Help!!! Zoanthids and Starburst Polyps die within days

[shempdevil]

A few months ago I bought a 6 lb piece of live rock with a large colony of green star polyps living on it.
I bought them from a VERY reputable aquarist, Dr. Mac who owns Pacific East Aquaculture Coral Farm. The polyps were abundantly happy when I purchased them.

I introduced them to my tank, and they never opened.
When I say never opened, I mean that no more than about 5 or 6 polyps have ever opened at any one time.

A few weeks later, I purchased a medium zoanthid colony. SAME THING...NEVER OPENED.

I have them positioned near the top of the tank, about 8" from my lighting fixture.
I have tried different levels of water movement by adjusting my jets for a few days, but no luck.

I know that Star Polyps and Zoanthids are very simple corals and it baffles me that they won't open even though all of my other corals are happy.

Any ideas what might be the problem?
I heard that the large leathers and mushrooms I have may be poisoning them.
I have a Sarcophyton that is probably about 8" in diameter.


TANK DETAILS
46 Gallon Euro Bowfront Tank
36" Nova Extreme Pro 6x39w T5 (2 hrs dawn, 11 hrs daylight, 2 hrs dusk)
45 pounds of Florida Crushed Coral Substrate
45 pounds of Fiji Live Rock
(1) Maxi Jet 1200
(2) Maxi Jet 600
Shatterproof Heater
Emperor 400 Biowheel Filter
Tank Established for 38 months with one fish casualty (Neon Puffer) and 2 Coral Casualties (Starburst Polyp colony and Zoanthid Colony.

CORALS
(1) Zooanthid Colony DEAD
(1) Green Star Polyp Colony DEAD
(2) Brown Leather Colonies VERY HEALTHY
(1) Sarcophyton VERY HEALTHY
(1) Purple Leather Colony VERY HEALTHY
(1) Mushroom Colony VERY HEALTHY


Fish
(1) Blue Devil Damsel - Chrysiptera cyanea
(1) Banggai Cardinal - Pterapogon kauderni
(1) Lawnmower Blenny - Salarias fasciatus
(1) Saddled Valentini Puffer - Canthigaster valentini
(2) Blue Velvet Damsel - Neoglyphidodon oxyodon
(1) Brown Scopus Tang - Zebrasoma scopas



INVERTEBRATES
(3) Astrea Snails
(3) Turbo Snails
(3) Scarlet Hermit Crabs
(2) Bumble Bee Snails

[magnoliarichj]

put them at the bottom. mine never opened under direct light i always had to shade them a little.

[wilawalo]

Run some carbon

[tanyashankles]

I would have to ask about that emperor 400? do you run a sump? I would venture to say that the combonation of leathers, mushrooms, and no sump for increased water volume, including the top placement could all be factors. GSP however, WILL hold a grudge and can take up to 2 weeks to open, and fully accept its new living conditions. They are very hardy, however, if you upset them, they dont get over it as easily as some others. Leather coral is very territorial, as well as mushrooms, so if they were too close to them perhaps, but not likely with zoas, I never had any problems with my zoas/leathers being in close proximity. I would do what the others suggested and try lowering them, and maybe get a wet/dry or sump project lined up. You could get away with a 10/15g sump on a 46g tank. Also have you checked your water perimeters? Alk? Ph? Ammonia/nitrite/nitrate? That would be a good place to start... Anyway just some thoughts.. T.

[njdevilsfan]

that close to light is the prob with the gsp i would look at your puffer as for why your zoas aint opening
t5 is very strong lighting and gsp need to not be up close to it

[thecoralreefer]

I would look at the puffer as well
If most of your original corals are fine then I would watch the fish to see if he is feeding on the corals that have been introduced into the system
Puffers prowl the reef feeding at will Some have a very particular pallet and will only feed on certain things.
If your parameters check out then it is more likely that your preety little puffer is the culprit!

[bristle]

I've had leathers, LPS, SPS, mushrooms, zoas, GSP all in a 20 long and they all grew fine and were very healthy. I would also say that it is the light.

[Micer]

Mine took almost 2 weeks to open and that was probably due to me not leaving them alone. Put them on the bottom and leave them be until more start opening. I almost lost my first colony probably from stressing them but I started dosing vitamin C and left them alone and now they are open.
Did you fw dip?

[IFbettas]

I heard that the blue velvet damsel will eat zoas.

[Whalehead9]

How ofter do you do water changes? I have had GSP not open if i added too much of something, any buffers in particular. Do a few large water changes, 10+ Gallons, see if that helps. Do not add any other trace or calcium additions until the tank recovers

[sharkdude]

check your alk, and all the other suggestions above, but one variable at a time.

[ianiwane]

Also how are you testing your salinity. Calibrated refractometer is the only way to go. I have a feeling your salinity is low.

[longra]

The "dirtier" my gsp got, the better they liked it with high water flow. Had low-ish light. My water was very good, but detritus tended to settle on it - and it seemed to love it.