zoas with curled up skirts, why??

[sensei]

I have around 6 differnet kind of zoas and look are doing same thing, all other coral look fine
why do zoas do not open completely??

I noticed that algae in glass of main dt started to grow agresivelly. Before, I cleaned after 3-4 days but after this episode glass is with algae after 1 day.

I was feeding my fish to much but I reduced feedings after seing that zoas do not open completely, I have done 3 consecutive WC of 10% daily, but zoas are still looking the same although algae in glass is now growing as it used to.

I have not made any change in lighting or any thing else in main dt.

I tested today and everything seems perfect in test kits:

alk 7.8, cal 400, NO3 =5 PO4=0.049, salt 1.025

please let me know what you think can be happening and can can I do

thanks

 

[DSC reef]

They look irritated. Possibly a chemistry swing.

 

[Capitol Reef Corals]

It's very hard to say. Especially with that many closing up all at once. It definitely has to be something with the water. I'd send in an ICP test and see if there's something irritating them that hasn't shown up yet in your other corals. I've noticed that some of my zoas would close up for a few days to a week and then open up normal and be fine. I wouldn't be too stressed yet. But the ICP test would be good to have on hand/sending one in.

 

[Capitol Reef Corals]

They look irritated. Possibly a chemistry swing.

Also, agree that if there was a big chemistry swing this could do it. Temperature? pH? mag? Anything else you dose?

 

[sensei]

I only dose two part and carbon.
I test every week and cal, alk have been very stable. I have a chiller so temp is very much controlled (79-81) and ph has been stable from 8.28 -8.5 according to apex
this is why I can only think in a detriment of the water due to the increased feeding I was doing, and how algae started growing to much in glass.
I live outside the US so icp test is not really an option

have you seen this skirts up look before? not sure if this is something they do?

Thanks a lot

 

[Dennco2000]

Maybe try reducing your light levels by 50% for 2 or 3 days and see what happens.

 

[Capitol Reef Corals]

I only dose two part and carbon.
I test every week and cal, alk have been very stable. I have a chiller so temp is very much controlled (79-81) and ph has been stable from 8.28 -8.5 according to apex
this is why I can only think in a detriment of the water due to the increased feeding I was doing, and how algae started growing to much in glass.
I live outside the US so icp test is not really an option

have you seen this skirts up look before? not sure if this is something they do?

Thanks a lot

I'd buy a magnesium test kit and test your levels. Just dosing alk and calc could lower your mag levels a lot. I also have noticed that the zoas on the edge of my frag tank sometimes curl up like this. Therefore, I would assume they need more light? It's just weird because they seemed to be doing very well with the light levels before. I don't see any algae on the zoas themselves so idk why they would curl up if more algae was growing on the glass. I think you shouldn't take any drastic measures yet. Just monitor and keep doing what you're doing.

 

[John3]

You may want to consider a water change. Zoas not fully opening can head south fairly quick. If they start closing up further I would def do a change.

 

[sensei]

I'd buy a magnesium test kit and test your levels. Just dosing alk and calc could lower your mag levels a lot. I also have noticed that the zoas on the edge of my frag tank sometimes curl up like this. Therefore, I would assume they need more light? It's just weird because they seemed to be doing very well with the light levels before. I don't see any algae on the zoas themselves so idk why they would curl up if more algae was growing on the glass. I think you shouldn't take any drastic measures yet. Just monitor and keep doing what you're doing.

I do not dose mag becuase it does not seem to change, and it is replenished through water changes. I tested the 17th of NOV and it was 1395
I have 400W halides and light is enough, as you can see they have multiplied in numbers, but this is the first time I see soemthing like this
thanks

 

[sensei]

You may want to consider a water change. Zoas not fully opening can head south fairly quick. If they start closing up further I would def do a change.

I did 3 consecutive 10% WC when this started 10 days ago. I do 1.5% auto WC daily.

 

[DSC reef]

I'm still thinking chemistry related to effect the entire colony or something got into the tank. What's your water volume? 10% isn't really that big of a change.

 

[sensei]

I'm still thinking chemistry related to effect the entire colony or something got into the tank. What's your water volume? 10% isn't really that big of a change.

System water volume is around 600g
I made 3 consecutive water changes of 55g each in addition to the dily 1.5%. I have not introduced anything new to tank. It should be the water, but I am.not sure if the 3 WC are enough or if should do more?? Anyway I am not sure how much time.would it take for zoas to get back to normar even if water is fine again?

Please tell what you think
Thanks

 

[Justfebreezeit]

If they stay like this for longer than another week and you are still stumped google Zoas and Chemiclean.

I had the same problem and could never figure it out, I dosed chemiclean because I heard WWC does it for their zoas a couple times a year. Worked for me after about a week

 

[Kremis]

Chemiclean fixed this for me the 2 times it happened

 

[DSC reef]

If they stay like this for longer than another week and you are still stumped google Zoas and Chemiclean.

I had the same problem and could never figure it out, I dosed chemiclean because I heard WWC does it for their zoas a couple times a year. Worked for me after about a week

Very intersting, thanks for sharing that.

 

[sensei]

I am noticing that rocks are now all over coated with a lot of bubbles and a rusty colored film.
please look at photos. Is this Dinos??

zoas do not have them on top but they should be in water coloumn?
maybe this is why zoas are not opening?
please let me know what you think

 

[GentlePuffer]

Bump

 

[stoneydread]

I have a couple new zoa plugs that aren't opening all the way yet and I've had them for a few weeks now. My two original colonies are doing great and fully extended and healthy, but the new frags are staying mostly closed. I don't get it. The pic below is an old picture of my original colony and they have tripled in size and amount but just a reference.

 

[mps026]

This has happened to me...chemiclean is the fix.

 

[mps026]

This has happened to me...chemiclean is the fix.