Zoa/Paly Umbrella Effect

TruRacr314x · Sep 14, 2014

So...the "Umbrella Effect". Is this an indication of something? Too much light....not enough light? Any consistency in a cause of it? Forgive me if thus has been covered 1000 times...if so, please point me in the direction of one of the threads...

Thanks!

ReeferIX · Sep 14, 2014

If they are stretching out this is from not enough light. If they are small and closed up it might be too much light. When they are short, plump and fully open they like where they are at and try not to move them.

ImageUploadedByREEF2REEF1410752388.209043.jpg

TruRacr314x · Sep 15, 2014

Thanks for the feedback. I know those are good general guidelines, but occasionally I've run across some that the head starts to look like and unmbrella/upside down bowl instead of a plate I guess. For example...right now I have Rastas that look perfect right next to WWC Mambas that are umbrellaing. Maybe no big deal...just always wondered what it meant.

juggalogentry · Sep 15, 2014

different zoas come from different places, so it isnt unheard of for one type to thrive in the same area where another does not,

aandfsoccr04 · Sep 15, 2014

My magicians seem to do this. I don't know what it means but would be curious to find out. Following along

bfam4t6 · Sep 16, 2014

I'm curious also. So far, nobody has provided an answer that I think really satisfies the question.

I do know that I have a colony of palys that are placed just above the midsection of one of my nano tanks. When doing water changes, it typically happens that the water I am pouring from my bucket back into the tank is causing a current which is usually aimed right at this particular colony. IMMEDIATELY after getting hit by this strong down current of newly mixed salt water, the polyps ALWAYS have the umbrella effect. I do not use a heater when I mix my fresh salt water, so the water being added is room temperature, and generally colder than the tank water. SO, I don't know if the strong current is what causes this immediate, yet tempory, umbrella effect, or if it is the sudden change in temperature. At any rate, the polyps always look normal again by the following day.

Poolman · Sep 16, 2014

It has been a long time since I have had any umbrella on me but it's never been good for me. I had an original jf bloodshot do this to me. Every time the center would shrink vary small and then melt.

erk · Sep 16, 2014

Only 1 type of palys in my tank are doing this umbrella thing and of the many on the rock its only a few. Everything else looks normal. Granted these guys are in an area of decent flow and while near the bottom of the tank, they are in an open area that gets a lot of light. I'm actually turning down the light because its been bleaching my acros.

Mike Cruz · Sep 17, 2014

It's weird and I have been wondering this for years. I use to think it was maybe nudis or parasites so I would always try dipping/medicating (Revive, CoralRX, Iodine, Vitamin C, etc.) to see if that helps, but there is never a clear resolution.

At this point I have come to notice this only happens to my PE type polyps, RPE, GPE, RDPE, PPE, Magicians, ASM, etc. etc. Usually they just end up 'correcting' themselves, some do it in a couple hours, some a couple weeks, but I haven't noticed any deaths. I think it might be this specific species.... Has anyone noticed it on any other types of polyps/zoanthids? If so, which?

mfinn · Sep 17, 2014

I was moving some stuff around in my tank one day and I noticed some of my magicians doing it. So I swished my hand back and forth over they colony to create some extra water motion and this happened.

Akwarius · Sep 17, 2014

I've seen this in other Z. gigantus, not just PE subtypes.

My guess is some sort of flaw in the mechanism that causes the polyps to retract. The sphincter muscles begin to close, but the oral disc doesn't get the message in time, causing it to balloon.

shecter · Sep 17, 2014

ive got a frag i made a couple months ago. one head is umbrellaed the other head is perfect. id love to find out why this happens lol

lionfish5740 · Sep 17, 2014

I've got a few frags that frequently do it, though I don't recall which ones exactly. It's usually when I spot feed them. It appears that they try to suck up as much food as possible in my low nutrient system. Obviously that's just speculation though.

kuansreef · Sep 17, 2014

I did some experiments with the umbrella. Blowing off some rock or dosing vitamins would cause the unbrella to stretch out a bit.

kutcha · Sep 17, 2014

Following alongon this one i have the same type or reactions out of some of my zoas

knap_123 · Sep 17, 2014

My personal are doing this and nothing else. So I'm following also.

Mgoc · Sep 17, 2014

Following

WindeyD · Sep 17, 2014

Had some palys that turned completely inside out and stayed that way for months and months; I tried everything I could think of without success; I eventually gave up and got rid of them

KcAQUARIUMS · Nov 21, 2016

Can we reopen this? I'm having this problem as we speak and I can't figure out why

A. grandis · Nov 21, 2016

This is my own quote from the other thread:

"That is one of the mysteries of keeping zoanthids, nominatively Zoathus spp.

Well, here is a list of things we should keep in mind:

1) Lack of light or too much light. More towards low light and low flow at the same time.
2) Sudden changes in the water chemistry, temperature and flow. Higher temperatures, specially!
3) The use of activated carbon and/or GFO. BTW I don't recommend GFO at all!!
4) Internal muscles atrophied due to lack of use, to collect food particles from water column.
Regular feeding could help PREVENT the syndrome.
5) Perhaps an internal pathogen in some cases? Don't ask me what pathogen!!
6) Natural part of their metabolism. A way to clean themselves, like pooping, or before expel zooxanthellae.
7) Irritators!!! Some times the polyps are irritated by organisms living around their bases and they develop weird shapes, like umbrella syndrome. Look for amphipods and hydroids around their bases, specially at night!!! Normally, if that is the case, it would happen with more than one polyp though!

Do I have to say that the combination of 2 or more of the above list could do it too?

Most of the time the umbrella syndrome doesn't last too long when the system is well taken care of. With the list above in mind we can see what one needs to do to help their Zoanthus to get it's natural appearance faster.
Some times just giving it a bit more water flow is all the polyps need to come back to it's natural appearance. or perhaps adjusting the temperature.

I've never seen a polyp perish because of umbrella syndrome and they normally recover from it in a couple of days or so. Normally it happens in one or two polyps, not the whole colony.

Grandis."
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/umbrella-syndrome-possible-causes.266428/