My Zoas won't open

[mr fishy 3000]

Hello Everyone,

I have had these two Zoa Frags for about 3 months now. One of them is always open and the other one hasn't opened for the past month. Sometimes he opens up 1/4 of the way but never full way anymore. Also Never Extends the polyps anymore. I dipped him last weekend and nothing changed. I have moved him around and it seems that placement isnt the issue. Any Ideas? None of my other corals have had issues. How long can they live closed up?

Parameters:
Ammonia - 0 PPM
Nitrite - 0 PPM
Nitrate - 5-10 PPM
PH - 8.0 - 8.2
Phospate 0 -0.25 PPM
Calcium 420 - 440 PPM
DKH 8-9
Salinity 1.024
Thanks

 

[Wasabiroot]

Based on the stretching picture, they may want more light. If you can keep Kenya trees / leather corals happy, then zoas would be ok in the same parameters. Check closely for zoa pox (will look kind of like a sprinkling of white salt) or zoa spiders (you'll know when you see them, but they are small) as they could be irritating it. Some fish also nip at them, but I don't see any corallivores so it could be your clown rubbing up on it when you're not looking. Parameter wise, everything looks good although 0-.25 phosphates is a large range to swing through regularly

 

[Rjukan]

Hello Everyone,

I have had these two Zoa Frags for about 3 months now. One of them is always open and the other one hasn't opened for the past month. Sometimes he opens up 1/4 of the way but never full way anymore. Also Never Extends the polyps anymore. I dipped him last weekend and nothing changed. I have moved him around and it seems that placement isnt the issue. Any Ideas? None of my other corals have had issues. How long can they live closed up?

Parameters:
Ammonia - 0 PPM
Nitrite - 0 PPM
Nitrate - 5-10 PPM
PH - 8.0 - 8.2
Phospate 0 -0.25 PPM
Calcium 420 - 440 PPM
DKH 8-9
Salinity 1.024
Thanks

Check your SG reading against another meter, or calibrate your tester if possible.

I'm dealing with closed up zoas too, and after looking for issues I found that my hanna checker was out of calibration and reading high, so my SG was actually down around 1.022 idk if that's enough to cause problems but I'm slowly bringing mine back up and hoping for a positive response.

Goodluck!

 

[Wasabiroot]

Check your SG reading against another meter, or calibrate your tester if possible.

I'm dealing with closed up zoas too, and after looking for issues I found that my hanna checker was out of calibration and reading high, so my SG was actually down around 1.022 idk if that's enough to cause problems but I'm slowly bringing mine back up and hoping for a positive response.

Goodluck!

Imo (not to make the op chase geese) but salinity is so often barely mentioned or considered as a cause of issues but can often be a contributing factor to stuff being out of whack. All it takes is not testing for a few weeks and it can drift especially if you're not on top of your ATO.

 

[jkcoral]

Zoas, in my experience, appreciate more flow than most people think. Gunk can accumulate on the matting between polyps, and that buildup can agitate them.

I’d try giving them more flow (along with more light like another comment mentioned).

 

[mr fishy 3000]

Based on the stretching picture, they may want more light. If you can keep Kenya trees / leather corals happy, then zoas would be ok in the same parameters. Check closely for zoa pox (will look kind of like a sprinkling of white salt) or zoa spiders (you'll know when you see them, but they are small) as they could be irritating it. Some fish also nip at them, but I don't see any corallivores so it could be your clown rubbing up on it when you're not looking. Parameter wise, everything looks good although 0-.25 phosphates is a large range to swing through regularly

I use API Testers... that's the range it gives me not 0 but not 0.25 so in between those. I believe my levels are quite stable. I have a Foxface, but he hasn't been dipping at any other coral.

 

[mr fishy 3000]

Zoas, in my experience, appreciate more flow than most people think. Gunk can accumulate on the matting between polyps, and that buildup can agitate them.

I’d try giving them more flow (along with more light like another comment mentioned).

If move them to the same level as my Kenya Tree, Leather, and Torches would that be better?

 

[jkcoral]

If move them to the same level as my Kenya Tree, Leather, and Torches would that be better?

Could be worth trying! And you can always wait to “permanently” fix them to the rock until you find a place where you see they look happier.

 

[Wasabiroot]

I use API Testers... that's the range it gives me not 0 but not 0.25 so in between those. I believe my levels are quite stable. I have a Foxface, but he hasn't been dipping at any other coral.

Foxfaces have been known to chow on zoas. Most rabbitfish are hit and miss with coral. You could try observing it to see if it is chomping on them, though my gut is telling me they'd be gone already if it had taken a liking to them.

I use API Testers... that's the range it gives me not 0 but not 0.25 so in between those. I believe my levels are quite stable. I have a Foxface, but he hasn't been dipping at any other coral.

 

[AtlantiCat]

What's your Magnesium level? You didn't include it in your parameters.

My experience has been that if that number is on the low side, some of my Zoas don't always want to open. They're good if it's over ~1,350 or so.

 

[mr fishy 3000]

What's your Magnesium level? You didn't include it in your parameters.

My experience has been that if that number is on the low side, some of my Zoas don't always want to open. They're good if it's over ~1,350 or so.

I am going to order a tester to test that, my current kits don't allow me to see that.