Another ID request

[Reefer1978]

Evening guys and gals. Have another request for help. I've started another thread a while ago on why zoa sometime melt away for no reason. I still don't know why some are fine in my system, some melt, and some just don't grow. So today I dipped a few in Coral RX to see if anything obvious would show up. Other then snails/asteria/some killed pods and an unknown worm thingy I don't see anything. Could someone with a trained eye ID the worm thingy and see if anything else stands out? Thanks for the help guys.

 

[Vincent100]

Looks like a baby Bristle worm to me

 

[Reefer1978]

Looks like a baby Bristle worm to me

Thanks. I thought so too.

 

[ahiggins]

I dont see any zoa pox, or things on the actual polyps. They look quite healthy (majority of them). Check for eggs, they can be VERY small.
I do see a few asterina star fish...
Most will disagree with me-however-I have personally seen them on my zoa polyps. when I removed them, they had taken out about 4-5 heads.
Be wary of them :)

 

[Reefer1978]

I dont see any zoa pox, or things on the actual polyps. They look quite healthy (majority of them). Check for eggs, they can be VERY small.
I do see a few asterina star fish...
Most will disagree with me-however-I have personally seen them on my zoa polyps. when I removed them, they had taken out about 4-5 heads.
Be wary of them :)

I looked for eggs, I do see some white spots on the polyps but nothing obvious in egg-laying-pattern. I will keep on watching them.

And I totally agree about asterina, that's already a fight in progress and population is down 90%. Harlequin shrimp is in the system for a month already.

Other then that, I have no clue what so ever why zoa's are disappearing on me. It's completely random. Even had a triton test, nothing weird about my water. As lest resort going to check for stray voltage today.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

What is the arrow pointing to?

Most will disagree with me-however-I have personally seen them on my zoa polyps. when I removed them, they had taken out about 4-5 heads.
Be wary of them :)

If ever you see it again, could you grab a video :-)

 

[Reefer1978]

What is the arrow pointing to?

If ever you see it again, could you grab a video :)

I was actually thinking the same thing, but it was already dead when I saw it. Used a syringe squirt to get it out of the colony. It had a hard shell. Kinds of reminds me of a mix of Amphipod - Gammarid and Chiton from your guide, @Lionfish Lair .

 

[ahiggins]

I looked for eggs, I do see some white spots on the polyps but nothing obvious in egg-laying-pattern. I will keep on watching them.

And I totally agree about asterina, that's already a fight in progress and population is down 90%. Harlequin shrimp is in the system for a month already.

Other then that, I have no clue what so ever why zoa's are disappearing on me. It's completely random. Even had a triton test, nothing weird about my water. As lest resort going to check for stray voltage today.

Sounds like youve been doing everything right...I wish I could help more
(side note, did you like your triton test?)

 

[Reefer1978]

(side note, did you like your triton test?)

Mixed feelings. I hoped it would point me in the obvious direction of "here's what's wrong - fix it" but it didn't.

It did show me that my magnesium and calcium test kits are off. Both Red Sea kits. So anyone doing triton, test your water at the same time you take a sample, and then compare notes.

 

[ahiggins]

Mixed feelings. I hoped it would point me in the obvious direction of "here's what's wrong - fix it" but it didn't.

It did show me that my magnesium and calcium test kits are off. Both Red Sea kits. So anyone doing triton, test your water at the same time you take a sample, and then compare notes.

Ive been thinking about doing one. Its recommended to do 2-3 tests over the course of a week to see what you "use". Did you have to buy 2-3 kits (each $40) or do they have that many vials in 1 test kit. I know Im totally taking this thread off topic but Im really curious about it.

 

[Reefer1978]

Ive been thinking about doing one. Its recommended to do 2-3 tests over the course of a week to see what you "use". Did you have to buy 2-3 kits (each $40) or do they have that many vials in 1 test kit. I know Im totally taking this thread off topic but Im really curious about it.

Every test is a separate test, so you would have to buy 3. If you test often with your own, good quality kits, you can figure out what the tank uses methinks.

 

[ahiggins]

Oh that sucks :(
Ive never been disciplined enough to test for what the tank uses haha

 

[Reefer1978]

0 stray voltage. :( back to drawing board!

 

[ahiggins]

Is it all of them or only a few in the colony?

 

[erinmegan85]

Do you have amphipods in your tank? (Little guys that kind of look like shrimp.) Some people will swear up and down that they don't eat zoas, but I have watched the ones in my tank chowing down on them. In fact, I no longer have any zoas in my biocube because of it. They don't seem to go after any other kind of coral, but I was watching them take out my healthy zoas :(

 

[Reefer1978]

Is it all of them or only a few in the colony?

Some fully open, some half closed, some fully closed (colonies). I can't find any pattern that makes sense.

Do you have amphipods in your tank? (Little guys that kind of look like shrimp.) Some people will swear up and down that they don't eat zoas, but I have watched the ones in my tank chowing down on them. In fact, I no longer have any zoas in my biocube because of it. They don't seem to go after any other kind of coral, but I was watching them take out my healthy zoas :(

Yes, I do have plenty of pods, but i've always had pods, and most reefers I think have pods, and their grandparents have pods. :) All of my friend's tanks have same pods. Plus I feed my pods plenty. Not sure, just not sure.

 

[ahiggins]

Hmm....I see where youre coming from but pods usually wont go after things unless its already dead or dying. (usually lol)

Is there a way to take a pic of them when some are open vs closed?
What lights do you have them under?-placement of them?
Also, what other coral do you have in close proximity-talking 5 inches or so.

 

[Reefer1978]

Hmm....I see where youre coming from but pods usually wont go after things unless its already dead or dying. (usually lol)

Is there a way to take a pic of them when some are open vs closed?
What lights do you have them under?-placement of them?
Also, what other coral do you have in close proximity-talking 5 inches or so.

Lights - Orphek Atlantik 3.0+
Placement - all over, top, bottom, shaded.
What coral - everything and nothing. :) Some are by themselves, some are next to a lobo that doesn't touch them, some, which are always fully open, are right next to a bubble tip which constantly touches them.

Not kidding when I say no pattern. I will try and post some shots guys, but lights are still a little dim for pictures, might have to be at night.

 

[Reefer1978]

Polyps on the right closed for 3 days

Melting candy apple reds on a standalone frag

 

[ahiggins]

Hmm I'm out of questions...not sure.
At the lfs I always see colonies like that. Some just don't open.