Help with Zoas

[deathdealerdelta]

Greetings all,

I need a bit of help or suggestions. I have the Fluval Evo 5gal with the Fluval Sea LED light on it.

For the first day or 2 I'd get 2-3 zoas opening up out of maybe around 7.
For the 3-4 day only 2 were opening up
Then on Friday 2 of them opened up in the morning and then closed and they haven't opened since

Temp is around 77-78 degrees
Calcium is between 400 and 450
There's no ammonia, nitrites, or nitrates
Phosphate levels are at 0
PH is around 8.4

I had my light set to the highest level of blue and white light it would go and decided to tone it down on Friday thinking that was the issue but they haven't opened yet and it is almost noon on Monday.

I went to my local lfs and one of the guys suggested I dose with Auqavitro Vibrance which includes iodide. I did that on Friday but no change.

The 2 mushrooms I have are doing just fine but the zoas are not happy. What could be going on?

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

Nitrate and phosphate way too low. Get no3 around 5 ppm and po4 around .06 ppm, do this by small feedings to the coral, (emphasis on small)

 

[Knight420]

Greetings all,

I need a bit of help or suggestions. I have the Fluval Evo 5gal with the Fluval Sea LED light on it.

For the first day or 2 I'd get 2-3 zoas opening up out of maybe around 7.
For the 3-4 day only 2 were opening up
Then on Friday 2 of them opened up in the morning and then closed and they haven't opened since

Temp is around 77-78 degrees
Calcium is between 400 and 450
There's no ammonia, nitrites, or nitrates
Phosphate levels are at 0
PH is around 8.4

I had my light set to the highest level of blue and white light it would go and decided to tone it down on Friday thinking that was the issue but they haven't opened yet and it is almost noon on Monday.

I went to my local lfs and one of the guys suggested I dose with Auqavitro Vibrance which includes iodide. I did that on Friday but no change.

The 2 mushrooms I have are doing just fine but the zoas are not happy. What could be going on?

Zoas can take time to open up. They are one of the handiest corals. Just leave them where they are and give them time.

I have 7 different kinds of Zoa in my garden. Some would open the first day, while others took about a week or so.

 

[deathdealerdelta]

Nitrate and phosphate way too low. Get no3 around 5 ppm and po4 around .06 ppm, do this by small feedings to the coral, (emphasis on small)

Yeah I started direct feeding the mushrooms with Reef Snow, something suggested by my lfs. Guess I'll just continue that.

 

[deathdealerdelta]

Now how will I know if the zoas won't return to the land of the living? Will their stalks stop being somewhat clear or will they just dissolve?

 

[Knight420]

Now how will I know if the zoas won't return to the land of the living? Will their stalks stop being somewhat clear or will they just dissolve?

I have yet to lose a single Zoa so u couldn't tell you. I do recommend Red Sea Reef energy +. I broadcast feed the tank it right before I spot feed. I also use Reef Roids and frozen Rotifers

 

[kevgib67]

0 nitrates and phosphates are starving those zoas. You need to get them up to the high end of normal. Nitrates 10-15 and phosphates .05-.1

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

Now how will I know if the zoas won't return to the land of the living? Will their stalks stop being somewhat clear or will they just dissolve?

Soft corals are nearly impossible to kill, the only way to tell if they're dead is when they completely decay

 

[deathdealerdelta]

Thank you all. I was spot feeding with phytoplankton for the mushrooms but I think I'll broadcast a bit to raise the nitrates and phosphates.

 

[Knight420]

Thank you all. I was spot feeding with phytoplankton for the mushrooms but I think I'll broadcast a bit to raise the nitrates and phosphates.

Your only spot feeding Phyto? To be honest corals need meat. Reef roids, amino acids, brine shrimp is good in a pinch, but is more of a treat. I only use phyto to feed my copepods.

 

[deathdealerdelta]

Your only spot feeding Phyto? To be honest corals need meat. Reef roids, amino acids, brine shrimp is good in a pinch, but is more of a treat. I only use phyto to feed my copepods.

Its a pico tank with just a few starter corals so far. I didn't want to cause a bloom.

 

[Knight420]

Its a pico tank with just a few starter corals so far. I didn't want to cause a bloom.

That is where a good clean up crew comes in. I feed that in my 13.5g Fluval. The emino acids you broadcast feed once a week. It will have the measurements on the bottle. Reef roids I will put into a 1oz cup with tank water. Just enough to color the water. Honestly you can use a 1.75 mysis shrimp frozen cube. The white cloudy part works great. The fish, mushrooms, and crabs will eat the bigger pieces. I've even seen my Zoa eat a mysis shrimp leg. Don't be afraid to feed. Even in a 5g tank. You will see a huge difference I promise you.

 

[Knight420]

Over feeding is an easy fix with a water change to remove the nitrates and phosphates. You can also get some Substrate Sauce. That is a great beneficial bacteria that will keep your nitrates and phosphate in check.

I have had more die off from underfeeding.

 

[deathdealerdelta]

That is where a good clean up crew comes in. I feed that in my 13.5g Fluval. The emino acids you broadcast feed once a week. It will have the measurements on the bottle. Reef roids I will put into a 1oz cup with tank water. Just enough to color the water. Honestly you can use a 1.75 mysis shrimp frozen cube. The white cloudy part works great. The fish, mushrooms, and crabs will eat the bigger pieces. I've even seen my Zoa eat a mysis shrimp leg. Don't be afraid to feed. Even in a 5g tank. You will see a huge difference I promise you.

Yeah I got my first cleaner shrimp during lunch so that I could start feeding more frequently. Wanted to get some nerith snails but no one around me has any.

 

[Knight420]

Yeah I got my first cleaner shrimp during lunch so that I could start feeding more frequently. Wanted to get some nerith snails but no one around me has any.

astrea snails, Mexican turbo, and hermit crabs are great. But in a 5g I'd stay away from a Mexican Turbo snails. They get huge and eat a lot. I had 3 in my 13.5 and only 2 survived.

 

[deathdealerdelta]

Ok so I just noticed that it looks like something is growing right next to the zoas that don't open anymore. Could that be a parasite?

 

[kevgib67]

Ok so I just noticed that it looks like something is growing right next to the zoas that don't open anymore. Could that be a parasite?

I can’t see anything butI had my fruit loops zoas closed for a couple of weeks until I noticed a vermatid snail in the middle of them that was irritating them.

 

[deathdealerdelta]

I can’t see anything butI had my fruit loops zoas closed for a couple of weeks until I noticed a vermatid snail in the middle of them that was irritating them.

Those little circles below them. Looks somewhat crusty.

 

[deathdealerdelta]

 

[kevgib67]

They don’t look like vermatid snails but the picture is blurry.