Zoas closed half way for week

[dbraun15]

I have about 10 different colonies of zoas and they all have kind of closed about half way for about a week--normal water changes weekly--my test kits show 0 trate, trite, ammonia--the feeding tentacles haven't shown themselves at all only their mouths--this started after I fed my other corals cyclopeeze for the first time--my leathers and mushrooms don't look so hot either, but LPS, xenia, and GSP look fine--any ideas? I performed a water change two days ago and am going to have my LFS test my water to see if my tests are off--salinity 1.024--

[dbraun15]

no change after a week--I did a ro/di dip for 3 minutes--found nothing but small shrimp and copepods--anyone have any advice--I have one colony that is completely open, 1 colony about 50% are open and only showing their mouths, and my GSP is only open about 50%--I need help please--I performed a water my normal water change yesterday and have started dosing "reef solution"--since then my leather has opened back up, but colt and mushrooms still look shriveled--

[MUCHO REEF]

Hello dbraun15, I feel your pain. However I wouldn't have performed the dip. It is nearly impossible for any predator to envade your tank and attack everything at the same time. It's not the food btw. Have a few questions for you.

1. Are you dosing iodine?

2. On the day in question, when you first noticed the retraction on all of your colonies, did you do anything else that day to or around your tank.

3. Are you using carbon?

4. Have you checked you pumps, heater etc for stray voltage?

5. Do you have a grounding plug in your tank or fug?

6. Just curious, was the cyclop eez frozen or dry form?

7. Did you switch or upgrade your lighting at all?

Run your actinics only for a full photoperiod and tell us what happens.

Mucho

[dbraun15]

Thanks mucho--to answer your questions
1. No Iodine prior to problem--now using "reef solution" trace elements with iodine in it
2. Nothing out of the ordinary except feed the cyclpeeze.
3 No Carbon, only chemi-pure and phosban, along with filter floss and LR rubble
4. No problems with heater/pump or voltage
5. No Fuge or ground
6. Whole Freeze Dried Cyclopeeze
7. No change in lighting
I can't only run actinics on my nano cube--only one ballast and both daylight/actinics are on at same time--

Hope that helps and thanks for the personalized attention!!

[dbraun15]

bump--still no change and looking for advice/help

[na1paj]

I don't think it's the cyclopeeze, but I would quit using it anyway. it's nutrients are too high. You can try feeding phyto or rotifers instead, or bbs.

I would take a magnifying glass to see if there are any hitch hikers.

zoaid.com has pics of the hitch hikers.

I have some of the stars that never bothered my zoas, but all of a sudden, one of my colony started closing up, and I found some stars on them eating them.

And then my husband idiotically pumped huge amounts of alk into the tank for his sps.. and I think that's been killing my zoas *_*. the colonies are starting to close up and a few polyps turning black.

Anyway, so check for preditors.

[MUCHO REEF]

Have things turned around for you at all?

I agree that it's not the Cyclop eez, that is unless somehow it got contaminated. Highly unlikely if it was sealed tightly.

I would definitely start running the carbon if for no other reason than to remove water staining dissolved organic material which would result it yellow water. Make sure you use a very high quality activated carbon. There are some on the market that will release phosphates into the water column.

I would perform a water change if nothing has changed.

You said there was no problem with stray voltage, did you test and see, or is this an assumption? It sure sounds like it could be stray voltage with so many corals being affected.

Has anyone gone near the tank with any aerosol sprays, cigarette smoke, carpet shampoo, candles etc ?


I would also add vitamins and amino acids.

Zoas will typically and periodically close up for a couple days to 10 days as a means of cleaning themselves externally. During this process, the overall character of the polyp should not change.

List every fish and vert in your tank if you can.

Are any of the polyps detaching and floating away?

Are there any missing polyps?

Just noticed you mentioned you were doing weekly water changes. Is this your normal practice? If it is, I would stop doing weekly water changes.

I firmly don't believe it's a predator at all.

And you are using RO water correct?

If they are still closed, to date, how long has it been thus far?

