Why are these Zoas gray?

staylor1490

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Hi,

I purchased several paly and zoa frags off a reefer located near my house two weeks ago. All of the corals are doing seemingly doing fine with the exception of this mystery zoa he gave me (he didn't know the name). The zoa looks gray and colorless, even though it looks mostly opened. Under blue light, I can't see any fluorescing with the exception of some red skirts on one of the polyps. I don't think the gray color is natural. What do you think happened to these zoas and how do I get them their color back? Before he sold me the frags the seller dipped all of the frags in a hydrogen peroxide solution to get rid of pests.

IMG_3577.jpg IMG_3578.jpg IMG_3579.jpg IMG_3581.jpg
 

vetteguy53081

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Focus on lighting. They need to produce zooxanthellae which inhibits color and growth and too much or too little light will cause this
Also feed them
 
OP
OP
S

staylor1490

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Thanks! If too much lighting is a problem wouldn't they close up? These zoas are around the top of my rockwork.
 

freezie

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I have zoas that are that same gray color but the skirt is more orange/pink than the ones in your pictures. I’ve had them for close to a year now, in different tanks, in different lighting, in different flow, and they have not changed from that gray color. I think it might actually be their normal coloration. I have them in a shaded area under a frag rack and the polyps have gotten bigger but remained gray.
 

freezie

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I would also crush that vermetid snail that’s on the frag plug. It’s definitely irritating them.
 

Steven Garland

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I say too much light,normally zoa's will brown out or stretch toawrds the light if its not strong enough.

Try spot feeding with reefroids. How is your flow,nutrients lighting ?
 

HudsonReefer2.0

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Hi,

I purchased several paly and zoa frags off a reefer located near my house two weeks ago. All of the corals are doing seemingly doing fine with the exception of this mystery zoa he gave me (he didn't know the name). The zoa looks gray and colorless, even though it looks mostly opened. Under blue light, I can't see any fluorescing with the exception of some red skirts on one of the polyps. I don't think the gray color is natural. What do you think happened to these zoas and how do I get them their color back? Before he sold me the frags the seller dipped all of the frags in a hydrogen peroxide solution to get rid of pests.

IMG_3577.jpg IMG_3578.jpg IMG_3579.jpg IMG_3581.jpg
Those are senior citizens.
 

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