I think something may be eating my zoas

ItouchedThebutt · Apr 26, 2017

Help! Im new to reef keeping and my tank is acctually still being cycled but when i bought my live rock i noticed zoas growing from it. Well now it seems either something is eating them or they are just dying or even deformed. I dont see anything near them to eat it at all but i wanted to ask for help or opinonions because if something is in the tank eating it i want it gone.. But ill post pictures not the best ones but you can see how some tenticles are missing.

Best Fish-Jake · Apr 26, 2017

I'm not seeing anything worrisome here

ItouchedThebutt · Apr 26, 2017

Well look at the zoa in the first picture. Its the middle one outa the three half his tentacles are not showing or gone.

cjd · Apr 26, 2017

any shrimp in the tank? They like to steal food from any polyp type coral . They can get pretty aggressive in doing so and can damage the polyps. Some even get a taste for such coral and eat it.

ItouchedThebutt · Apr 26, 2017

Not unless one snuck in with the live rock. Nothing is in the tank its still cycling. I dont think i even have a strong enough light to be suffiant for the coral.

Best Fish-Jake · Apr 26, 2017

ItouchedThebutt said:
Well look at the zoa in the first picture. Its the middle one outa the three half his tentacles are not showing or gone.

Looks partially closed.. could have been bumped/ agitated. They like to be in the lower half of your tank with a flow that gently sways them

ItouchedThebutt · Apr 26, 2017

Well they are on an island they do get moderate flow its the kighting though. All i have is a 9" dual t5 lamp. I was gonna wait to grow coral but these guys just popped up.

luke33 · Apr 26, 2017

Well, its a new tank so the parameters could be poor for them currently. It looks like they are stretching for light and I see one that looks like its melting. My guess is they are just melting away. How long has the tank been set up, what are your parameters, what kind of light are you running, whats the size of the tank?

bluerexy · Apr 26, 2017

If you're really worried, I'd dip them and see if anything pops off. It seems like they are on a small enough rock where you can dip the whole thing.

saltyfilmfolks · Apr 26, 2017

Grab a flash light after the lights go off. Live rock could have brought something in. toss any Asterina stars you may find just in case.

ItouchedThebutt said:
Well they are on an island they do get moderate flow its the kighting though. All i have is a 9" dual t5 lamp. I was gonna wait to grow coral but these guys just popped up.

cool and congrats.

cjd · Apr 26, 2017

ItouchedThebutt said:
Not unless one snuck in with the live rock. Nothing is in the tank its still cycling. I dont think i even have a strong enough light to be suffiant for the coral.

Tank still cycling ???? With coral????? Sorry I just saw they popped up on the rock without knowledge ...... carry on play through!!!

saltyfilmfolks · Apr 26, 2017

cjd said:
Tank still cycling ???? With coral?????

its live rock. Its already processing Ammonia. so cycled. Maybe not enough for a lot of fish but yea. Happens.

cjd · Apr 26, 2017

saltyfilmfolks said:
its live rock. Its already processing Ammonia. so cycled. Maybe not enough for a lot of fish but yea. Happens.

Ya, saw that after I hit reply ! post has been edited.....

saltyfilmfolks · Apr 26, 2017

cjd said:
.. carry on play through!!!

OH YEA!!!!;Stig

ItouchedThebutt · Apr 26, 2017

Its a 10 gallon nana with just a small 9 inch dual t5 set up. I dont know my water parameters yet i dont have a test kit yet but its been up and running for alittle more then 2 weeks now. I have found a dead asternia star that i olucked off another rock. The only other thing i have had a glimpse of that i dont know what is. Is a small red thung the size of a ant but it ran off into my rock formations before i could see it fully.

Nano Reef Q · Apr 26, 2017

Did you have any hitchhiker urchins? I had two and I directly observed zoas missing after a visit over a group of mine. (Pic attached of type I had).
They are now eating all they want in the Gulf of Mexico, zoas growing back.

ItouchedThebutt · Apr 26, 2017

No cant say i have. I did have a gorilla crab but he died before i could get him back to my LFS and i noticed this way after he was gone. Could a bristle worm do it?? I know for a fact i have ONE in the tank..

ItouchedThebutt · Apr 27, 2017

Update found this guy on my zoa rock.. Saw one more like him but coulding pluck it.. Sorry for shotty picture but it is really tiny. Hes like a small grey ball with i think a black head?