Zoanthids Falling off Plugs

[rosieosieee]

This has happened twice to me in the last week. I'll pick up a frag plug and they'll literally just fall off. They arnt connected to eachother anymore, and are individual polyps. Not melting. Healthy, and opened up before I picked the plug up. I'll glue them back down, and haven't had a problem since. Are they trying to migrate arohnd the tank such as mushrooms do?

I'm using Loc-Tite super glue gel.

Thanks!

 

[that Reef Guy]

This has happened twice to me in the last week. I'll pick up a frag plug and they'll literally just fall off. They arnt connected to eachother anymore, and are individual polyps. Not melting. Healthy, and opened up before I picked the plug up. I'll glue them back down, and haven't had a problem since. Are they trying to migrate arohnd the tank such as mushrooms do?

I'm using Loc-Tite super glue gel.

Thanks!

Are you gluing the Zoanthid Itself onto the Plug?

Or are you gluing a piece of rock or another plug to the new plug?

 

[wish]

You should frag or buy them with a piece of original disk.

 

[rosieosieee]

Are you gluing the Zoanthid Itself onto the Plug?

Or are you gluing a piece of rock or another plug to the new plug?

actually, that's a great question! one of the two I did not frag myself, but the polyps were
glued directly on without a rock.

also, the ones I glued myself were not on a peice
of rock, as they were easy to just rip off the mother colony.

 

[rosieosieee]

You should frag or buy them with a piece of original disk.

definitely will try to do this in the future. but my question is, what is causing this?

 

[that Reef Guy]

definitely will try to do this in the future. but my question is, what is causing this?

Most Likely Yes.

Always try to Glue Something Hard onto the new Plug.

I do not know for sure if Zoanthids do this or not but other Softies like Mushrooms will Slime up so they can detach from the Glue and Float Away in the Flow.

That is why with Mushrooms people put them on Crushed Coral and wait a week or two. Then they Glue the Crushed Coral that is already attached to the Mushroom to the Plug. Then the Mushroom is happy and should not try to detach from the Plug (unless something else is bothering them like too much light or too much flow.

 

[NanaReefer]

Zoa's do not like Super Glue. You must use very very little (1 tiny drop smoothed out so its more like a film) and only allow the very bottom of the base to touch it. If the glue touches any other part, they bail.

 

[wish]

I believe the glue sticks to the slime
from stress. Over short time with med to strong flow it would slide out.

QUOTE=that Reef Guy;2134148]Most Likely Yes.

Always try to Glue Something Hard onto the new Plug.

I do not know for sure if Zoanthids do this or not but other Softies like Mushrooms will Slime up so they can detach from the Glue and Float Away in the Flow.

That is why with Mushrooms people put them on Crushed Coral and wait a week or two. Then they Glue the Crushed Coral that is already attached to the Mushroom to the Plug. Then the Mushroom is happy and should not try to detach from the Plug (unless something else is bothering them like too much light or too much flow.[/QUOTE]

 

[rosieosieee]

Most Likely Yes.

Always try to Glue Something Hard onto the new Plug.

I do not know for sure if Zoanthids do this or not but other Softies like Mushrooms will Slime up so they can detach from the Glue and Float Away in the Flow.

That is why with Mushrooms people put them on Crushed Coral and wait a week or two. Then they Glue the Crushed Coral that is already attached to the Mushroom to the Plug. Then the Mushroom is happy and should not try to detach from the Plug (unless something else is bothering them like too much light or too much flow.

yeah, I wasn't sure if zoanthids were like mushrooms in that way!

 

[rosieosieee]

Zoa's do not like Super Glue. You must use very very little (1 tiny drop smoothed out so its more like a film) and only allow the very bottom of the base to touch it. If the glue touches any other part, they bail.

awesome, I'll keep that in mind. thanks!

 

[rosieosieee]

Ok! It's definitely something in my tank! I just had this happen again to a couple polyps that have been attached to a rock for over a year!! What is going on?!?! same thing, they fell off individually. So, are they trying to move around like mushrooms? or what? this is the third frag that this has happened too, and this one is my favorite! (see my avatar).

