Losing Zoas /ICP testing

[Lostoften]

Looking for some direction as I have been losing Zoas in my tank, that had previously been thriving. I don’t believe it’s nutrient related, and haven’t seen any pests. Zoas had spread from frags to 30+ polyps only to close and then melt away. Meanwhile other Zoas and LPS are still thriving.

I removed some frags from tank, and placed them back in QT tank and they are recovering. After I removed these struggling frags, the closest colony of 20 polyps went closed the very next day.

I do dip all frags between tank transfers in coral RX.

ICP test showed low Iodine and High Zinc.

Current fish: Goby, foxface, butterfly, flame angel, gem tang, PB tang, WT bristle tooth tang, file fish, clowns, anthias, carpenters and leopard wrasse. I have not noticed any of them messing with the corals.

Appreciate any insights.

 

[Lostoften]

Results of ICP

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Do you have photos of your tank?

 

[Lostoften]

Sorry glass needs scraped. Not sure if the scraper been using is the cause of high zinc.

 

[ShanePike]

Did you make any changes recently? A few months ago, I added a homemade frag rack and one species of zoa (out of 25+ that I had) closed up and refused to reopen for weeks. I removed the rack, and they opened back up shortly after that — although they've yet to fully regain their color. No idea what the problem was.

 

[Lostoften]

Nothing drastic, first started losing colony’s when I was fighting Dino’s. Assumed the first colony was due to flow being too direct from running UV to and from display. However, it never recovered and melted away. Running GFO/carbon, but that’s to maintain phosphates, which have been around 0.15 and nitrates usually around 30

 

[ShanePike]

How bad were the dinos? I've read that they can release toxins when they die.

 

[Lostoften]

This round wasn’t as bad, also this type was Not dominated by osteo. I also have been running carbon which should have helped with any toxins.

 

[bluemon]

Do you have any asterinas?

Specifically the ones with red blotches on the back.

My asterinas started eating my zoas one day and I now have a harlequin shrimp

 

[Lostoften]

I have not seen any asterinas, noticed some in QT tank, but removed from there.

After losing fish to velvet/ich everything goes into QT first for 60 days.

 

[Lostoften]

Have had to take the display fallow, after catching the leopard wrasse I have seen some zoas starting to return. The flame angel has been out of the tank for a few weeks, which I thought would be the more likely culprit.

 

[ShawnSaucier]

I would look at the angel, fox face, butterfly and filefish as possible suspects..

 

[Lostoften]

Not sure how long it takes for zoas to recover, but just noticed the polyps returning yesterday. The leopard was caught on Friday. The others have been out a couple weeks.