Zoa stressed from shipping delay, starting to melt

[ZoaKiller]

TL: DR Zoa are looking bad post shipping anything I can try?

I recently received a shipment of zoas, best packing I've ever seen in my life, I have total faith in the seller. Edit: I'm 100% sure the zoa we're submerged the whole time, the box was highly insulated, and the heat pack was still warm on arrival.

However F**kEx delayed the package for a day and a half so there was some definite stress involved and all the zoa remain closed. Normally I pest dip before adding but based on the time they were delayed I did a temp (floated bags for 30 min) and chemistry acclimation (did some tank water/shipping water exchanges before adding them to the tank.

A day later I did do a 6 minute MediCoral dip. But I'm wondering if there's anything else to try.

Lights are set to acclimation mode, zoas are on the bottom with medium flow.

I have litte faith this one will make it

I'm on the fence if this one will make it

These two I think might turn out ok

 

[happyhourhero]

I got some a couple months ago from the same scenario (thanks FedEx!) > mounted them where I wanted them right away so no more stress and they both lived and are growing.

 

[MaxTremors]

Next time, just float for 15 minute and then straight into the tank. There is no need to drip acclimate or add water, especially for corals that have been in transit over night or longer. The sooner you can get them into flowing water so they can properly respirate, the better.

 

[Brian_68]

You will be surprised how hardy they can be at times. I cleaned some large egg crate with high pressure clorinated freshwater from a hose, probably 55 degree water, all the while I had the rack sitting on freezing concrete in the middle of winter with some zoa attached. Go figure they survived.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Allow to adjust to tank temperature then equalize salinity. Once in tank, offer low light and moderate flow

 

[TheDragonsReef]

Honestly i think they look fine. Theyre definitely stressed but i dont think they look like theyre going to melt. Zoas are pretty hardy, if they start shrinking and disintegrating then id start worrying.

 

[chaostactics]

You will be surprised how hardy they can be at times. I cleaned some large egg crate with high pressure clorinated freshwater from a hose, probably 55 degree water, all the while I had the rack sitting on freezing concrete in the middle of winter with some zoa attached. Go figure they survived.

It's only the expensive ones that die when a cricket farts in China.

I forgot a frag of captian jerks out of the water for something like 6 hours or so. Tossed it back in the tank out of curiosity and sure enough it lived. Shoulda tossed it right in the trash.

 

[ZoWhat]

In the old old times, they would ship zoas wrapped in wet newspaper bc zoas back then were only the super hardy ones collected.

Just get them in low flow good water, low light until they feel safe to open up

 

[RossV]

TL: DR Zoa are looking bad post shipping anything I can try?

I recently received a shipment of zoas, best packing I've ever seen in my life, I have total faith in the seller. Edit: I'm 100% sure the zoa we're submerged the whole time, the box was highly insulated, and the heat pack was still warm on arrival.

However F**kEx delayed the package for a day and a half so there was some definite stress involved and all the zoa remain closed. Normally I pest dip before adding but based on the time they were delayed I did a temp (floated bags for 30 min) and chemistry acclimation (did some tank water/shipping water exchanges before adding them to the tank.

A day later I did do a 6 minute MediCoral dip. But I'm wondering if there's anything else to try.

Lights are set to acclimation mode, zoas are on the bottom with medium flow.

I have litte faith this one will make it

I'm on the fence if this one will make it

These two I think might turn out ok

Just curious, why do you leave them in the cups?

 

[workhz]

I had some stargazers that came in a bag where the water was basically brown. They survived and thrived. Took a month or two.

 

[ZoaKiller]

Just curious, why do you leave them in the cups?

Help keep the flow a bit lower and prevent being stung by other tank inhabitants.

 

[Roli's Reef Ranch]

Next time, just float for 15 minute and then straight into the tank. There is no need to drip acclimate or add water, especially for corals that have been in transit over night or longer. The sooner you can get them into flowing water so they can properly respirate, the better.

Still amazed that people acclimate coral at all. Reflects old myths and a lack of understanding of the basic physiology of coral. Jake Adams goes on extensively about this. All that's needed is a short temp acclimate, then dump into QT. I have never had a coral die that wasn't due to extreme shipping stress. Dips immediately out of the bag are also a good way to stress out an already stressed coral to the point of death as well. Yeah, you'll get away with it most of the time, then wonder why the other 20% of the time stuff is dying. I used to do it the wrong way like most people back in the day.