Friend need help

Frank · May 17, 2009

A few weeks ago a friend told me his palis and zoes stop growing and started to close up. I hace checked his water and I can not find anything out of order. Only thing not tested is Iodine. He replaces 10 to 12 gal weekly and does not use adatives. We tried taking the coral out and doing a HP dip then to idone. They look good for a day or so then start to go out again. When we diped them in HP a few long red to brown worms poped up but noting else. All other types of coral are doing well. Any suggestion from the experts. Also some of them show a light brown something between the polyps.

ficklefins · May 17, 2009

Tough call so let's see if we can get more info. Do you have a photo of what the light brown something looks like between the polyp? With all the other parameters showing up fine lets try these questions: Do you know what the temperature he/she runs their tank? How high is the flow where the zoas/palys are located?

Frank · May 17, 2009

His tank temp runs from 78 to about 80 but after another chat today he informed me that he had a temp rise may be up to 84 just around the timeall of this started, he has a 60 gallon tank with three maxi jet 1200 pumps. I am trying to get him to take a photo for me to post. The brown kinda of looks like an age spot that us old timers get.

flricordia · May 17, 2009

Temp increase shouldn't have affected just the zoas. If anything they would have bettered an increase more than any other corals. What flow is there in the tank? Zoas really do need good flow though many of us seldom provide it. Almost sounds like the brown may be a fungus/infection and maybe a dip in Furan 2 may help along with higher flow.
There are zoa preditors/irritators that dips will not work against such as sundial snails and foraminiferan and possibly even hydroids (though rarely will cause all the zoas to stay closed). If any of these are the cause other avenues of attack must be employed.