black things on closed zoas

[PaulE61]

Hi Guys
I got this zoa colony a few weeks ago, they all opened up first few days then mostly stayed closed, all params are ok except KH 13.7 dkh, Nitrate 25ppm, phosphate was 1ppm tho just tested 3 after adding 12gram bag of rowaphos 3days ago ! confused.....
Anyway params aside, I've noticed these black things on some of the closed polyps, what are they any ideas?
Cheers Paul

 

[Dburr1014]

1st pic looks like flatworms but not the close up shots.
Can you try to get a more clear shot

 

[PaulE61]

This is

better

 

[Dburr1014]

Did you just feed the tank? They look like they are eating.

 

[Just John]

Under normal circumstances I would not worry too much about them being closed, but I have never seen anything like that black before.

 

[PaulE61]

I did 2 days ago.. mix of zooplankton, phytoplankton, defrosted brineshrimp, rotifers and copapods.

 

[Just John]

I would say that it is probably pooping then. Unless you have fed them that before and it didn't come out black. Is it only coming out of the ones that were open and fed?

 

[PaulE61]

They may have been open, its hard to tell, I'm now trying to take daily photos to compare

 

[ApoIsland]

Some of mine did this when I moved them from a tank into a reef jar. They stayed this way until I increased flow.

 

[PaulE61]

I thought the flow was causing them to stay closed, so I moved them to where they are now which is low low area, they do seem to be opening a little more. Btw the flow where they were wasn't extreme.

 

[Pkunk35]

Do zoas poop? I suppose they do but wow that would be a crazy size #2. It also looks like it has a sort of wound up structure.
can you pick it off? Did you dip the colony? If not I would do so in coral rx or one of those pine sol-ey type dips or bayer and see what comes off. Might just solve the closed up issue if it is pest related as zoas often have

 

[ApoIsland]

Sounds like my situation was the opposite. They went from a medium to high flow area in the main tank to very minimal flow in the jar.

I figured mine were expelling waste based on the stress of the move with different light/water/flow and then not having enough flow to move it off the head.

Maybe it was just coincidence for me that they were able to clear it when I moved more flow. Might have just needed time.

 

[PaulE61]

I'll try blasting it off with a bulb feeder, I'll keep you posted, Btw I'm glad no one said they look ill/sick

 

[Just John]

Any updates?

 

[Tonyreeffish]

Looks like the insides or zooxanthellae is comin out. Id get that kh down for sure.

 

[Tonyreeffish]

Looks like the insides or zooxanthellae is comin out. Id get that kh down for sure.

Also on the close up pic it looks like theres some zoa pox showin up...