Help needed with zoas

[wasabi bean]

I bought a few zoas on a large rock two years back, they grew really well and covered the whole rock. I moved them into my new tank (a year ago) and they were ok but didn’t grow any further and i lost a few polyps, so i tried moving them higher up in the tank, to what the lighting would have been like before and they have just slowly been disappearing, but are still really stretching to the light. My other corals are all doing well with great colour but all my zoas just aren’t doing great. The first picture is from my old tank and the second was a few weeks ago, they are in the top left. I will get a better picture of where they are compared to other corals when i get back. Do you think i should move them, and if so where? Thanks

 

[kevgib67]

I bought a few zoas on a large rock two years back, they grew really well and covered the whole rock. I moved them into my new tank (a year ago) and they were ok but didn’t grow any further and i lost a few polyps, so i tried moving them higher up in the tank, to what the lighting would have been like before and they have just slowly been disappearing, but are still really stretching to the light. My other corals are all doing well with great colour but all my zoas just aren’t doing great. The first picture is from my old tank and the second was a few weeks ago, they are in the top left. I will get a better picture of where they are compared to other corals when i get back. Do you think i should move them, and if so where? Thanks

How far off were the parameters in the new tank as compared to the previous tank? Can you list both?

 

[wasabi bean]

How far off were the parameters in the new tank as compared to the previous tank? Can you list both?

I can, i seem to remember they were almost identical, with only nitrates being out by about 5ppm lower. But they have been in this tank a year and a half now, surely they won’t still be affected by that

 

[kevgib67]

I can, i seem to remember they were almost identical, with only nitrates being out by about 5ppm lower. But they have been in this tank a year and a half now, surely they won’t still be affected by that

They like dirty water, higher nitrate and phosphates and as long as you have that we could rule that out. I was thinking perhaps you took them from a high nutrient system to a low, that would upset them. Could you take them out and dip them, maybe something like zoa eating spiders hitchhiked in since the move? Sometimes certain zoas just melt for no apparent reason. Make sure they are in enough par that they aren’t reaching for light.

 

[wasabi bean]

They like dirty water, higher nitrate and phosphates and as long as you have that we could rule that out. I was thinking perhaps you took them from a high nutrient system to a low, that would upset them. Could you take them out and dip them, maybe something like zoa eating spiders hitchhiked in since the move? Sometimes certain zoas just melt for no apparent reason. Make sure they are in enough par that they aren’t reaching for light.

Thanks, in that case i might slowly move them up to somewhere with a bit more light, do you think i should put them the same level as where my hammer is happy?

 

[wasabi bean]

How far off were the parameters in the new tank as compared to the previous tank? Can you list both?

Oh and i think my water will be fine 0.05ppm phosphate and about 12 ppm nitrate

 

[kevgib67]

Oh and i think my water will be fine 0.05ppm phosphate and about 12 ppm nitrate

Those are good for a mixed reef.

 

[kevgib67]

Thanks, in that case i might slowly move them up to somewhere with a bit more light, do you think i should put them the same level as where my hammer is happy?

Maybe half way, just move 4-5 inches, wait a week and repeat.

 

[wasabi bean]

Maybe half way, just move 4-5 inches, wait a week and repeat.

Good, plan, because i know they take a while to adjust so you cant just stick em way higher

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Have you checked for predators? I've had cowrie snails eat up colonies of zoa's, sexy shrimp will also eat zoa's.