Why are they not fully extending?

[Hallowhead]

Howdy,

These zoa's have never fully opened. I believe they are tutti frutti's. They always appear exactly how photographed. Other zoas as seen behind my vibraniums are opened perfectly.

Water parameters: (I am working them)

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0 (I am working on bringing this up)
Phosphate 0 (Also working on bringing this up)
Temp 78.6
PH 8.0

 

[bobby.w.hodges]

Rock looks white, how new is the tank?

 

[Hallowhead]

Rock looks white, how new is the tank?

Pushing 4 months.

Note: Of all my zoa's this is only happening to this one... I have like 10 frags of 10 different strains.

 

[pjgazmen]

hows the lighting and flow on the partucular zoa? stem extending seems like its not getting enough light

 

[Jay Z]

Sometimes when I adjust my lights my pally and zoas will look like this for 2-3 weeks and it just seems to be everything in the lower portion of the tank that does it. My zoas in the 200 par range at the top of the tank are always open during the day, doesn't matter what i do with the lights for them.

Could just be unhappy too. I got a pair of duncans, both from the same colony, both arrived together, acclimated the same way, in the same tank, right by each other. One is huge and growing, the other takes its time opening and won't fully extend, good color still, just taking its time.

My free zoa frag I got looked like this for 2 weeks before it opened up.

 

[rolyguy7]

Howdy,

These zoa's have never fully opened. I believe they are tutti frutti's. They always appear exactly how photographed. Other zoas as seen behind my vibraniums are opened perfectly.

Water parameters: (I am working them)

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0 (I am working on bringing this up)
Phosphate 0 (Also working on bringing this up)
Temp 78.6
PH 8.0

I would say 0 nitrates is the problem. I’ve seen zoas behave this way in systems with no nitrates. Getting your nitrates up to 5-10ppm normally gets zoas opening again.

 

[Hallowhead]

I would say 0 nitrates is the problem. I’ve seen zoas behave this way in systems with no nitrates. Getting your nitrates up to 5-10ppm normally gets zoas opening again.

I'd agree it's probably the low nitrates