Palys Are Dying !!

[Adriifu]

Hi! I got these guys a couple months ago. They were growing beautifully for a while, but lately they haven’t been doing so hot. It’s weird because I have a smaller colony on the right side of the tank doing just fine; it even made three new heads. My hairy mushroom has been acting up around the same time. I was thinking maybe my pistol shrimp was bothering them, but I have no clue. Some recent changes I’ve made to the tank are switching from Instant Ocean to Red Sea. I also added two new clowns. These guys are constantly pecking at the palys, especially during feeding time. I was thinking of getting them an anemone to keep them occupied. My calcium and magnesium went up after the new salt. I can’t quite tell what the magnesium is at because the numbers on the dropper are faded, but if I had to guess they’d be between 1,350-1470 ppm. Calcium is now 440-460 ppm. Nitrates are at 10 ppm and phosphates are at 0.03-0.1 ppm. All the other coral are growing nicely: Duncan, favias, and torch. Well, the torch could be growing better, I think. It has good and bad days. I’ve had it for quite some time now and it’s grown a bit, but no new heads. Occasionally looks dark and sad. Anyway, here are some before and after pics of the palys, the good group of palys, and the other coral. I clean the tank once a week (today's a cleaning day). Lights are Current USA Marine Orbit.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that I am going to double check my magnesium levels at the fish store when I pick up some more salt today.

 

[Adriifu]

Here are the rest of the pictures.

 

[Fishurama]

They like to grow on a rock so the sand/rubble could be causing some unhappiness but shouldnt be out right killing them but it could be if they are trying to spread and then hit sand(which they hate) and they get taken into the flow into your powerhead/sump. If you see some thing picking at them/nipping them id continue monitoring since it could be that too but the fish you have shouldnt be bugging them. It could also be your alkalinity, these are softies and while not taking much, do use alkalinity. What is your DKH? They don't really need cal/mag since they dont have a hard skeleton.

 

[Adriifu]

They like to grow on a rock so the sand/rubble could be causing some unhappiness but shouldnt be out right killing them but it could be if they are trying to spread and then hit sand(which they hate) and they get taken into the flow into your powerhead/sump. If you see some thing picking at them/nipping them id continue monitoring since it could be that too but the fish you have shouldnt be bugging them. It could also be your alkalinity, these are softies and while not taking much, do use alkalinity. What is your DKH? They don't really need cal/mag since they dont have a hard skeleton.

Thanks for the quick response. I can move them onto a rock today. Should I do the same for the ones on the right side of the tank? I don’t have a proper alkalinity test kit, but I have strips. I will most likely invest in one soon. Looks to be on the higher end, 180-240

 

[MixedFruitBasket]

Paly's are evil. If you get enough of them and they get damaged or start producing mucas, it can kill everything in your tank. Not to mention they are highly toxic themselves.

 

[Fishurama]

Thanks for the quick response. I can move them onto a rock today. Should I do the same for the ones on the right side of the tank? I don’t have a proper alkalinity test kit, but I have strips. I will most likely invest in one soon. Looks to be on the higher end, 180-240

Any time. Yeah the strips aren't the greatest, the Hanna checkers are good. If that strip is correct, after converting your Alk ppm to DKH would be 10-13(180-240) which is on the high side and I just find that hard to get that high(these strips give weird readings) and your PH is reading 8.4 which not bad but getting on the "high side." Overall based on what im seeing i think the palys arent happy on the rubble/sand and are stressed causing your fish to go after them. I normally don't see/hear clowns eating/pecking palys, hence why i think its stress related. These normally grow like wildfire on rocks and should do well once you place them there after a week or so after recovering. Your parameters seem good and im just going to assume the strip is reading high since all your other parameters are good/decent, I wouldn't change anything other then their placement. (Your torch being out also make me think your parameters are good and its down to placement even with the high alk reading)

 

[Nanoreefer4ever]

Those palys are consider weed remove it get nicer palys

 

[Bryce M.]

They like to grow on a rock so the sand/rubble could be causing some unhappiness but shouldnt be out right killing them but it could be if they are trying to spread and then hit sand(which they hate) and they get taken into the flow into your powerhead/sump. If you see some thing picking at them/nipping them id continue monitoring since it could be that too but the fish you have shouldnt be bugging them. It could also be your alkalinity, these are softies and while not taking much, do use alkalinity. What is your DKH? They don't really need cal/mag since they dont have a hard skeleton.

I thought zoas hated the sand and Palys liked it?

 

[Adriifu]

Any time. Yeah the strips aren't the greatest, the Hanna checkers are good. If that strip is correct, after converting your Alk ppm to DKH would be 10-13(180-240) which is on the high side and I just find that hard to get that high(these strips give weird readings) and your PH is reading 8.4 which not bad but getting on the "high side." Overall based on what im seeing i think the palys arent happy on the rubble/sand and are stressed causing your fish to go after them. I normally don't see/hear clowns eating/pecking palys, hence why i think its stress related. These normally grow like wildfire on rocks and should do well once you place them there after a week or so after recovering. Your parameters seem good and im just going to assume the strip is reading high since all your other parameters are good/decent, I wouldn't change anything other then their placement. (Your torch being out also make me think your parameters are good and its down to placement even with the high alk reading)

All righty, thank you for all the help! I moved both colonies to the rocks. Hopefully they end up looking as pretty as they did before If they ever grow out of proportion, I will definitely consider getting something nicer in their replacement.

 

[Fishurama]

I thought zoas hated the sand and Palys liked it?

Protopalys yes, but normal palys no. But either one, you generally place sand around them to keep them from spreading. They grow like wildfire on rocks. Neither zoas nor palys like fine substrate, but protopalys will do better in sand, but still do better on a rock. While these could be protos, overall they will still do better on a rock.

Salty Underground: Identifying Zoanthus, Palythoa, and Protopalythoa

The Zoanthids family is a group of popular corals for marine aquarists. Not only are they commonly collected from the wild but are frequently seen in the aquaculture industry. Zoanthid identification.

saltyunderground.com

 

[Bryce M.]

Protopalys yes, but normal palys no. But either one, you generally place sand around them to keep them from spreading. They grow like wildfire on rocks. Neither zoas nor palys like fine substrate, but protopalys will do better in sand, but still do better on a rock. While these could be protos, overall they will still do better on a rock.

Salty Underground: Identifying Zoanthus, Palythoa, and Protopalythoa

The Zoanthids family is a group of popular corals for marine aquarists. Not only are they commonly collected from the wild but are frequently seen in the aquaculture industry. Zoanthid identification.

saltyunderground.com

oh cool, interesting!