Zoas shrinking, melting and dying

[DibsOnMcRibs]

I literally pulled an asterina star off of one my pink diamonds while it was wrapped around the polyp and digesting it. I noticed while looking at my tank with the lights off. I did notice that that starfish had black marking on the center of its body.
I’ve also seen my zoas respond poorly, and as you’ve described, when I increased my lighting.

Goodluck!

 

[Bars]

Update: orange zoas, lotr and the golden are still open and looking okay. The rastas actually opened up again and are also looking okay, so that's a good sign I guess. They seem to respond a little better to feeding reef roids since the dip and iodine dosing. Hopefully I'll be able to see some new growth and bigger heads in the next weeks/months.

I moved all the frags with closed heads behind a piece of liverock so they're not in sight anymore. Pretty sure they won't open up anymore, but I don't know how to safely dispose of them. Figured either they'll recover or will eventually melt away. These are the frags that have been closed for weeks/months.

Bonus positive note: since I've been dosing iodine my Blastomussas have become enormous, hammers are twice as big and my torch is a lot happier.

I'll be getting new test kits next week so I can accurately determine the daily consumption. Then I can start dosing to stabilize parameters more, hopefully that'll make both the zoas and my other corals even happier.

 

[Terry Mattson]

Update: orange zoas, lotr and the golden are still open and looking okay. The rastas actually opened up again and are also looking okay, so that's a good sign I guess. They seem to respond a little better to feeding reef roids since the dip and iodine dosing. Hopefully I'll be able to see some new growth and bigger heads in the next weeks/months.

I moved all the frags with closed heads behind a piece of liverock so they're not in sight anymore. Pretty sure they won't open up anymore, but I don't know how to safely dispose of them. Figured either they'll recover or will eventually melt away. These are the frags that have been closed for weeks/months.

Bonus positive note: since I've been dosing iodine my Blastomussas have become enormous, hammers are twice as big and my torch is a lot happier.

I'll be getting new test kits next week so I can accurately determine the daily consumption. Then I can start dosing to stabilize parameters more, hopefully that'll make both the zoas and my other corals even happier.

That is good news. The ones not opening behind the rock? Pull them out and give them a chance? They need some light. But this is a good update for sure. Keep iodine. 05/.06 ppm. Measure weekly until you know the dosing. I dose 2 drops every Sunday keep iodine at .06. I also do a 1 gallon water change every day. I have 91 gallon system, likely 75 gallons with rock and sand in the tank.

 

[Bars]

The ones behind the rock still get plenty of light, it's just that they're out of sight haha.

What iodine test kit are you using? Haven't bought one yet

 

[Terry Mattson]

The ones behind the rock still get plenty of light, it's just that they're out of sight haha.

What iodine test kit are you using? Haven't bought one yet

Red sea iodine pro test kit.

 

[Terry Mattson]

I use brightwell iodine

 

[Bars]

Been a few weeks now and this is what they look like now. Thoughts?

Except for the pink ones still stretching a bit, I feel like they look pretty good. I think the orange zoas have grown a bit in size. The rastas were almost completely gone, but the tiniest heads are open again.

No new heads yet, but that'll come eventually I hope. Have been dosing aminos and iodine weekly. Also feeding them a pretty thick reef roids paste, which they actually hold on to compared to when I sprayed a bunch of watered down roids on them.

 

[Terry Mattson]

Sounds like progress. At least moving in the positive direction. Do you know what the iodine measurement is? I had 4 polys and over 100 zoas in four colonies about 6 months ago. I now have 9 polys and they are twice the size of when I got them. Additionally, I have not counted them but must have 150 zoas now. I feed my corals once a week with 3 different products including reef roids. I also does about 15ml of live phytoplankton daily as I have pods and a maxima clam. Clam doing okay so far. Had the clam about 2 months. Again, I keep iodine about .06 ppm.

