Zoa colonies dying one after the other

[KGV]

I have zoa colonies dying lately. I thought these things were indestructible. In 1-2 weeks there is nothing left. And seems to affect one after the other in the tank. They first close and then whither away. I can't see any suspects with a microscope but I think I see damage (indicated with red marker).

 

[beehive124]

I’ve heard of the zoa eating nudibranchs. Could that be a possibility?
Here’s TidalGarden’s video on zoa diseases

 

[Nate Chalk]

That looks like bite marks for sure

 

[zuri]

I would think it odd for the bite marks to be all on the same side orientation

 

[Tired]

That's definitely some kind of damage. Looks physically inflicted.

Do you have an urchin in the tank? Any sort of crawling, heavy, pointy creature?

Sneak up on the tank during lights out and point a red flashlight at it. I wonder if a worm of some sort has made its house near the colony and is reaching out to nibble. That might explain the marks all being on one side, which is a bit odd.

Are the colonies dying literally one after the other? As in, one finishes dying off, and another starts dying, with a new one not taking damage until the older one is gone? Or can two die at the same time?

 

[TheDragonsReef]

What fish and inverts do you have?

Common zoa pests include zoa spiders and zoa eating nudibranchs. Best to check at night with a flash light to see if somethings on them. That doesn't seem like typical melting due to lighting or nutrients.

 

[KGV]

That's definitely some kind of damage. Looks physically inflicted.

Do you have an urchin in the tank? Any sort of crawling, heavy, pointy creature?

Sneak up on the tank during lights out and point a red flashlight at it. I wonder if a worm of some sort has made its house near the colony and is reaching out to nibble. That might explain the marks all being on one side, which is a bit odd.

Are the colonies dying literally one after the other? As in, one finishes dying off, and another starts dying, with a new one not taking damage until the older one is gone? Or can two die at the same time?

I checked them in the dark last night but couldn't see anything suspicious. The die-off seems sequential, but there is overlap for sure.

 

[wattson]

Do you have pods in your tank , the so called harmless ones?

 

[Tired]

I had amphipods chewing perfectly healthy zoas at one point, because I had a ton of amphipods and nothing to eat them. They mostly went after the frills, though, they didn't gnaw holes in the closed sides like this.

I'd pick up a coral dip and dip all the affected colonies. If possible, maybe rig up a shelf attached to the wall, move them away from the rocks, or something like that, in case it's a worm or similar that might have trouble climbing up to them.

Do you have anything along the lines of an urchin?

 

[Macdaddynick1]

You got a blue tang by any chance?

 

[blaxsun]

Something is definitely nibbling, as evidenced by the healthy zoas immediately above.

 

[damsels are not mean]

What's your livestock. Def something eating them. Could be nudis but could simply be a curious fish/invert.

 

[KGV]

To conclude this story: It turned out it was hippo tang that munches my zoas. Once it’s done with one bed, it starts eating the next one.

 

[Saltyreef]

To conclude this story: It turned out it was hippo tang that munches my zoas. Once it’s done with one bed, it starts eating the next one.

Good to know.....

 

[Jmcdaniel0]

To conclude this story: It turned out it was hippo tang that munches my zoas. Once it’s done with one bed, it starts eating the next one.

Man thats crazy! I have never had a hippo do that, but I guess there is a first time for everything.

 

[Tired]

"Mm- delicious traces of poison!"