Do you have any power heads in your tank? If so, remove them one at a time and inspect the motor. These units are usually sealed, BUT, if the internal seal is compromised, well , lets just say that I will post a pic tomorrow of what one looks like. It happened to me years ago and my corals closed up for over a week until I found the problem.

Lean over your tank and put your nose just above the water surface and tell me if it has an order or if you smell sulfer.

Lets stay on this, I would hate to see you lose your corals.

Mucho

[dbraun15]

Mucho,


Thanks again for the continued help-- to answer your questions--

It has been about 2 1/2 weeks since this began--most of my zoas have opened, but not like they used to--the feeder tentacles are only starting to show themselves and not extend like before--my mushrooms have continued to stay shriveled, GSP about 60% open but not extending like before, hairy mushroom has turned white and looks like a goner, colt coral has inflated and stands tall but doesn't open and extend polyps like before, ricordea is open but not as "bumpy" as before(more of a flat appearance)--I wish I could show you before and after pictures, but my files on my camera are too big--good news is that my xenia, candy cane, trachy brain and one orange zoa colony are thriving--funny thing is that all zoas/shrooms/rics are still growing and producing more polyps-- I have since performed another water change last Sun and there seems to be a little improvement--

My tank consists of a 6 line wrasse, rose antennae goby,cleaner shrimp, assorted cerith, astraea, nassarius, stomatella snails, 5 scarlet hermit, 2 emerald crabs--I have been watching the crabs extra close to make sure they aren't snacking on anything--

There was no one close to tank with burning candles, etc.--no detached/missing polyps--

I do use RO water from my LFS and do weekly 3 gallon water changes--if not doing that, how often should I do them?

Also should I remove my hairy shroom, I pulled it out yesterday to smell it and seemed fine, but looks terrible!!

I have a maxi jet 1200 in my cube as the only powerhead and flow doesn't seem to be a problem--

thanks for the continued help!!!

[MUCHO REEF]

I can honestly say that I'm baffled. A perfect healthy reef takes a turn for the worse after feeding some food, hmmmmm. You're sure the food didn't become contaminated, at all? Had you ever fed them the Cyclop Eez before?

I'd leave the shroom alone, since it shows no ill affects and the other corals are on the mend.

You don't seem to have a heavy bio load, so I would cut back the water changes to every 3 to 4 weeks unless you are seeing algae outbreaks, high phospahtes or spikes of any of your parameters.

I would however keep an eye on the Emerald Crab period.

Have you noticed an difference at all when you run your actinics only?

Mooch

[dbraun15]

I'm baffled as much as you Mucho!! The cyclopeeze was brand new--I removed the foil seal and fed it--things seem to be improving, but shrooms still look awful!! How long should I expect the zoas to not extend fully or should they continue to improve? Unfortuneatly I lost my hairy mushroom, but if that's all, I can deal with it--Also because I have stock lighting in my nano cube(72 watt power compacts/1 ballast ), i can't just run actinics. Thanks again for the continued help and if you have any additional advice/help/questions, please let me know--

[dbraun15]

Any help/ideas would be greatly appreciated--I'm completely lost--I thought things were turning for the better--it's been another 10 days--all leathers/colt open, GSP open but not bright green--zoas still won't extend skirt/feeder tentacles and mushrooms look awfu!! I just changed my lights(72 watt power compacts that I had for 8 months) and am hoping that was part of it--tested water again, 0--trate,trite,ammonia--ph 8.3--finally tested for Ca--420 and alk 1.7(I have since added reef buffer to increase that--this is FRUSTRATING!!! The zoas and shrooms just don't look like they are improving--I'm looking for something new to try--ideas?

[Two Spot]

"alk 1.7"

My guess is the alk I have had the same thing going on in my tank for a few weeks now. I tested mine this week and it was at 6.4 dkh.I am not sure how low it has been. I added some Kent Buffer a few days ago after a test with a old test kit that showed it was under 6.0.I got a new one in monday.I added baking soda in two doses this week and brought it up some and have seen some of the zoas start to open.I will test tomorrow and see what I am at.I am shooting for 8.0 or more.

Has anyone had low alk do the same thing to there zoas?