Established zoa colony shriveling up

[Surfbum311]

Over the past few days, my colony of bam bams have been shriveling up and seem to be slowly melting. The colony was grown from a small frag over the last year and a half or so and they have always been .

It started as a small section on the bottom side of the colony and has spread to nearly half of the colony over the last 4 days and is showing no signs of slowing. I have other frags of the same zoa in other parts of the tank which seem to be effected as well though not as severely. Nothing else in the tank is showing any signs of bad health, including acropora. No recent swings in parameters I test for which I will list below. I havent added any new corals/livestock to the tank in 6 months.

Any suggestions on steps to take to try and save this colony are appreciated.

Parameters:
SG - 1.026
Ph - 8.1- 8.3
Alk - 8.4 dkh
Calcium - 430 ppm
Magnesium - 1300 ppm
No3 - 20 ppm
Po4 - .08 ppm

 

[DFR]

It could be that one of your fish are nipping on at the bam bams, or it is just something with your water quality. I’m ruling out pests as it only seems to be that specific zoa. Try performing a series of water changes. Also inspect your equipment or signs of failure or damage.

 

[Surfbum311]

It could be that one of your fish are nipping on at the bam bams, or it is just something with your water quality. I’m ruling out pests as it only seems to be that specific zoa. Try performing a series of water changes. Also inspect your equipment or signs of failure or damage.

I've never seen any of my fish messing with them but I have a cleaner shrimp that is always crawling around on them picking out bits of food that get trapped under them but it has never really bothered them too much. I'm doing a water change today (I do about 20% every 2 weeks) and will run a bit of carbon after as well.

 

[PDR]

I would definitely run some carbon. Have there been any new additions to the tank?

 

[sfin52]

did you do any rescaping or changed flow .

 

[Surfbum311]

I would definitely run some carbon. Have there been any new additions to the tank?

No additions in at least 6 months.

 

[Surfbum311]

did you do any rescaping or changed flow .

Nope no changes to either in over a year.

 

[PDR]

I hate to say it, but sometimes zoas just melt for seemingly no reason. I hope that isn't the case here, but outside of a pest or impurity (which a wc and carbon should help), I'm not sure what else to recommend.

 

[sfin52]

Thats my only suggestions im sorry out ideas

 

[DFR]

The only thing I can think of now is just equipment (though it would affect more than just those zoas). Make sure there aren’t any cracks, rusting or damage to anything that is making contact with the water. That could cause inherent increase in chemicals that could poison the tank.

 

[wattson]

Hate to see this,,I have an older colony like yours and doing the same thing ,,flow changed a little bit but everything the same,,hopefully they come back..
when I see this i think of an Alk/PH swing,,test that first..

 

[Capitol Reef Corals]

Dip with Furan 2 and coral revive. Is it only affecting the bam bams? Zoas love coral revive

 

[Retro Reefer]

I agree with some of the above suggestions, check for rusting magnets and dipping in revive would be a good place to start.. any astrea Star’s? I lost a bunch of Zoa’s a couple years ago, they looked similar to yours at first and then slowly disappeared it ended up being astreas coming out at night and aggravating/eating them.. probably pulled 30 or more from my tank over a few weeks, didn’t even know I had them.