It seems I got this issue every now and then. Get a frag of zoas, grow them healthy for a few months into a colony and then just randomly melts. It happens on both low and mid end varieties. I do not have a problem growing Acroporas, which I understand is more finicky, but why does it happens on my Zoanthids?
Are Zoas known to randomly melt?
- Thread starter pjdiddy
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vanpire
Valuable Member
This used to happen to me. I then learned it was my flame angel that was secretly eating my zoas. It died one day and my zoas started to come back. Now, I don't have that issue any more.
sfin52
So many pedestrians so little time
What's your fish and inverts. What's your parameters.
I got two pairs of clowns, yellow tang, a chromis, blue throat trigger and a six line wrasse.
Havent tested in a while so I really cannot answer your question regarding parameters. But algaes are in check and every corals seems happy.
Havent tested in a while so I really cannot answer your question regarding parameters. But algaes are in check and every corals seems happy.
littlebigreef
Valuable Member
Zoas will some times periodically melt. While there's many strains that are generally pretty easy to keep occasionally you'll experience a melt or 'group melt' where you lose all of the same zoas in a tank. I don't have an explanation as to why. Could be lighting intensity, could be minor alk swings, could be detritus building up between polyps leading to pox. Could be them not getting enough food. I have just south of 200 strains and I just most recently had my leprechauns do a group group melt - 2 colonies and 2 frags. Nothing has changed parameter wise. One tool I've recently starting using is Chemiclean which supposedly has erythromycin in it. I know several zoa keepers that just dose it once a month to knock out any potential issues. Its the frustrating part of keeping zoas. I'll had that I experience far fewer melts these days thanks to having my system dialed in and stable.
305Reefer
Active Member
I have grown over 200 varieties of zoas and I spend alot of time talking to other zoa collectors here and on FB. Everyone has zoas melt on them. It goes with the territory. Thats why its nice to trade with friends, give them away, back them up.. If I order a $300 polyp, the first time i frag it I will sell one polyp, send a polyp to all 3 of my tanks, and give two to my closest reefer buddies...
larangcon
Valuable Member
I agree with littlebigreef, I heard about ChemiClean and tried it myself, it's been over a year now. I pour once a month, my zoas are brighter, colorful, and seemed to bigger than normal, mushrooms loves it too. Fingers crossed, not lost a zoa since ChemiClean.
RedFrog211
Valuable Member
Recently had a colony of Gold Mauls melt- all 4 frags; I dipped, cleaned and changed elevation- still closed up and melted within 2 weeks. Everything else is doing wonderfully! No idea what caused it; just keeping fingers crossed hoping it’s all through
What really frustrates me is when one colony that's been doing great, with other colonies within inches of it the tank that have also been doing great, just randomly turns to crap overnight.
I'm curious how you guys using ChemiClean do it. Just remove carbon, dose, wait 48 hours, do a WC and then put carbon back in?
I'm curious how you guys using ChemiClean do it. Just remove carbon, dose, wait 48 hours, do a WC and then put carbon back in?
James_O
5000 Club Member
I’ve never actually had a colony melt before, but I do feel what you’re saying.
I had a very small mixed colony that I got from a vender on R2R, about 2 months ago. It was super bright and “fluffy” when I first got it. But as time went one, they slowly shrunk and lost most of their color.
On the other hand, the other zoas I got from the same seller are doing great. Not growing any new heads, but they are very healthy.
——
Maybe they were fragged too soon? Or maybe the seller sent/sold you an unhealthy frag?
I had a very small mixed colony that I got from a vender on R2R, about 2 months ago. It was super bright and “fluffy” when I first got it. But as time went one, they slowly shrunk and lost most of their color.
On the other hand, the other zoas I got from the same seller are doing great. Not growing any new heads, but they are very healthy.
——
Maybe they were fragged too soon? Or maybe the seller sent/sold you an unhealthy frag?
littlebigreef
Valuable Member
Sometimes stuff just dies, there’s no rhyme or reason to it. This is especially true with zoas.
@sfin52 dosing lugols (IMO) is a cornerstone of keeping z’s &p’s happy. Vitamin C dosing is a nice plus as well.
@Hooz yep, you can dose it directly into the system. However, it makes the skimmer foam like crazy during treatment so you have to account for that. otherwise you’re spot on in the methodology.
