Need help

davejep · Jul 12, 2014

So I started with 2 polyps of candy apple reds maybe 6 months ago.
They have always been open, happy, happy, happy.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1405139081.147073.jpg

Now all of a sudden they close up and start to look like this.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1405139285.663249.jpg

The stalks get all skinny and the heads clamp up and look bulbous.
I'm ready to pull my hair out. Any insight as to what causes this would be greatly appreciated.

NanaReefer · Jul 12, 2014

What are your water parameters? Lighting? Any and all changes recently?

Zero Nitrates · Jul 12, 2014

If everything in your tank is the same, sometimes they just do that. Maybe take a turkey baster and lightly blow any detritus or sand that have gotten on them. That has worked for me.

joshporksandwich · Jul 12, 2014

You must've changed something!

davejep · Jul 12, 2014

Nothing has changed.
I have them in a RSM130D.
I have a small sump underneath with a swc120 skimmer. All my parameters are within range, phosphate maybe slightly high. Only thing different is a small new piece of rock with some zoa's on it. The new zoa's are all doing just fine. Open and happy.
I have a rapid led DIY kit overhead with blues on 10 hrs a day and whites on for 5 of that.

saltyphish · Jul 12, 2014

Did you dip the added piece?

footballdude2k3 · Jul 12, 2014

The stalks on the zoas are pretty long, looks like they need more light IME

davejep · Jul 13, 2014

Yup I dipped it in coral RX.
Gave everything a good blasting with a turkey baster.
Still perplexed as to what the cause is. Have on other zoa where 2 out of about a dozen heads did the same thing.

Tenor · Jul 13, 2014

High phosphate = high nutrient = will be high nitrate = coral melting.

All of those need time to build up. That is reason a lot of tank will crash after 6 months or so.

You could try to do water change and run some Phosguard from Seachem and control your feeding. Hopefully they will getting better

_sludgefactory · Jul 13, 2014

Looks like zoa pox. Do they have any white out brown film on them?

davejep · Jul 14, 2014

No white spots or brown film on them. Set up a phosban reactor with some carbon and rowaphos in it. Will have to see how they do. Just picked up a Solana 60 cube. Having a nice big sump made up. Will incorporate a refugium as well. Hopefully they will pull thru, and be happier in a bigger tank.

PRomero · Jul 14, 2014

What have you fed your tank recently? Some medicated foods are not good for corals.

davejep · Jul 14, 2014

Nope haven't fed anything but the normal stuff Cyclopeeze/Mysis and sea veggie flakes.
Hoping that bringing phosphates down will be the answer.

davejep · Aug 10, 2014

Still perplexed. Running rowaphos and carbon in a reactor. Phosphates are down to .04. Things seemed happier then this happens.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1407679602.435906.jpg

Have had this patch of zoa's on the glass for months. Grew off of a plug that was on frag rack. Been happy for a long time, then all of a sudden. This happens again. Have plenty of other zoa's in tank that are happy, with the odd random one displaying this pinched shrunken look. Pulling my hair out trying to figure out its cause.

davejep · Aug 10, 2014

Today checked phosphate with Hanna checker. Showed 0.00
Is it possible they are reacting to phosphate bring too low???

wav0718 · Aug 10, 2014

are you testing/dosing magnesium?

davejep · Aug 11, 2014

wav0718 said:
are you testing/dosing magnesium?

Yup
Using a salifert test kit.
Level is 1380

TarHeelReefer22 · Aug 11, 2014

if you aren't dipping or quarantining new arrivals it is likely that you brought in zoa eating nudis look at them at night to spot them

that Reef Guy · Aug 11, 2014

Tenor said:
High phosphate = high nutrient = will be high nitrate = coral melting.

All of those need time to build up. That is reason a lot of tank will crash after 6 months or so.

You could try to do water change and run some Phosguard from Seachem and control your feeding. Hopefully they will getting better

I have never heard it being common that Tanks Crash after 6 Months.

Do you have any Proof of This?

Any Links to Threads or Articles?

davejep · Aug 11, 2014

TarHeelReefer22 said:
if you aren't dipping or quarantining new arrivals it is likely that you brought in zoa eating nudis look at them at night to spot them

I have had them in the past in a frag tank when I first started with zoa's. So I am well versed on those little so and so's.
Definitely no nudis in this tank.
I know exactly what to check for and none in here.