Zoas turning white?

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Cjnadler

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I bought some zoas a while ago and they had some great color and I had them in the middle of the tank. I have a current USA loop light and I had them on acclimation loop for about a week. Then started seeing them lose color and go white so I put them in the sand bed. I’m new to coral any suggestions would help.
 
Ecoscape Reef Rock
Reefer40b said:
It sounds like they are melting. How is you N/P levels? Zoas prefer some
Click to expand...
For the longest time I wouldn’t have any nitrates but as of last night it finally showed up around 20ppm. I was told to let my refugium grow until it’s full before I remove some algae.
 
Tidal Gardens
Cjnadler said:
I bought some zoas a while ago and they had some great color and I had them in the middle of the tank. I have a current USA loop light and I had them on acclimation loop for about a week. Then started seeing them lose color and go white so I put them in the sand bed. I’m new to coral any suggestions would help.
Click to expand...
i think your corals might be bleaching! check nitrogen levels and temp make sure nothing is out of whack.
 
Deltec
Top Shelf Aquatics
This is one of the zoas I have

D433772B-892F-4D6D-B759-2A1E4D80574D.jpeg
 
AS
Bleached corals are not dead corals and you can bring them back. You will need to place them in direct line with current but not overpowering. Heat spike is one of many reasons for bleaching. The heat spike triggered a mass expulsion of zooxanthellae, the single cell algae which gives them their color and sustains them.

If they are indeed bleached, and void of their zooxanthellae which feeds them as well as providing coloration, they are nutrient deficient. According to E.B, "Without the proper number of zooxanthellae in their tissues, corals must rely almost entirely on dissolved nutrients uptake and heterotrophic feeding to meet their energy needs". I experienced some mild bleaching back in 2000 due to a hardware malfunction. It was very slight, but I also added some Cyclop Eeze, as stated above, I feel this added food source help them while they repopulated the zooxanthellae which was expelled during the heat spike. The added food source and the current will greatly aid in their recovery. It will take time so you will have to just place them and not move them. It could take 3 months to a year, but I have seen recovery in as little as 5 months.

Bleached polyps are also vulnerable polyps. Susceptible to disease, predation and starvation, so keep your eyes on them and watch for inverts and fish which might think they are dead/dying and go after them. I would ever consider inverting a plastic reef safe type of covering which allows light penetration and food to enter but keeps fish and large inverts out. Just a thought to consider depending on the severity of the bleaching and how widespread it is.


Just found this on a similar thread
 
I had the loop system myself and found it was never enough light for my corals they would always bleach out and die.
 
Tidal Gardens
Ponyo said:
Bleached corals are not dead corals and you can bring them back. You will need to place them in direct line with current but not overpowering. Heat spike is one of many reasons for bleaching. The heat spike triggered a mass expulsion of zooxanthellae, the single cell algae which gives them their color and sustains them.

If they are indeed bleached, and void of their zooxanthellae which feeds them as well as providing coloration, they are nutrient deficient. According to E.B, "Without the proper number of zooxanthellae in their tissues, corals must rely almost entirely on dissolved nutrients uptake and heterotrophic feeding to meet their energy needs". I experienced some mild bleaching back in 2000 due to a hardware malfunction. It was very slight, but I also added some Cyclop Eeze, as stated above, I feel this added food source help them while they repopulated the zooxanthellae which was expelled during the heat spike. The added food source and the current will greatly aid in their recovery. It will take time so you will have to just place them and not move them. It could take 3 months to a year, but I have seen recovery in as little as 5 months.

Bleached polyps are also vulnerable polyps. Susceptible to disease, predation and starvation, so keep your eyes on them and watch for inverts and fish which might think they are dead/dying and go after them. I would ever consider inverting a plastic reef safe type of covering which allows light penetration and food to enter but keeps fish and large inverts out. Just a thought to consider depending on the severity of the bleaching and how widespread it is.


Just found this on a similar thread
Click to expand...
Wow thank you for such a detailed explanation. They open and close just fine but are baby white, what temperature do you suggest I keep my tank running at?
 
Deltec

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