Zoa and Xenia not doing well

[Dark_Knightt]

So i recently received the meteor shower cyphastrea, blowpop zoa and the pulsing xenia from FragBox corals. My cyphastrea is doing great, super colourful. But the zoa hasnt opened and its been about the days, and the xenia is incredibly shriveled up and I think its dying. I originally placed zoa half under the shade because I know theyre sensitive to light changes, but im not sure what to do with the xenia. I have it sort of isolated around the sandbed. Thoughts #reefsquad ?

 

[ScottR]

So i recently received the meteor shower cyphastrea, blowpop zoa and the pulsing xenia from FragBox corals. My cyphastrea is doing great, super colourful. But the zoa hasnt opened and its been about the days, and the xenia is incredibly shriveled up and I think its dying. I originally placed zoa half under the shade because I know theyre sensitive to light changes, but im not sure what to do with the xenia. I have it sort of isolated around the sandbed. Thoughts #reefsquad ?

Can you post a picture of your tank, take some tests of your parameters and share info about your system? I’m sure someone can help you.

 

[PicassoClown04]

Hi! Okay let’s figure this out. The Xenia is super hardy once established, but ships incredibly poorly. Sometimes they end up dead and there’s absolutely nothing you can do.

I have seen both carbon and vibrant have terrible effects of Xenia trying to establish itself. It’s okay to run after the Xenia settles in and starts growing but if you’re running either of those I would stop for a while.

The Xenia should have pretty good flow on it, swaying back and forth much like a hammer coral should. Keep your nutrients up because they are filter feeders and like dirty water. Mine like medium light but I think flow is much more important than light for them. Good luck and I hope your frag pulls through.

The zoas may be closed for a couple days, go ahead and reach out to the vendor and tell them the situation so you don’t get screwed on DOA policy. If you have other ones, place them nearby and hopefully they will open there as well. Examine them closely for algae/debris that might be preventing them from opening. A H2O2 dip might be beneficial just to rule out bacterial or algae issues with them. Hopefully they open as well. I hope everything works out!

 

[Dark_Knightt]

Ok so Ive tested my params
NO3 = 0
NO2 = 0
pH = 8.3
KH = about 140
GH = 180
PO4 = 0

All my other corals are super healthy right now, and I wasnt expecting the corals to be super healthy right away anyways, but its already been a few days so now im kinda confused.
#reefsquad hope this helps.

 

[Dark_Knightt]

Hi! Okay let’s figure this out. The Xenia is super hardy once established, but ships incredibly poorly. Sometimes they end up dead and there’s absolutely nothing you can do.

I have seen both carbon and vibrant have terrible effects of Xenia trying to establish itself. It’s okay to run after the Xenia settles in and starts growing but if you’re running either of those I would stop for a while.

The Xenia should have pretty good flow on it, swaying back and forth much like a hammer coral should. Keep your nutrients up because they are filter feeders and like dirty water. Mine like medium light but I think flow is much more important than light for them. Good luck and I hope your frag pulls through.

The zoas may be closed for a couple days, go ahead and reach out to the vendor and tell them the situation so you don’t get screwed on DOA policy. If you have other ones, place them nearby and hopefully they will open there as well. Examine them closely for algae/debris that might be preventing them from opening. A H2O2 dip might be beneficial just to rule out bacterial or algae issues with them. Hopefully they open as well. I hope everything works out!

My filter takes cartridges that contain carbon, and I also have some PO4 neutralizing carbon running in the tank alongside a UV sterilizer. Should I turn those off for some time to let the corals get used to the tank?

 

[SMSREEF]

Ok so Ive tested my params
NO3 = 0
NO2 = 0
pH = 8.3
KH = about 140
GH = 180
PO4 = 0

All my other corals are super healthy right now, and I wasnt expecting the corals to be super healthy right away anyways, but its already been a few days so now im kinda confused.
#reefsquad hope this helps.

I think your problem is 0 NO3 and 0 PO4
They need nutrients.

 

[Dark_Knightt]

Here are some pics #reefsquad

 

[Dark_Knightt]

I think your problem is 0 NO3 and 0 PO4
They need nutrients.

How can I raise NO3 and PO4?

 

[PicassoClown04]

Stop running carbon, feed the tank more, if you were thinking about adding more fish this is the time to do so This will raise your nutrients (NO3 and PO4) which will make your softies much happier

 

[SMSREEF]

Take the media you are using out.

the GSP looks good which is surprising if 0 NO3 and 0 PO4.

what color is the algae thats growing? Are you able to take pics with white light?

 

[Dark_Knightt]

Take the media you are using out.

the GSP looks good which is surprising if 0 NO3 and 0 PO4.

what color is the algae thats growing? Are you able to take pics with white light?

No sorry I cant take better pics, Im using an old Nikon handheld little cam. The algae growing around the tank used to just be green, but then I scraped a WHOLE lot of it off and then it settled again and became kinda like "orange-ish green hair algae" or something. Not really sure the color is kinda weird.

 

[Dark_Knightt]

Stop running carbon, feed the tank more, if you were thinking about adding more fish this is the time to do so This will raise your nutrients (NO3 and PO4) which will make your softies much happier

How can I stop running carbon other than taking out the anti- PO4 carbon? Just shut off the filter and UV sterilizer? Also yes I have been wanting to add a fish whats a good one for a 20g that already has 2 clowns in it?

 

[nereefpat]

How are you measuring nitrate and phosphate?

Zoas can have lots of reasons for closing, including algae or pests.

 

[Dark_Knightt]

How are you measuring nitrate and phosphate?

Zoas can have lots of reasons for closing, including algae or pests.

Test strips for nitrate, and Salifert test kit for PO4

 

[PicassoClown04]

A cherub angel is a good fit for a 20 gallon, pics of my baby included . He is inseparable from my clowns

can you use filter floss instead of the cartridges for a while?

 

[Cole.mormon]

Maybe a trimma goby and 2 firefish

 

[Cole.mormon]

I second the filter floss

 

[Dark_Knightt]

A cherub angel is a good fit for a 20 gallon, pics of my baby included .

can you use filter floss instead of the cartridges for a while?

Id have to buy some. I may acc be able to cut out the carbon and just leave the rest of the cartridge there.

 

[Cole.mormon]

Use the marineland blue filterfloss

 

[Cole.mormon]

The fish I poated have a little more bioload so it will benefit the no3 and p04 more