Rainbow infusion turning white/clear

PDR · Sep 9, 2018

I have some rainbow infusions that were growing fantastic for several months, then over the last several weeks, they have started to close up and shrink. Today they didn't even open and I noticed the large center polyp is turning a white translucent color.

Lighting and tank parameters have not changed during this time. Most all other zoas and palys are doing great.

Any idea what could be causing this?

DSC reef · Sep 9, 2018

That stinks, looks like there melting. For years I've seen zoas do this and could never figure out why. I had theories but that's it. We would buy a couple polyps then they would grow crazy then melt, could not explain it.

PDR · Sep 9, 2018

DSC reef said:
That stinks, looks like there melting. For years I've seen zoas do this and could never figure out why. I had theories but that's it. We would buy a couple polyps then they would grow crazy then melt, could not explain it.

Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of. I have heard of zoas just melting but I've never had it happen before. So strange that nothing (knowingly) has changed and they went from 1-2 new polyps per week to dying in such a short time.

DharkaronReef · Sep 9, 2018

I share the same fate... Many of my zoas grow out like weeds but some just melt away in the same tank. My params and temp are stable. I change location, reduce flow, etc... but some just don't make it.

DSC reef · Sep 9, 2018

I'm telling you man, after years of not coming up with anything I swore off polyps for a good amount of time. It's something I just came to accept so my wife and I decided we would never buy a polyp over 10 dollars, lol.

DharkaronReef · Sep 9, 2018

DSC reef said:
I'm telling you man, after years of not coming up with anything I swore off polyps for a good amount of time. It's something I just came to accept so my wife and I decided we would never buy a polyp over 10 dollars, lol.

Funny you mention DSC. I am sooooo tempted to buy some of these exotic zoas, but never pull the trigger due to the same fate of zoa meltdowns. I've bought some $50 polpys in a past and saw it melt away.

DSC reef · Sep 9, 2018

That's the way it goes, lol. The eagle eyes wont melt, no. Its gotta be the speckeled kraks;Hilarious

DharkaronReef · Sep 9, 2018

Or the button polpys and pandora Palyps. Lol

PDR · Sep 9, 2018

DSC reef said:
I'm telling you man, after years of not coming up with anything I swore off polyps for a good amount of time. It's something I just came to accept so my wife and I decided we would never buy a polyp over 10 dollars, lol.

I'm with you there. I'm not planning on spending any more on polyps. I will probably keep a few classics to grow out but other than that, probably sell off everything from my grow out tank.

You can probably help with this as well. My bam bam/rasta rock in my dt has faded significantly. It happened when I was out of town for a week so I didn't change anything. I tested my parameters when I got back and they were as usual. I thought it was maybe getting stung by the torch, but I also have some growing in another part of the tank (different lighting and flow) and they are faded as well).

Best pic I have of them since fading.

chum · Sep 9, 2018

this is why i am doing a zoa/paly only tank. do you guys think that the chemical war between sps and softies may cause some of them problems in a tank ? i assume you have no pest ?

DSC reef · Sep 9, 2018

There definitely unhappy. That's unusual for sure. Do you run any GFO or carbon dose. One theory is to little nutrients.

PDR · Sep 9, 2018

DSC reef said:
There definitely unhappy. That's unusual for sure. Do you run any GFO or carbon dose. One theory is to little nutrients.

I run carbon 24/7, always have. No GFO. I'm running about 3ppm nitrate and .03 p04. If anything I have more nutrients than I did since I took my fuge offline a couple of months ago.

chum · Sep 9, 2018

i run no skimmer, no carbon and no gfo. my nitrates stay around 10ppm and i have to get a phosphate tester. i do weekly water changes of 15% of the 28 gallons that is in my fusion 40. so far all of my 12 frags are thriving and growing. i am buying a single polyp of jf bloodshot for $75 . keeping my fingers crossed on that one.

DSC reef · Sep 9, 2018

PDR said:
I run carbon 24/7, always have. No GFO. I'm running about 3ppm nitrate and .03 p04. If anything I have more nutrients than I did since I took my fuge offline a couple of months ago.

I would just keep the tank the same at this point. Bam bams were one of the zoas that explode and melt down to 2 polyps then explode to over a hundred again. Rastas were always solid with no issues.

DharkaronReef · Sep 9, 2018

DSC, do you run carbon or GFO?

PDR · Sep 9, 2018

@DSC reef Random question, but do you have any experience with acans or know who the go-to acan guy is on here?

DSC reef · Sep 10, 2018

Bimmer007 said:
DSC, do you run carbon or GFO?

Just carbon, no GFO.

DSC reef · Sep 10, 2018

PDR said:
@DSC reef Random question, but do you have any experience with acans or know who the go-to acan guy is on here?

What's going on with them?

PDR · Sep 10, 2018

DSC reef said:
What's going on with them?

I just can't keep them alive. Probably 7-8 different frags in 4 different systems over multiple years and they always die fairly rapidly. I know the care requirements and from everything I've read they are supposed to be easy to keep, I just seem to have no luck with them.