AOI has no skirt

[ZzyzxRiver]

My AOI is the the most difficult zoa I have in my tank. It stayed pale and half closed for a few weeks after I got it, but it’s finally staying blue and yellow all the time— but it never seems to open all the way. The skirt seems to be there, but it remains curled in, not stretched out like all my other zoas. Any idea what it could be?

(In the process of making this post I just saw that there is also bubble algae on the frag. Dang!)

 

[shcrimps]

you could try doing an iodine dip on them
and yeah they do look a little pale so maybe put them lower down

 

[ZzyzxRiver]

Lower down? I’ve heard AOI needs all the light it can get. Are you sure? I do have a spot it can go, but I’m not sure I want to make it reacclimatize all over again.

I’m not familiar with iodine dips- what are those for?

 

[shcrimps]

how long did you have it in the current light
did it start to get pale when you put it there?
iodine dips usually help zoas get a extra lil boost and sometimes open up more when they aren’t doing great
it should help with the skirt as well just use caution
hearing something about a coral isn’t always the best method for placement as they tend to do different in every tank
something’s are just trial and error till you get it right

 

[ZzyzxRiver]

how long did you have it in the current light
did it start to get pale when you put it there?
iodine dips usually help zoas get a extra lil boost and sometimes open up more when they aren’t doing great
it should help with the skirt as well just use caution
hearing something about a coral isn’t always the best method for placement as they tend to do different in every tank
something’s are just trial and error till you get it right

It went pale and leggy at the bottom of my tank. It colored up and stopped stretching so much after some time close to the top. It’s been stable where it is, just not looking like a zoa should. The current area is somewhat higher flow, which could be part of the issue?

I have a couple candidate spots in the middle depths of the tank, but I’m not excited about making it adjust to a new location again. Oh well, it’s been where it is for a few weeks and that’s obviously not going well, might as well get on it.

 

[shcrimps]

It went pale and leggy at the bottom of my tank. It colored up and stopped stretching so much after some time close to the top. It’s been stable where it is, just not looking like a zoa should. The current area is somewhat higher flow, which could be part of the issue?

I have a couple candidate spots in the middle depths of the tank, but I’m not excited about making it adjust to a new location again. Oh well, it’s been where it is for a few weeks and that’s obviously not going well, might as well get on it.

if it was doing better in the current spot maybe just time or an iodine dip with time and it would be fine
i know a lot of people say low/medium flow for zoas but i have most of mine in high flow and the skirts get a lot longer and curlier too

 

[mdpitts]

I'm just a beginner at all this but I think zoas are all different and you have to trial and error it. Some of mine don't do high light some don't do low. I've also dipped in an iodine bath when they look puny. I use Seachem Reef Dip because that is what was available. I think a lot of people use Lugols. I know my Rastas love light and flow. I have some AOI and they struggled a lot and for a while wouldn't even open. I moved them up in my tank and they stay open now but they are tiny little guys. No new polyps.

Just to make my point another way - I have two Bubble Tip anemones and one loves high light and high flow but the other one moved behind a large cabbage leather and he ducks down behind it about half way through the day. He prefers lower light and flow. Go figure. Corals are individuals too ya know? My theory but I talk to every living thing as if they were human. Crazy ol' coral lady.

 

[ZzyzxRiver]

Yesterday I found and killed a vermetid snail on the base of the AOIs, so I’m wondering if they might relax and let out their skirt in the days to come. What’s weird about it is that it is growing- two new polyps since I first posted this. So I’m assuming if it wasn’t situated well, it wouldn’t have grown. If I have mutant skirtless AOIs… well, it is what it is! I still like them.