Is something wrong with my zoa??

[Miniblade]

Hey everyone! I'm new to the forum (and to keeping saltwater lol) and I had some questions about a zoa of mine. I've got a 5 gallon nano tank with two flaming prawn gobies, a golden leptastrea, sunset montipora, a black infusion zoa, and a zoa (forgot the morph name) that's similar to the black infusion but with slightly different coloration. The zoanthid that's similar to the black infusion (we'll call him zoa 2) has recently been acting slightly strange in my opinion. Most of the polyps stay open under lighting, but a few of them are closing on one half of the polyp but not on the other. I also noticed a weird object inbetween a couple of the heads. I don't have much in the way of water testing equipment, but the salinity is 1.025 on the dot, iron is at 0mg/l, copper is at 0mg/l, nitrate is at 15mg/l-ish, nitrites are at 0mg/l, chlorine is at 0mg/l, GH is at about 240mg/l-ish, total alkalinity is at about 180mg/l, carbonate hardness is at 80mg/l, and PH is at about 8.6. Temp is at 77f regulated by a marineland heater with a digital thermometer. I'm using a chinese light that's running 100% blue and 100% UV. I have a fluval cp1 powerhead (265gph so around 52x flow of the tank volume ) aimed at the front of the tank so the flow is broken up and indirect. I've been feeding them phytoplankton and zooplankton once per week. The gobies are fed live tigger pods and/or live copepods. Does anyone know the object is, and what might be going on with my zoa?

 

[zfisk]

Looks like some algae growing in-between them. Try blowing them off with a turkey baster or removing the algae by other means.

 

[Miniblade]

Looks like some algae growing in-between them. Try blowing them off with a turkey baster or removing the algae by other means.

I tried the turkey baster and it didn't work, removed it with a pair of long tweezers and my wife's zoa is doing 10x better now!

 

[zfisk]

I tried the turkey baster and it didn't work, removed it with a pair of long tweezers and my wife's zoa is doing 10x better now!

Awesome! Glad to hear it

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hey everyone! I'm new to the forum (and to keeping saltwater lol) and I had some questions about a zoa of mine. I've got a 5 gallon nano tank with two flaming prawn gobies, a golden leptastrea, sunset montipora, a black infusion zoa, and a zoa (forgot the morph name) that's similar to the black infusion but with slightly different coloration. The zoanthid that's similar to the black infusion (we'll call him zoa 2) has recently been acting slightly strange in my opinion. Most of the polyps stay open under lighting, but a few of them are closing on one half of the polyp but not on the other. I also noticed a weird object inbetween a couple of the heads. I don't have much in the way of water testing equipment, but the salinity is 1.025 on the dot, iron is at 0mg/l, copper is at 0mg/l, nitrate is at 15mg/l-ish, nitrites are at 0mg/l, chlorine is at 0mg/l, GH is at about 240mg/l-ish, total alkalinity is at about 180mg/l, carbonate hardness is at 80mg/l, and PH is at about 8.6. Temp is at 77f regulated by a marineland heater with a digital thermometer. I'm using a chinese light that's running 100% blue and 100% UV. I have a fluval cp1 powerhead (265gph so around 52x flow of the tank volume ) aimed at the front of the tank so the flow is broken up and indirect. I've been feeding them phytoplankton and zooplankton once per week. The gobies are fed live tigger pods and/or live copepods. Does anyone know the object is, and what might be going on with my zoa?

Zoa are easily irritated and often get algae-sponge and bubble algae between their polyps. Glad you were able to resolve. Other issues that bother them are too much light, fish which many pick at them and water quality

 

[Reef Devils]

Zoa are easily irritated and often get algae-sponge and bubble algae between their polyps. Glad you were able to resolve. Other issues that bother them are too much light, fish which many pick at them and water quality

Mine have been looking good but there is one spot that does not open. Is it because there are too many?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Mine have been looking good but there is one spot that does not open. Is it because there are too many?

Zoas are distant in the pic but may be cyano ?? Trying gentle burst with a turkey baster and see if the reddish stuff dislodges. If so, assure your po4 and no3 are not elevated

 

[Reef Devils]

Zoas are distant in the pic but may be cyano ?? Trying gentle burst with a turkey baster and see if the reddish stuff dislodges. If so, assure your po4 and no3 are not elevated

I will blow on it with a baster. I thought it was Coraline algea but i may be wrong. Her is a better pic.

Nitrate is 6.2
Phosphate is 0.0 needs to go up.

Nitrate of 6.2 is good right?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I will blow on it with a baster. I thought it was Coraline algea but i may be wrong. Her is a better pic.

Nitrate is 6.2
Phosphate is 0.0 needs to go up.

Nitrate of 6.2 is good right?

Your nutrients are low and the red material may be a substance known as foraminiferan and will over take the rock

 

[Reef Devils]

Your nutrients are low and the red material may be a substance known as foraminiferan and will over take the rock

Yea I know phosphate is low. I should get that to 0.03 but what should I have my nitrates at? Is this foraminiferan stuff bad? What should I do about it?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Yea I know phosphate is low. I should get that to 0.03 but what should I have my nitrates at? Is this foraminiferan stuff bad? What should I do about it?

Forminiferan not harmful but takes up real estate on the rock
po4 - .08
nitrate 15-20

Feed them 2-3x a week

 

[Reef Devils]

Forminiferan not harmful but takes up real estate on the rock
po4 - .08
nitrate 15-20

Feed them 2-3x a week

So will it take over that rock and the zoas?
I will work on getting my nitrate and phosphate up.

Feed the zoas 2-3 times a week? - reef roids?

 

[vetteguy53081]

So will it take over that rock and the zoas?
I will work on getting my nitrate and phosphate up.

Feed the zoas 2-3 times a week? - reef roids?

Roids and brine shrimp. It grows very slowly. If it becomes a nuisance to can scrape it off with an ice or dental pick