Zoanthids melted and now covered in little critters!

[g5flier]

Hi, a fairly new reefer here having fantastic results up to this point. My Zoa's purchased from my LFS less then 2 weeks ago started melting to the point where I pulled them out of the display tank tonight. Looking closely there are hundreds of little critters swimming around them, see the video. Anyone care to id these? Is this serious, should I take some kind of immediate action? All my other LPS corals and zoa's are doing wonderful, these unfortunately are in the trash bin. Thanks for the help on this one!

You tube link:

 

[aaron23]

Wow what on earth? Fleas?

 

[Maritimer]

Pretty sure I've never seen those before ... but perhaps @Lionfish Lair or someone else on the #reefsquad has?

Any thoughts, Renee?

~Bruce

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Just looks like swarming copepods to me. I don't believe they have anything to do with the zoanthid's condition itself, but I think they are there because of it.

 

[aaron23]

@Lionfish Lair coepods swim that fast?

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Oh yes. They're fast.

Here's a video of some. Probably not the same type, but you can see the behavior.

 

[g5flier]

Looks to be about the same thing...maybe I can finally get a Mandarinfish now! They will have plenty to eat

 

[Lionfish Lair]

This is only temporary. Once that food source is gone, their numbers will die back.