with one of my params I can't test for since it's my only coral. I plan to go pick up an Alk and Mg test later today. Edited November 23, 2009 by Happyfeet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan November 23, 2009 Author Share November 23, 2009 Tested everything. Here are the results. Calcium 480 Ph 8.4 DKH 8 Ammonia 0 Nitrites 0 Nitrates 0 Magnesium 1500 SG 1.025 Temp 79 F The one colony melted away. The other is holding on but zoas are very small. The palys are fine. I have a 2 large colonie od zoas that have shrunk. One has been closed up and is shedding or something. the other, a lunar eclipse colony, is shrinking fast. I also have some palys that have been closed for days. I've looked for nudibranch, red bugs, any pest and can't find any. I've dipped them just to make sure. i even dipped the worst of the 2 colonies of zoas in furan-2 becaseu i thought they had zoa pox. Nothing seems to be working. what could be going on? Today I did notice that the lunar eclipse zoas had some cyano on the bases. Does cyanobacteria also affect corals? wil if make them whither away? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boret November 23, 2009 Share November 23, 2009 Are you running any Active Carbon? If it is chemical warfare that is one of the options, besides water changes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan November 23, 2009 Author Share November 23, 2009 (edited) I found the problem. These hydroids. The two colonies and the one paly colony have these on the polyps that are closed. How do i get rid of them? Edited November 23, 2009 by Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan November 23, 2009 Author Share November 23, 2009 (edited) I really doubt that it is chemical warfare. it's not from the corals i've added. It's hydroids. I run 2 units of Chemi-Pure Elite which I change every 3-4 months instead of every 6 as recommended by the mfr. I also change 10-15% of the water at least once a week. Are you running any Active Carbon? If it is chemical warfare that is one of the options, besides water changes. Edited November 23, 2009 by Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluefunelement November 23, 2009 Share November 23, 2009 I have hydriods also but haven't seen them sting the zoa/palys yet - I have had one group die due to bad acclimation (top of tank -browned out - mat fell apart) and another group of paly's that close up bad for a week or two polyp by polyp but always came back. Only ones really gone were preyed on by amphipods hungry for algae and eating polyps whole instead! 1/2" and I caught them in the act and also eating whole Hakari pellets! FYI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zygote2k November 24, 2009 Share November 24, 2009 Jan- can you trade me some hydroids? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Der ABT November 24, 2009 Share November 24, 2009 Try an Iodine or lugols dip, Usually when my zoas are not doing so hot this helps them quite a bit, on RC there was a thread where a guy had some disappearing after being closed and ended up injecting them directly with a small amount of iodine (like .5cc from a diabetic needle) i know i have the link somewhere, if you remind me tonight ill send it to ya when you pick up the candycane. happyfeet i may try the same, hope the pink panthers i gave ya open back up, if not i have some more you can try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan November 24, 2009 Author Share November 24, 2009 Lugols dip was one of the first things I did. Send it when you find it. THanks. Try an Iodine or lugols dip, Usually when my zoas are not doing so hot this helps them quite a bit, on RC there was a thread where a guy had some disappearing after being closed and ended up injecting them directly with a small amount of iodine (like .5cc from a diabetic needle) i know i have the link somewhere, if you remind me tonight ill send it to ya when you pick up the candycane. happyfeet i may try the same, hope the pink panthers i gave ya open back up, if not i have some more you can try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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