What has happened to my zoas?

[Just John]

Since yesterday my zoas have all (not just the ones in the pictures) sagged and lost color. Here are some before and after photos. Look at the left polyp for a dramatic example of the color loss. The parameters are the same as they always are. Only two things have changed in that time. I fed my zoas for 2 days in a row, which I have never done before. I spot feed with Reef Roids, so they each get a blob of it. And I added a single dose of Seachem iodide using the smallest recommended dose (1ml / 10 gal.) This morning I made a 50% water change. There has been no improvement. Could either of those have caused this?

 

[N.Sreefer]

Honestly just looks like natural fluctuations in zooxanthellae concentrations imo sometimes coral expel excess zooxanthellae and can change colour esp if intensity or photoperiod changes. They look healthy to me. Jw why is the plug half in the sand?

 

[Eagle_Steve]

@footgal should be able to help you out.

 

[Just John]

Honestly just looks like natural fluctuations in zooxanthellae concentrations imo sometimes coral expel excess zooxanthellae and can change colour esp if intensity or photoperiod changes. They look healthy to me. Jw why is the plug half in the sand?

I guess I would not have normally worried about it so much, except it happened to 3 other zoas at the same time. About the plug, the zoa was on an old plug piece that was then put on the plug you see there, if you know what I mean. In any case the result was that the zoas were on the plug almost sideways. I put them in the sand like that to set them upright until I get them on a rock.

 

[PicassoClown04]

Okay! Don’t freak out they still look fine, just a little cosmetic defect. I see that the centers are elevated slightly, this could be the beginnings of umbrella syndrome especially with the loss of color although overnight is super fast for that. What level light are they in?

 

[Just John]

Medium light. They have been happy there and growing quite a bit. They seem to be on their way to recovery now. Hopefully the color will come back soon. My purple monsters had gone from fabulous to looking literally like a crumpled ball of paper on a stump. Open, but twisted and contorted. They also seem to be on improving as of an hour ago. I have never heard of umbrella syndrome. I will look it up. Thanks for the help!

 

[anthonygf]

I never spot feed my zoa's and they grow just fine for 5 years, bright colors. Maybe too much food when spot feeding, maybe. I dose phyto and zooplankton 30-45ml per day, a couple days a week I will broadcast feed Oyster Feast. I seriously think they do not need to be spot fed.
This was my 4 year old 46 gallon bowfront, next 5 months after upgrading to 75.

 

[anthonygf]

I just recently went up to 100% blue and 35% whites. Just got some closeups of some new frags 3-5 months old.
Edit: Forgot to mention, most of these frags were 3-5 heads

 

[MaxTremors]

Just as a general rule, don’t add anything you’re not testing for. I know a lot of people dose iodine without testing for it, but personally it’s not something I would do. It very well could be the iodine, but it also might be something else, which is the problem with dosing stuff you don’t test for, it makes troubleshooting so much harder. Iodine is a trace element, so even 1ml/10gal could be way too much (because it’s already at or close to the level it should be with your salt mix). All that said, your zoas don’t look like they’re dying or even close it, for the time being I would just keep an eye on them, don’t dose anything and stay on your current water change schedule.

 

[anthonygf]

Why do my pictures get doubled when editing? Sorry about that.
Also, If this info helps you;
Anyway, I feed heavy, Yellow Tang, Flame Hawk, Two 5 stripe Damsels, Two BG Chromi, Filefish, two Clowns twice a day with mostly quality flakes, frozen and nori a few times a week. Nitrate stable at 5ppm, phos .09-.04. Ten gallon water change a week, fuge with calerpa and skimmer running 12 hours a day with skimmate going back into filter box.

I forgot about the Iodine, Like MaxTremors suggests. Also get an ICP test to check your water before dosing anything.

 

[Just John]

I just recently went up to 100% blue and 35% whites. Just got some closeups of some new frags 3-5 months old.
Edit: Forgot to mention, most of these frags were 3-5 heads

They look great!

 

[anthonygf]

They look great!

Thank you. I am retired so I can spend more time on my reef. Sometimes I test water daily, especially when I make changes.