Are these dead or unhappy?

[reeferab]

Hi - unfortunately had a catastrophic tank crash on Fluval evo 52L nano whilst on holiday. Stank up the house due to the mesh lid. Fish, cuc, corals (sps, lps, softies), one rfa all gone.

Currently tank’s contents (rocks, dead corals etc) are in the garden in a box of saltwater.

Only thing which looks mildly alive are a few zoas - one frag plug pictured.

Never had zoas die, only get eaten so not sure if these are closed and unhappy with potential for revival and resurrection or totally gone?

 

[StartingATank]

They look like they could make it. It does seem like they are shedding, kinda like a toadstool does, as my Zoas usually do this anytime they are unhappy.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Zoas can take quite a beating. How long have you had them?

 

[JumboShrimp]

Don't be too quick to give up. I've seen them come back from tiny nubs.

 

[Marco_99]

Get your nitrates and phosphates in check after a water change (sure you already did). Put them on the sand bed or a few inches above on a frag rack and be patient. They just appear closed up to me. I’ve scraped Zoas off rocks to where I could not see a trace of them and had them grow back.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

They just look unhappy. If they die they will turn white or will melt.

 

[BryanM]

Unhappy but not dead yet.

What are you doing to test/fix water quality?

 

[reeferab]

They look like they could make it. It does seem like they are shedding, kinda like a toadstool does, as my Zoas usually do this anytime they are unhappy.

Thank you for the encouragement! I’ve put them in new water with a circulation pump. Let’s see what happens!

 

[reeferab]

Zoas can take quite a beating. How long have you had them?

About a year, and they were generally fine before the crash

 

[reeferab]

Unhappy but not dead yet.

What are you doing to test/fix water quality?

It was a tank crash which has killed everything even the bristle worms (but I bet the aiptasia is still alive!). I’ve rinsed the rocks in saltwater in the hopes of holding onto some bioload to not start from scratch. Same with the zoas. Now circulating water.

Will keep an eye out for parameters esp ammonia in case latent dead stuff and do large water changes

 

[reeferab]

Get your nitrates and phosphates in check after a water change (sure you already did). Put them on the sand bed or a few inches above on a frag rack and be patient. They just appear closed up to me. I’ve scraped Zoas off rocks to where I could not see a trace of them and had them grow back.

Thank you - that’s encouraging. I’ve put them back in the tank with the rocks and fresh saltwater. Trying to get things back up and running.

 

[KrisReef]

It was a tank crash which has killed everything even the bristle worms (but I bet the aiptasia is still alive!). I’ve rinsed the rocks in saltwater in the hopes of holding onto some bioload to not start from scratch. Same with the zoas. Now circulating water.

Will keep an eye out for parameters esp ammonia in case latent dead stuff and do large water changes

Fish are harmed by ammonia, corals eat it for lunch. Hope these spring back after the rinse down!

 

[reeferab]

It was a tank crash which has killed everything even the bristle worms (but I bet the aiptasia is still alive!). I’ve rinsed the rocks in saltwater in the hopes of holding onto some bioload to not start from scratch. Same with the zoas. Now circulating water.

Will keep an eye out for parameters esp ammonia in case latent dead stuff and do large water changes

Fish are harmed by ammonia, corals eat it for lunch. Hope these spring back after the rinse down!

I was thinking perhaps ammonia may get to toxic levels for corals due to the latent die off from the rocks