Zoas

[FishyReef]

Several zoas on various colonies have begun to turn themselves inside out or close up and develop what appears to be a dusting of green/brown algae over them. I don't have full colonies that are doing this, just handfuls of polyps in several of my colonies. It doesn't seem to matter whether they are in a high/medium/low flow area or high/medium/low light area as I have colonies in various locations that are doing this. Anyone have ideas for me on how I can stop this? There doesn't appear to be any sort of nudibranchs or spiders on them, or zoa pox. The ones that develop the algae looking growth do eventually shrivel up and melt away but it takes time. I'd like to find a way to save and revive them before that happens if possible! Thanks!

 

[Jml32788]

Mine are doing the same thing. I have no idea what it is. I hope someone chimes in with some answers.

 

[little_fish]

I overhead someone talking about this the other day at my LFS, they seemed to think it was due to a bacterial infection and suggested doing a furan-2 dip

 

[FishyReef]

Thanks, I'll try a furan-2 dip and see what happens.

I was wondering about a peroxide dip as well, or whether that would be too much?

 

[little_fish]

I don't see why not, they seem tolerate those sorts of dips really well

 

[Jml32788]

I used a peroxide dip on my zoas. I used a 6:1 ratio of tank water and peroxide. I left them in for about a minute. They look to be doing great now.

 

[sen5241b]

This could easily be caused by too much light. Its not well known that there are deep water and shallow water zoas. Putting deep water Zoas, like blues, under intense MHs will burn them.

 

[FishyReef]

This could easily be caused by too much light. Its not well known that there are deep water and shallow water zoas. Putting deep water Zoas, like blues, under intense MHs will burn them.

I can't speak for Jml32788, but I don't think that's what's happening in my case. I'm seeing it on colonies that I've had for 3-8 months that haven't been moved, and am seeing it in colonies that are both in the rocks and on the sandbed, in shade and in good light. I wondered if it was a flow issue, but again am seeing it in both low and high flow areas. In at least some cases I think bubble algae may be irritating some polyps. I'm having an increasing problem with bubble algae that my emerald crabs aren't touching, and when it gets too close to a zoa the zoa closes. Yesterday I pulled out my colony of magicians and noticed pink star polyps had started growing up around some of the polyps. I pulled off as much as I could and that colony looks better today. I'm going to do a peroxide dip on the others and see what happens, and if they don't look better then do a furan-2 dip.

 

[sen5241b]

... colonies that I've had for 3-8 months that haven't been moved, and am seeing it in colonies that are both in the rocks and on the sandbed, in shade and in good light. ...

That being the case, too much light is probably not the case. Yeah try furan-2 dip.

Also, never underestimate the healing effects on corals of a good water change. Consider doing a 50% change out.

 

[sen5241b]

If you do a 50% though make sure the salinity and temp are matched perfectly.