zoanthid colony not opening

[thesilence87]

I have a small colony of spas that is about ~40 polyps that is seriously agitated. I have watched it barely open for a week now. At most, 7-8 polyps are open at a time. The color of the colony's stalk is starting to become a darker color I believe is indicitive of stress. I have stared and stared at it, but I havent seen any nudi's. I have seen brown flatworms and amphipods on them, but I'm not sure if that isrelated. Any ideas? I can try to post pictures later.

 

[winkkle]

If they are large amphipods that can be it. Ive been told that they have some sort of stinging antane sp? and irritate them and coralpedia has them on the irritator/preditor list. Ive seem them on my smaller zoas and next day they are brown and closed and dead soon after. get a wrasse.

 

[thesilence87]

Thank you! They are gigantic, and there are plenty of them.

 

[winkkle]

Id put money on it thats it as long as your water parameters are good, no nudis, etc..

Edit: Get a yellow coris or melanarus wrasse.

 

[winkkle]

its really only the larger ones like he is talking about. Ive seen some 1/2 plus in my tank. i also just saw some sort of weird looking worm stuck between a magnet and i released him and red fin fairy wrasse took swift action.

 

[holley123]

What are you dosing? My brother had the same problem because he wasn't dosing his tank and all the nutrients were gone

 

[jbdreefs]

Holley123;735854 wrote: What are you dosing? My brother had the same problem because he wasn't dosing his tank and all the nutrients were gone

Would you mind elaborating? I'm having a similar problem with zoas not opening. Not all but some... my params are fine, but a guy I met over the weekend suggested the same thing as a possibility. When I think of dosing, I immediately think of carbon dosing which is supposed to help with nutrient export.

 

[holley123]

We both started dosing with magnesium one week and calcium and replenish the next week all of these are made by brightwell aquatics but if all your elements are cosumed by corals (this is what happened with my brothers tank) then you should dose magnesium one day and calcium and replenish the next day

 

[mph84]

Holley123;735862 wrote: We both started dosing with magnesium one week and calcium and replenish the next week all of these are made by brightwell aquatics but if all your elements are cosumed by corals (this is what happened with my brothers tank) then you should dose magnesium one day and calcium and replenish the next day

Before dosing anything check your parameters with a test kit.

 

[holley123]

mph84;735864 wrote: Before dosing anything check your parameters with a test kit.

+1 also make sure it's not just something irritating them (something stinging, touching, rubing them) and make sure they are for sure staying closed and not getting the right nutrition before dosing

 

[thesilence87]

I don't dose anything, but I do a water change every 7-10 days, so hopefully it isn't nutrient depletion.

 

[winkkle]

If u do water changes that frequently with a quality salt then nutrients shouldnt be an issue unless u have a ton of coral. I've got a 120 and do a 20g water change every 2
Weeks and don't dose anything and all params are fine except
Phosphates are a tad high. I use reef crystals and use
To use salinity.

 

[kirkwood]

When I had an issue with zoas not opening it was because my alkalinity was too low and my pH would dip at night.. Once I got that in check the zoas took off..

 

[holley123]

Yea well I have too many coral my new tank has been up for 3 weeks and it's already full of coral although I left them room to grow out

 

[thesilence87]

Well, looks like you're right. I just caught two of my amphipods in the act, they seem to do it when the lights are out. Well, I guess I need a wrasse.

Edit: I'll get around to checking my alk. and pH. eventually as well.

Oh, and I use Salinity, which seems to work great, especially since I've got a small tank, I don't really have to dose.

 

[micha118833]

hmmm... I have larger amphipods in my tank and every now and then a colony of zoas will just start dying off. What would be the best way to get rid of them?

 

[micha118833]

got one sixline one mandarin and one spotted mandarin along with a red scooter blenny in a 120