Unhappy Zoanthids or dying ?

[czoolander]

Hello

I have never had issues with zoanthids in the tank before and specifically these two colonies have always been the best growers and happiest in the tank until recently

As a side note I have never been able to keep SPS and ACans i have 4 frags in the tank 6 days now and they are all looking happy as is every other coral in the tank. I even have a duncan coral that is returning from the dead so i am really confused why my " bullet proof" zoanthids are all the sudden not open at all and looking like this ?

1.026
78f
18.5 nitrate
0.06 phos
410 cal
1380 mag

2 - MP 40s running on 60% reef crrest mode

3 - Red sea LED 90 lights at 55% blues and 35 % whites 11 hour light schedule with the standard 1 hour ramp up and down on either side

Pictures of the unhappy corals attached

Thanks for all help, opinions and advice in advance !!

 

[czoolander]

I should also note that i have 6-7 other zoanthids in the tank and they are all doing well so this just adds more to my confusion

 

[DiamondCoralsLLC]

nitrates are too high for zoas! try to vacuum your sand better and clean your sump sponges .

 

[DiamondCoralsLLC]

nitrates are too high for zoas! try to vacuum your sand better and clean your sump sponges .

then if u have a turkey baster blow the zoa with the baster there might be some detritus inside the polyp

 

[czoolander]

nitrates are too high for zoas! try to vacuum your sand better and clean your sump sponges .

I just did a 30 gallon water change last weekend and a 70% sand vacuum. I try not to vaccuum the full sand bed all at once. i did a really good sump clean and i dose Microbacter 7 weekly to try to keep the nitrates not overly high but its something in the last week or so that is bothering them .

I know both colonies are directly under two of my lights . but they are just off the sandbed and there is a happy zoanthid colony higher up in the tank so i dont think its light

Nitrates have always been high in my tank 10-20 range so not sure its the nitrates as these colonies have grown from 3-5 heads to over 30+ head colonies.

 

[czoolander]

Bump .......

Help me out please . I feel like if i have zoanthids die on me then i have to quit the reefing game.....

I am scratching my head trying to figure out how i have 3 new SPS corals doing well and an established zoanthid colony possibly dying

 

[czoolander]

Thanks for all the help and advice................. Crickets LOL

Think i am going to try an iodine dip in a seperate conatiner. I am not sure what is happening was hoping to get some more advice or suggestions but my posts get buried on this site LOL

 

[Pistondog]

Chirp...chirp....
Ime, zoanthids do better with nitrates above 20 and phosphate above 0.1.
Low flow.

 

[Daniel92481]

Sometimes they have something bothering them, preventing them from opening. Your parameters are not what is causing them to close up. Look for nudbranchs at night with a flashlight when the lights are off. If you’ve never seen one, look VERY close. They like to take on the colors and appearance of the zoas they are eating. If you see one, dip the coral in a regular coral dip. Iodine might would help too, but don’t do too many changes at once.

 

[czoolander]

Thanks guys i was considering doing an iodine dip. Ill google what nudbranches look like so i can see if they are on the zoanthids at night

Its just super bizarre because other zoanthids in the tank are open

 

[Daniel92481]

If it’s nudis, you should be able to catch them before they reach the other colonies.