Zoa turned into a log?

[James Becwar]

New reefer with a new tank. Tank was started on Jan 1, I got a little stone with some zoa's about 4 months ago. Zoas has been growing slowly since then. A few weeks ago I noticed that the zoa was not opening as much as normal. Now it looks like a log... I have no idea whats going on or what I should do?

This was on the June 5th:

I noticed there were amphipods crawling all over and in the zoas, which they normal don't do.

On June 9th:

On June 12th:

It looks like a log, about the diameter of a pencil and about an inch long...

Thank you all for your help and ideas.
-James

 

[James M]

The “log” is the rock the zoas were growing on before they started to die. Need more info on the tank to figure out why

 

[ScottR]

Have you looked into zoa pox?

Also, amphipods on zoas is normal. Every zoa frag I’ve ever bought and dipped left a bunch in the water.

 

[James Becwar]

Thank you both for your input. I did full set of water tests and this is my result:
PH 8.1
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
dkh: 9
Salinity 1.025
Temp: 78.9
Calcium: 400
Magnisum: 1200
Phosphate: 0.25 ppm

All the tests were API brand, except for the magnisum which was salfort. I find the API tests hard to get a very exact read...

I should note that my fish had flukes possibly ich, so I'm nearing the end of the fallow period for ich. In the past my nitrates were higher, in the 20's. Maybe there isn't enough food in the water? I have been feeding the tank more...

 

[James Becwar]

Oh I also measured the lights with a seneye, its about 175 par. They had been under the same lights and growing for months before this.

 

[ScottR]

Thank you both for your input. I did full set of water tests and this is my result:
PH 8.1
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
dkh: 9
Salinity 1.025
Temp: 78.9
Calcium: 400
Magnisum: 1200
Phosphate: 0.25 ppm

All the tests were API brand, except for the magnisum which was salfort. I find the API tests hard to get a very exact read...

I should note that my fish had flukes possibly ich, so I'm nearing the end of the fallow period for ich. In the past my nitrates were higher, in the 20's. Maybe there isn't enough food in the water? I have been feeding the tank more...

Phosphates are a bit high and 0 nitrates is too low IMO. Not a huge problem but something to look into. If you can keep everything else stable, you’re good.

 

[Sailfinguy21]

Those phosphates wont do that to a zoanthid. In fact i run at .50ppm with acroporas.. zoas. Bubble corals.. monits.. leathers..


Your nitrates i agree are too low.. you need nitrates for things to live in the tank.

 

[Hemmdog]

Yep, low nitrate issue.

 

[ScottR]

Those phosphates wont do that to a zoanthid. In fact i run at .50ppm with acroporas.. zoas. Bubble corals.. monits.. leathers..


Your nitrates i agree are too low.. you need nitrates for things to live in the tank.

I agree that PO4 is not to blame but with high PO4, an algae break could be imminent. If it’s a hairy type, it can smother the zoas and make a recovery even more difficult.

 

[Capitol Reef Corals]

Coralline algae may be growing over the zoas and suffocating them. Try to refrag them without the coralline algae if you notice that there is coralline algae around them (from your pics I think there is).

 

[bassrock234]

Coraline algae wont grow over your zoas, I have coraline for days surrounding my zoas for years and it has never grown over.
If theres one thing I k ow for sure is that zoas love some nitrates. And having zero nitrates may be the problem in your situation.
I dont see any pox but also sometimes they just melt away, have had that happen many times.
Good luck!

 

[HAMMERofGold]

Nothing about your water parameters jumps out to me - I dont feel they should be closing based on any of that. You mentioned you are a new reefer, and so my assumption is you have been adding frags over the past few months - its possible one of them came with some zoa-eating hitchhikers. Is it possible you have Zoa Spiders or Zoa Nudibranchs? Both can be hard to spot unless you really look closely. The nudibranchs especially as they tend to take on the color of the zoa they are eating.