Zoas shrinking

[RayAllen]

Guys/Gals

I have a zoa frag of Green Bay Packers that have been happy as can be. about a week ago I noticed that they were not opening quite all the way open. The last three days not open much at all and seem to be shrinking.

I have had this happen in the past for no apparent reason. All the other coral in the tank including other zoas and palys look great.

I've read some zoas/palys will react to the light differently, and when shrinking its usually do to too much light. I already have them on the sand bed so I moved them to a slightly more shaded area to see if anything happens. Sucks because they are one of my favorites.

Nitrates- 0
Nitrites- 0
Amm- 0

Need to test my ph, but the last test it was around ~8.2

[350gt]

Hermits or a fish maybe?


the other day someone posted about hermits eating there zoas and I thought no way...... Later that evening as I walked by my tank, I noticed 2 hermits going to town on a certain colony, leaving all others alone. All hermits have been evicted.

Before that I could never grow zoas in my tank, I heard maybe it was cause my water was too clean or I thought maybe I was doing something wrong... Stayed that way for awhile until I started keeping frags on a frag rack and they did fine... But as soon as I put them on the live rock, they would dissappear. I set up a camera to record them and a damsel of all fish was picking at them.... I lost a bunch of stuff with a fish that had been with me since day one almost.... He has also been evicted and all zoas are doing well...

[Louis-210]

I have ran into the same issue before with too much lighting. I move some of my zoas down away for the light and a couple days later they were open and happy again. I was also told it could be from over skimming. Keep us updated, let us know how they do on the sand bed good luck

[polarbear]

This happended to my bam bams a few weeks ago. I thought they were a goner but I noticed that they are opening back up again. Maybe they do this to shed skin. Who knows.

[KING]

Same thing..I moved them to the side in the shaded area an in about a week were looking better..good luck.

[jcnkt_ellis]

+1 on the light, mine were in a fair amount of shade on the sand bed and had heads the size of pennies until I redid the rock work...now without the shade, they've shrunk to little bigger than a pin head...

[FireWater]

All good info Ray. Also check for build up of detritus on the colony. You already moved them so keep an eye on them in their new spot.

Some zoas and palys can be tricky to figure. I've had some that were happy as could be and then all of sudden close and go bye bye. PPEs always do that to me. My fruit loop colony that everyone notices first in my tank is goin through a depression phase right now.

[rrasco]

Agreed, zoas are finicky. I have all mine on a frag rack right now (to try and minimize pods/life that crawls on them) but eventually they will need a permanent spot. Even on the frag rack, I've had some be open one day and have issues the next. Typically, I find something growing close to them, be it algae or vermatid snails. Over the last week I've inspected and cleaned off any invaders in their area and am happy to say all the ones I removed snails or algae from are doing much better now. Additionally, I use a turkey baster to blow them off and keep them free of detritus. I also believe they are sensitive to alk levels, nothing to substantiate that claim though. Hopefully you don't have any real pests, like zoa spiders. As others have said, I believe light is also a factor with zoas.

[RayAllen]

Thanks guys for the info and experiences.

I will wait see what they do in their new spot.

[Southern Flame]

My hermits ate my Zoa's I evicted them to the sump they are growing back now :)

[350gt]

ADD EMERALD CRABS to the do not own list...


caught mine munching on some zoas right now that have been closed up the last few days........


he has been relocated to my sump and is free to anyone wanting him.... hes a good size.

[Southern Flame]

Yea Shane took mine for eating Xenia

[Tristan23]

ADD EMERALD CRABS to the do not own list...


caught mine munching on some zoas right now that have been closed up the last few days........


he has been relocated to my sump and is free to anyone wanting him.... hes a good size.

They ate the little polyps of my birdsnest colony... It was a sad day

[Scutterborn]

ADD EMERALD CRABS to the do not own list...


caught mine munching on some zoas right now that have been closed up the last few days........


he has been relocated to my sump and is free to anyone wanting him.... hes a good size.

Dude, you must have some super yummy zoas!


-Ben-

[350gt]

I don't think that's it...


i think with as many fish that is in my tank... Food does not make it to the sand bed..

My fish are pigs

[Sherita]

Zoas can shrink for a number of reasons. Something pestering them, too much light, too much flow, or not enough food. And then there are the Hawaiian PE morphs........they are incredibly finicky, and a lot of folks have an impossible time keeping them. I'm having fits with mine right now, and they may, or may not, make it.

And honestly, sometimes you can do everything just right, and they still won't survive. It's maddening.