Do zoas have a seasonal die off period?

[MThorne]

I was thinking the same thing since there really isn't seasonal changes in our tanks. They'd have to have a cue of some sort to initiate the seasonal die off. Saying that though, I've had zoas seemingly die off for no reason. Zoas are a PITA sometimes.

I would have to disagree with not having seasonal changes. I run an airline to my skimmer that goes outside so humidity levels are constantly changing. Also in the summer here in canada my tank goes up about 2 degrees even with chiller fans. Then back down in the winter. Not sure if that's enough but it could be a cue I guess.

 

[Bleigh]

I have never heard this theory before, but looking back anecdotally I can say it is a firm maybe... I have had zoas just start to die off and be replace by new ones. I never really though about it as seasonal die off. I m interested in see what others have to say.

"No honey, the tank is not having issues again. It is seasonal zoa die off. It's 100% normal. We do not have to give up the tank because I cannot figure out what is happening. Just like the flowers in your garden you replace every year."

Same reason I like this theory. My husband is constantly asking me if corals are dieing. Most the time it's cause they just ate. I'd love to blame the rest on seasonal die off. ;Joyful

 

[Nanorock1970]

Don't you think the moon's gravitational pull happens to affect our tanks? Obviously there is no tidal difference but I would still believe the forces of nature are tugging on them.

even though you do not have "moon light phases" from the actual moon. I believe we still have the effects from the moon cycles. Could be coincident but it appears that my clowns are more likely to be laying eggs in my tank around the full moon (tank is in the center of the house so no window influence).

 

[skydirt]

It's crazy someone mentioned eagle-eyes having issues. I have about 30 different types of zoa and one was a big colony of eagle-eyes that just started closing up and getting smaller. I dipped the whole rock, nothing got much better. I fragged it into a few different pieces and dipped in revive. Moved some to other tanks and they all seem to just not be happy. All others in both systems are doing great. This colony is 3 yrs old. It's still hanging on but not looking like it should. Even gave some away and looks the same in there system and it's been 2 months

 

[Z-man]

even though you do not have "moon light phases" from the actual moon. I believe we still have the effects from the moon cycles. Could be coincident but it appears that my clowns are more likely to be laying eggs in my tank around the full moon (tank is in the center of the house so no window influence).

I miss living in Florida!

 

[stephen wyard]

I think it's more likely something to do with the water.Either build up or some change to the chemistry.After all we all know the water is the most important part of this hobby.Couldn't say what but I run carbon all the time and never had a problem.The trace elements that I do add though does contain iodine.This could be something to monitor to see the effects with added iodine or not adding any iodine.Could be a good study.Just a thought.

 

[Nburg's Reef]

I'm experiencing something like this currently. A large colony of eagle eye zoa's are closed up and dwindling, while my orange oxide and Rasta zoa's are happy as ever. No idea what the problem is. Chemical warfare from other corals maybe?

I have eagle eyes that do the same, even when fragged. They do well, then recede and then do well again. All other Zoas and corals seem fine.

 

[Macdaddynick1]

It does seem to happen annually when the house is closed up due to the AC running or the furnace running. Winter seems worse and I attribute that to a lack of air circulation. Meaning the house stays closed up for a longer period of time in the winter and this causes a higher CO2 level in the house. This in turn can lower the pH. Also have a higher evaporation rate during winter which causes the process to happen faster.

It does affect the more expensive pieces more than the less expensive varieties.

My tank is 19 years old and I definitely have more die off in the summer. I have a chiller and central AC but my tank seems to run a degree or two higher in the summer. Once I transferred my 72 gallon to a 120 I have always had problems having zoanthids spread and stay. My avatar is from my 72.

This!!!!!

I've always had a die-off on my sps and slow to nonexistent growth during the times when I needed to keep my doors closed due to hot weather. About two weeks ago I started having a massive die-off and problems in my reef where SPS tips would peel off and my alk was only around 7.5. My zoas were also struggling and shriveling. What saved everything was Kalkwasser, in ato. As soon as I added Kalkwasser to my topoff, things turned around in days, corals look healthy, die-off stopped immediately, burnt tips healed up, and there's visible growth all around. You gentlemen should try it, just use something like aqua lifter or any other slower dosing pump to topoff.

 

[lester lloyd]

Zoa’s and other soft corals like cooler water so summer weather especially August weather at home slows growth and also shows a little die off a chiller helps but you still gain a few degrees here and there and it affects polyp soft corals and lager ones less

 

[Nanorock1970]

I miss living in Florida!

I've been to Mn....I would miss Fla also....and I was living in RI last time I went to MN in the month of March....Cold, snow, rental vehicle 4 wheel drive cause what else can you rent that time of year.
Here,,,Boxing up some FLA 9 seasons of warmth....I'll keep the 3 seasons of hot down here...

 

[H3rm1tCr@b]

I think it is possible, I remember about a year or so ago them dwindling to maybe two very sad polyps... now they are in the hundreds. My decorator crab has started using them as both a snack and decoration.

 

[bcarl77]

Man interesting topic... Zoas are really something else. I hate that people refer to these guys as 'beginner corals'. I have lost more zoas than any other coral (SPS and more) and quite frankly its not even close.

Similar to others I have noticed periods of great growth and mysterious unexplainable declines. Being in FL the summer temp swings can be about a degree if we don't get any rain. 77.8 deg to 78.7deg. I do think they are could be sensitive to stability.

I started my tank in September and all polyps were growing like gang busters until about mid-March or so. After PAR meters, chemiclean dosing, Triton tests, no answer. Best guess for me is vermitid snails, amphipods, bacterial, system stability. Not sure if its seasonal.

I will say any larger polyp zoas I tend to have much less issues with (Sunny Ds, Gobstobbers, Rainbow Infusions, Nirvanas, etc.)

 

[symon_say]

Maybe it have to do with flow, zoas tend to be in the bottom of the tank where flow is less, and when you have a big colony maybe it's chemical warfare is high and given the less flow is not able to flush that away and kill the zoas.

 

[html]

I had some zoas for 5 or more years however they did not spread and that confirms that I do something wrong

 

[SaltTankMan]

Interesting thread.. thanks for sharing info.

 

[Bob Weigant]

Id hate to see some of my expensive ones just suddenly melt away

 

[KWT]

I just started my tanks recently. Hopefully they will grow, one shows some good growth already.

 

[Arthroverts]

Are there any documented observations of this happening in the wild?
If so, then you would have to look at the circumstances of the die-offs. If not, it can be reasonably traced back to an issue with the tank itself.

Thanks,

Arthroverts

 

[Kellie in CA]

The only thing that ever dies in my tank is zoa’s. Tricky little buggers.

 

[Hans-Werner]

I have some zoas but not enough to make a sound statement about this specific question. But I have heard about the seasonality of cyanobacteria outbrakes more than 30 years ago and they wherer meant to appear in spring.

I am convinced that the N-P-balance in reef aquaria is important and the importance of phosphate in my opinion is frequently underestimated.

I am quite sure that there are significant seasonal changes in the atmosphere. Not only CO2 but also ammonia and nitrogen oxides should show seasonal changes. Ammonia is released when our farmers spread manure on their fields, nitrogen oxides are released by many combustion processes, from vehicles as well as from heatings and ovens. Gas exchange with the atmosphere introduces these swings into our tanks.