Question regarding Zoathids

lightcs4

lightcs4

Loving to learn
I decided to start a new thread rather than add zoas to the Ric and blue mushroom thread. Anyhow, what is your experience for the length of time it takes zoas to open?

I have zero ammonia, zero nitrites, zero nitrates, and zero to .5 on the nitrates. I also have 49 pounds of dry rock, added over the past few months, and three to five pounds of live rock, plus about 15 to 20 pounds of live sand. The latest was added a couple months ago. I removed the ceramic pieces from the canister filter (yes, I'll get a skimmer eventually, but will be adding a sump first).

I just looked again and one is slightly open and I can see some green. I know I'm inpatient after the mushrooms (the last one is doing great so far). Just want to make sure I don't wait until it's too late and they die. Some sites have stated that it could take a couple weeks. Is this to be expected?
 
I always quintine my zoas too get any unwanted parasites that would be harmful to my other zoas/polyps.Then, i put them in my DT and they usually take from 1-3 days to open.
 
I've seen zoas open as quick as a minute after being placed in the tank and some take a couple of weeks.
I think alot of it depends on how different you water is compared to the LFS's water.Different salt,different light.All that can make a difference.
 
All the ones I've gotten opened up in a few days. If you think it's not getting enough light move them up a little bit. What type of lights were they under at the LFS? I try to go by what they have.
 
I moved them up a little (a few inches) and they started to open. Can't wait to see what they look like tomorrow. I also can't wait to replace that camera :grumble:. I'll get a pic soon.
 
I moved the zoas up a bit more. They are only slightly open. I'm wondering if they it's too much light pr not enough. Any good way to tell? Thanks.
 
I would just them be. When you accumulate corals you are suppose to put them at the bottom and let them open up, and then move them to where you wan them in the tank just my 2 cents
 
Thanks Kyle. I put them back to the bottom. I'm a bit paranoid after having problems with the mushrooms. I know I shouldn't be hasty (but I still wish it would hurry up and open!!!).

By the way, I turned on the MH lights tonight for 1/2 an hour. The mushroom opened up more than ever and really looked good, so I'm really confused about how much lighting it needs. I'm just going to take it slow.
 
they should open up soon i have less then 1 wpg and my zoas opened up pretty quickly well like 2-3 days to open completly
 
Go a head and run the halide for 3 or 4 hours and see how your corals react.It could be that their not getting the light they want.
 
I'll try it tomorrow. My difficulty is that I am not really sure what is a good reaction and what's not with the mushroom. I figure the zoas should be pretty obvious though.

Thanks.
 
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The shrooms should react just like the zoas.They should open up.
You may want to shade the shrooms a little though.Maybe ease them but under the edge of a rock to keep them from getting blasted.
 
Zoathids still are not opening, at least not much and it has been eight days. They seem to open maybe an 1/8 inch, sometimes 1/4 inch. They have small white spots on the outside of the closed heads, but it doesn't look anything like pox. Wet Web Media indicated it could be due to the lighting. I have the 250 MH going about three hours a day now, but the zoas are set to the side rather than directly under the light. I was thinking about giving them an iodine dip just to make sure there isn't anything on them causing problems. I didn't think to do this when I introduced them to the tank. Any thoughts?

Edit: By the way, the temp is rather stable at 79 - 80. Should I drop it a couple degrees over the next two days? 78 degrees seems to be the common tempature.
 
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No, definitely nothing chewing on them. I checked at night too. They were open about a 1/4 to 1/3 of the way when I got home. They were wide open when I got them at the LFS. Very fustrating.

What is the difference between Lugols Iodine and the Iodide? Is it worth using Iodide since that is what I have on hand or best just to skip it all together? I did pick up some frozen Mysis. I thought I might coax them into opening up.
 

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