I last posted on this just over a year ago. While I’ll sometimes treat system wide I’ve found chemi clean to be just as effective if you’re using it as a dip to treat a single frag or colony that’s languishing. Furan-2 (as a dip) and Chemiclean (system wide and as a dip) are both excellent tools to have in your belt.
I just spent over 3 k in highends and its happening to me! Dosnt seem to happen to the low ends ones though! I did move some up to fast I think because I had so many coming in that I need to make room on sand box! Funny thing that to is only some melted! I just lost about 30 grim reapers and 25 northern lights! That was delayed though but funny thing with that too is only the highends died! I am sick over that loss! I am sick over all of them! There lots more I havent named!
Last time I invested 3 k and lost them all! Long story but something just went throught the frag rack and kiled them all I was bedridden for months to was to sick to do anything about it! The rest were being mowed over by snails and my digging damsel! I only have 1 conch in there now as far as a cleanup crew!
Sorry to ramble lol. Do you now how much chemiclean to dose? What else can I do to keep them healthy and growing? i am going to be switching my 2 part. Now I am scared to make changes but I use the old fashion brs. soda ash and calciums chloride. I want to switch to reef fusion or something like that that should keep it balanced and adds essential elements A vendor recommended that to me also to dose antibiotics! What are your thoughts on that?
Please I need help! I cant keep throwing away all this monney! I am fixing to go back to only investing in shrooms! I have only lost those due to my own stupidity LOL. Like literally losing them in tank! haha
My tank is just to crowded! I making a frag tank for zoas and shrooms but I am also scared to move highends into a new tank. New lights ect and newly cycled! Any thoughts on that?
littlebigreef
Valuable Member
Hey, I've seen you post over the years about some of your struggles and success.
I'll be succinct as possible.
Zoa collections become very difficult to sustain above a certain threshold in a mixed display where they're growing on rock work (which can limit intervention). This threshold rises significantly when they're kept in a trough/lagoon styled system tailored for their specific needs.
There are many reasons for this.
In either case 1) bacterial and protozan infections 2) malnutrition 3) significant alkalinity swings are the three biggest killers of zoas. 4) would direct predation - asteria stars, amphipods, spiders, tanks mates. 5) would be too much par.
It boils down to good husbandry and reefer's own ceiling/capacity for observing, predicting, and adjusting to adversity as it comes. This means rigorous QT on coral coming into the system, treating with the right meds early when issues do come up, and consistency (king of all).
Would you be my mentor? lol. I definitely know who you are and I know you are pro! I am pretty sure I almost bought a Godzilla from you!
Anyway. Great advise on everything. Can I pm you for more tips and also tell you more about whats goin on?
New things have arisen and I was about to make a post about it. I think I will anyway but theres this funky algae. Thinking maybe calotrix! Been doing some research. Keeps getting on my zoas!
Last few days one of my godbeast isnt opening and I think my Grand master strat is melting. PLus lost my grim reepers, Koayla eyes, Fairy Farts melted. I might have moved them up to quickly though not relizing the par! Just got a par meter and was shocked how high its was were I moved them too!
I also have missing gmks and grim reapers which I am suspecting melted away! I just detected some ammonia too but have to retest because I not sure which tanks it was! lol One tank is doing great beside the godbeast!
I am thinking it could be a lot of things. I caught my damsel picking at it and My fighting conch has learned to climb lol and was picking at the fairy farts and the koayla eyes sitting next to each other! I know he cleans plugs but looked like more then that! They didint open for days after and I just trashed them
I have researched what to do about languishing zoas and only thing I have seen is dip for pests and I am a little to worried that maybe to strong!
I will pm you soon! Thanks for advise!
do you know if red cyano rx works the same? I never had any luck with chemicean for cyano so I bought that other brand and has great reviews for cyano. I had (or thought I had) a free floating type algae called calotrix so I used it because I read that was a type of cyano.
Actually I think Its just coming from the new plastic frag racks I used and not calotrix at all! I think my melts are from the dang fish and snails that keeps cleaning off the film and nipping at my single or double polyp zoas! Caught my damsel several times nipping at them! Especially the ones that are flat to the plug like my godbeasts were, which BTW are now goners
I moved some up on this slanted three tier frag rack and impossible for them to reach and all of those have been fine since! Sure wish I would have discovered before I lost so many recently! Grrrr
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