In addition, some others are having some folded over skirts. I was hoping that they just need to be moved up or down in the tank (for different light) as all other corals and more than half of the zoanthids are doing just fine.

I test my water once a week, and here are the general parameters. its an 8 gal with lps, zoas, couple softies, a nem, and one monti.

salinity: 1.025 (tank has an ATO, so this stays dead on)
KH: 6-7 (usually have to dose, this stays lower)
nitrates: always >2 (this tank gets a water change twice a week!)
phosphates: .03-.25 (ugh, hence the water changes, and bag of phosgaurd! constantly battling this)
calcium: 380-420
temp: 78

the hornets make it look like its a flow issue, but the water movement goes in the exact opposite direction that they are folded over in.

as i said, some of the zoanthids are completely fine and happy! (the fruit loops, both green ones, rastas, and the purple ones at the top) the hornets, orange skirted closed ones, and the pink/purple large ones are the frags that are having issues.

i love my zoanthids! please help!

 

[that Reef Guy]

Ok! It's definitely something in my tank! I just had this happen again to a couple polyps that have been attached to a rock for over a year!! What is going on?!?! same thing, they fell off individually. So, are they trying to move around like mushrooms? or what? this is the third frag that this has happened too, and this one is my favorite! (see my avatar).

In addition, some others are having some folded over skirts. I was hoping that they just need to be moved up or down in the tank (for different light) as all other corals and more than half of the zoanthids are doing just fine.

I test my water once a week, and here are the general parameters. its an 8 gal with lps, zoas, couple softies, a nem, and one monti.

salinity: 1.025 (tank has an ATO, so this stays dead on)
KH: 6-7 (usually have to dose, this stays lower)
nitrates: always >2 (this tank gets a water change twice a week!)
phosphates: .03-.25 (ugh, hence the water changes, and bag of phosgaurd! constantly battling this)
calcium: 380-420
temp: 78









the hornets make it look like its a flow issue, but the water movement goes in the exact opposite direction that they are folded over in.

as i said, some of the zoanthids are completely fine and happy! (the fruit loops, both green ones, rastas, and the purple ones at the top) the hornets, orange skirted closed ones, and the pink/purple large ones are the frags that are having issues.

i love my zoanthids! please help!

Your Alkalinity is really Low.

I had Low Alkalinity like that too.

They didn't fall off the Plug but I raised it to 10.5 and started dosing Reef Roids twice a week and they open up more and reproduce much much faster than before.

I guess that doesn't answer your question but I am glad I tried those two tips.

But perhaps it could be why they detach?

 

[Pete polyp]

With the long skirts on many of them I'm going to say too much flow.

 

[AJ Reef]

It looks from your pics, that you have an anemone somewhat close to your affected polyps. Perhaps the anemone is expanding or otherwise stinging your zoas?
Also watch the frogspawn for sweeper tentacles.

 

[that Reef Guy]

With the long skirts on many of them I'm going to say too much flow.

+1 that could be the problem for sure.

 

[ReeferBean]

My guess its more of a water quality issue. +1 to your alk being low and your phosphates pretty high. Although strong flow might cause the skirts to get longer I don't think that's your problem.

 

[rosieosieee]

With the long skirts on many of them I'm going to say too much flow.

the only ones with long skirts are the Rastas, and those are brand new this week!

 

[rosieosieee]

It looks from your pics, that you have an anemone somewhat close to your affected polyps. Perhaps the anemone is expanding or otherwise stinging your zoas?
Also watch the frogspawn for sweeper tentacles.

thanks I'll make sure I watch them both!

 

[rosieosieee]

My guess its more of a water quality issue. +1 to your alk being low and your phosphates pretty high. Although strong flow might cause the skirts to get longer I don't think that's your problem.

sweet thanks! Ive been dosing the alk buffer everyday so I'll test soon to see if it comes up.

I'm not sure how else to lower my phosphates with my frequent water changes and phosgaurd, there's also a giant ball of cheato in the back fuge too.

 

[AJ Reef]

thanks I'll make sure I watch them both!

I wouldn't worry too much about those phosphate levels for your zoas.

What are you using for alk buffer?

You might try using a glue specifically made for gluing corals. They tend to have lower curing temps which makes corals happy.

Has anything changed in the tank?