Zoa only partially opening

[melonheadorion]

as of 2 days ago, my zoa randomly closed. i have it next to another colony of zoas who are doing just fine. there have not been any changes to the tank itself. 2 days ago, the zoas were open, and they started closing through the day, and since then, the most they have done, is partially opened, as you will see in the picture. this was a purchase about 2 weeks ago from a reputable coral store here. the frag i bought was the purchase of 2 larger polyps, and a smaller one. in the store, and at home, i have only had seen the 2 larger ones open. the third smaller one has never opened, so no issue there really. when i took the coral out of the tank to check for things that might be hitchhiking, i noticed what may be a newer polyp, but it has never opened either, and to be fair, i dont recall if it was there on the day i purchased it.

i used my baster to blow on it gently in case there was something on or around it causing iritation.

from the point i put it in my tank the day i bought it, it opened right up the same day, and have had no issues with it whatsoever, up until the day it decided to close. not sure why it seems to stay closed, or only partially opened. perhaps the 4th polyp is new, and may have caused it to close, i dont know, but need your thoughts.

i used my baster to blow on it gently in case there was something on or around it causing iritation.

its in an area where there is moderate flow, and the light, as you can see, is not intense or overly bright

parameters-
salinity- 1.026
ammonia-0
nitrites-0
nitrates 10-20
calcium 400
alk-10.5
PH-8.1
temp 78-79 deg

other coral life- hammer coral, GSP (purchased same day from the same shop), another colony of zoas. all are doing well, none show any signs of something that would be happening within the tank, and just seems to be local to the one small zoa frag.

p.s. i am aware that the shrimps, crabs, snails, etc will cause them to close. although the shrimp is near it at this time, he just made an appearance for a pic opp. normally, these would open eventually, if they were touched by an invert. these when i watched them close up, were not touched by an invert

 

[T-J]

Hey there fellow Wisconsinite! (I'm originally from the Milwaukee area, went to UW-Green Bay, and now living in Phoenix)

Just leave them. Don't take them out and don't hit them with the baster anymore. Everytime you touch them or disturb them you're possibly irritating them.
Zoas are incredibly resilient. Sometimes they just close up. I have hundreds of zoas between my tanks and for no reason that I can see, some will close for a day, or two or more, before they open back up just fine.
Just keep an eye on them for anything crawling on them, such as zoa spiders or whatnot.
If they start to melt, then you know you have a problem.

 

[melonheadorion]

Hey there fellow Wisconsinite! (I'm originally from the Milwaukee area, went to UW-Green Bay, and now living in Phoenix)

Just leave them. Don't take them out and don't hit them with the baster anymore. Everytime you touch them or disturb them you're possibly irritating them.
Zoas are incredibly resilient. Sometimes they just close up. I have hundreds of zoas between my tanks and for no reason that I can see, some will close for a day, or two or more, before they open back up just fine.
Just keep an eye on them for anything crawling on them, such as zoa spiders or whatnot.
If they start to melt, then you know you have a problem.

thats what my plan has been. i cant force them to open, and the more i fiddle with them, the more it just hinders them. figured i would ask if there was something else i should look for? i didnt see anything physically wrong, and other than what i did a day or two later, is all i have done for them just in case there was something actually irritating them. it was just a little alarming because its now on day 3, and what you see in the pic is about as far open as they get

 

[Uncle99]

You posted all but phosphate.
I’d be interested.
Not the answer, just interested.
Too me, look like what happens if to high of PAR.

 

[melonheadorion]

You posted all but phosphate.
I’d be interested.

<.2 but more than 0

 

[Uncle99]

<.2 but more than 0

Perfect!
Look unhappy with light…

 

[ReefChasers]

Zoa's are typically VERY hardy, it really takes a lot to lose them, even when you think they are lost they can suddenly spring back, so I wouldn't panic!

 

[melonheadorion]

Perfect!
Look unhappy with light…

more light, or less? right now, they are in a lower to mid light area

 

[ReefChasers]

more light, or less? right now, they are in a lower to mid light area

If they want more light they will open up wider and wider and also 'stretch' with their stalks. Sometimes if they are more closed up and shriveled it could mean too much.

 

[Uncle99]

more light, or less? right now, they are in a lower to mid light area

When they close, that may be too much PAR.
When the stretch, too less.
They can be acclimated to higher pars and flows over time.
It may just be a reaction to the changes from store to your DT, it can take a bit, if everyone else is happy, I’d sit tight for a week.

 

[melonheadorion]

When they close, that may be too much PAR.
When the stretch, too less.
They can be acclimated to higher pars and flows over time.
It may just be a reaction to the changes from store to your DT, it can take a bit, if everyone else is happy, I’d sit tight for a week.

not much else i can do other than to wait it out. my other frag of zoas are doing well, and they are in a spot in the tank that is receiving a considerable amount more light comparative to this frag. i moved them off to where they are now in case it was lighting, but nothing has changed.

 

[Gtinnel]

As already been mentioned several times but when a newer zoa of mine closes for an extended period of time I move them to lower light. I had a new rasta frag that oponed up when on my rack but after a few days closed and would open again. After a week or so I moved it to a shaded part of the tank and they opened and quickly started growing. I don't have a par meter but they're in a shaded part of the tank that looks like really, really low par.

 

[melonheadorion]

As already been mentioned several times but when a newer zoa of mine closes for an extended period of time I move them to lower light. I had a new rasta frag that oponed up when on my rack but after a few days closed and would open again. After a week or so I moved it to a shaded part of the tank and they opened and quickly started growing. I don't have a par meter but they're in a shaded part of the tank that looks like really, really low par.

thanks for the info. i think i will actually try that, and see what happens