 

[Terry Mattson]

Here are a few pics. One poly colony is on the wall behind a rock work so no pictures. All together have 13 polys. I keep my SG at 1.026. Dkh 7.8 to 8.5. Calcium 450. Mag normally 1350 but is 1450 after over dose slowly coming down. Iodine .05 to .06. P04 .03 to .08. Nitrate levels are very low, to low perhaps .1 .... temp 78.5 to 79. I have a refugium and harvest about every 10 days. 2 filter socks I have to change every 4 days. Skimmer I run fairly dry. And a uv, likely not doing much as the bulb is a year old. My system is 91 gallons but like 70 to 75 gallons after rock work. I dose kalkwisser by the hour with a doser, about 360 ml per day. Run a little carbon monthly. Change about 3/4 to 1 gallon of saltwater per day. Ya, I do not do the big changes weekly. Hope this helps ....

 

[vetteguy53081]

I use brightwell iodine

is it the Lugols by Brightwell ? ( It's the best )

 

[Terry Mattson]

is it the Lugols by Brightwell ? ( It's the best )

 

[Bars]

Thanks. Last I checked (about 2 weeks ago) iodine was around .05.

Going to pick up an ATI Essentials pro set tomorrow to finally start dosing, which should dose iodine as well. Hopefully it'll make them a bit more happy.

Your colonies look great Terry
Hopefully mine will eventually look something like that haha.

 

[Terry Mattson]

Thanks. Last I checked (about 2 weeks ago) iodine was around .05.

Going to pick up an ATI Essentials pro set tomorrow to finally start dosing, which should dose iodine as well. Hopefully it'll make them a bit more happy.

Your colonies look great Terry
Hopefully mine will eventually look something like that haha.

They will!

 

[Bxr126]

Thanks for this thread guys. I am going through the same crap over here. I just started dosing iodine today. 120 gallon aquarium I added 5 drops of lugols and still testing out below .02 using the Salifert kit.

 

[Terry Mattson]

Thanks for this thread guys. I am going through the same crap over here. I just started dosing iodine today. 120 gallon aquarium I added 5 drops of lugols and still testing out below .02 using the Salifert kit.

Add 5 drops tomorrow and after a few hours retest. You want to get iodide to .05 or .06 ppm

 

[Terry Mattson]

Thanks for this thread guys. I am going through the same crap over here. I just started dosing iodine today. 120 gallon aquarium I added 5 drops of lugols and still testing out below .02 using the Salifert kit.

How many zoas do you have? Pictures?

 

[Bxr126]

How many zoas do you have? Pictures?

I have a pretty solid mix. Some are doing OK some are border line dead. I'll grab some pics tomorrow when the T5s are on. Right now it would be blue over load

 

[Terry Mattson]

I have a pretty solid mix. Some are doing OK some are border line dead. I'll grab some pics tomorrow when the T5s are on. Right now it would be blue over load

Ok. I have a detailed thread called "zoas not opening solved". Maybe that would help. Also, look carefully for zoa eating nudibranch.... very hard to see. They are actually quite pretty but will bother and kill zoas. I had those once and plucked them off then decided to dip. Had like 4 fall off.

 

[Bxr126]

Just to provide an update. Zoas are on the rebound in my tank. I started dosing iodine (Brightwell), but no matter what I couldn't get a good reading on the salifert kit so I just took the cautious approach. I put 2 drops in the sump every 3-4 nights. I also started doing more frequent water changes and under the advisement of my LFS) I shut down the carbon reactor for a bit (He thought I may be stripping the water). I am noticing that the zoas are slowly coming around. Thanks again for the help

 

[Terry Mattson]

Just to provide an update. Zoas are on the rebound in my tank. I started dosing iodine (Brightwell), but no matter what I couldn't get a good reading on the salifert kit so I just took the cautious approach. I put 2 drops in the sump every 3-4 nights. I also started doing more frequent water changes and under the advisement of my LFS) I shut down the carbon reactor for a bit (He thought I may be stripping the water). I am noticing that the zoas are slowly coming around. Thanks again for the help

That is awesome news. I now just add 2 drops a week during coral feeding time. I have a 73 gallon desplay and 19 sump. With rock work and sand displacement I estimate 70 to 75 gallions water volume. I am about to add 4 more zoa frags that are prettier and more $. Will see if they multiply like the rest. I use the red sea iodine test kit. And this works good. Just follow directions to the letter....