Zoas Inside Out

[JamieC]

Howdy all, got a weird thing going on. This is the second time it has happened in my tank. My Nirvanas...which are pretty invasive...go inside out and melt away, then grow back over. Any idea why? Initially I thought it was a zoa eating nudibranch, but I've dealt with them before, and this is definitely not a pest...really wierd.

 

[40g Nano]

Parameters would probably help

 

[40g Nano]

They look like they are spitting out their zoanthelli

 

[Nigel35]

flow, light etc.

 

[PicassoClown04]

It does appear that they’re expelling something. Can you describe the problem a little more? When did it start?

 

[JamieC]

I noticed it today. My parameters are fine.

My tank is mostly SPS
1.026
Ph 8.3
Alk 8.5
Ca 420
Mg is 1300ish
Temp 79
Nitrates 2.5-3
Phosphates .03

I dose Tropic Marin Carbo calcium with both of their elements A- K+. I also dose acropower a couple times a week.

I feed reefroids once a week...sometimes twice.

 

[PicassoClown04]

The pictures aren’t very clear. The “inside out” part, is it white? Brown?

 

[Tired]

Do you feed the zoas directly? Do you happen to have a cleaner shrimp? It almost looks like something has been yanking their innards out. Some of them look physically damaged.

 

[PicassoClown04]

Do you feed the zoas directly? Do you happen to have a cleaner shrimp? It almost looks like something has been yanking their innards out. Some of them look physically damaged.

Exactly what I was thinking. That or maybe fungus if it’s white. Zooxanthellae comes out as kind of a thin paste

 

[JamieC]

I do feed them directly, and I do have a cleaner shrimp. But I didn't feed last night. It is fleshy, and white-ish in color, very frilly at the end. It is happening to about a half dozen, all my other zoas are fine...just this weird thing with the Nirvana. And it's the second time it's happened..

I tried to take a better picture.

 

[Nigel35]

What kind of fish do you have? One of them may be having a field day eating those...

 

[TriggerFinger]

@footgal do zoas have mesenterial filaments? That’s kinda what the newest picture looks like.

 

[PicassoClown04]

@footgal do zoas have mesenterial filaments? That’s kinda what the newest picture looks like.

I’ve never seen mensenterial filaments from any of my 50+ zoas. Even in situations where another coral was trying to kill them, the poor things just peacefully melted away. I’m wondering if maybe they’re being over fed and therefore, constipated. Being unable to pass such large waste, the zoas become stressed and eventually melt away?

 

[JamieC]

I have a pair of clowns, magnificent foxface, tomini tang, and royal grama...and a cleaner shrimp. You think a light dusting of reef roids once a week is too much?

 

[PicassoClown04]

I have a pair of clowns, magnificent foxface, tomini tang, and royal grama...and a cleaner shrimp. You think a light dusting of reef roids once a week is too much?

Once a week shouldn’t be too much, when I had more time I was doing it 2-3x per week

 

[JamieC]

Right. I haven't seen any fish bothering them. Just weird that it's only the Nirvanas. And such a weird thing to do...go inside out like that.

 

[PicassoClown04]

Right. I haven't seen any fish bothering them. Just weird that it's only the Nirvanas. And such a weird thing to do...go inside out like that.

You know, now that I’m thinking about it, you don’t think there could be a burrowing parasite that gets in there and pushes the zoa’s guts out do you? Like a worm?