Help! All my zoanthids are closed

M

mjmccusker

Guest
I am about to go crazy. All of the zoanthids in my system are closed, and the have been for over 3 months. I have done a hydrogen peroxide dip and a freshwater dip on all of them (I have about 6 different kinds...) over about the past month or so and there is still no change. The hydrogen peroxide dip did seem to get rid of some fungus on some of them, but the freshwater dip cleaned off nothing but a few small pods and some snails (not sundail though). I have looked at all times of the day and night and have yet to find one zoanthid spider, sundial snail, or nudibranch on any one of my colonies. Also, the zoanthids are not 'melting away', and some of them still look very plump.
My system is a 10g with a 5g refugium of chaeto. I know there might be a problem with allelopathy among the zoanthids, but wouldn't one of the colonies be thriving while the others are closed off? Also, there is only a crocea clam, and two small xenia and clove polyp frags in there with them, each of which is thriving. There is only one fish in there right now, a yellow watchman, and some turbos and astreas. The only other thing I can think of is that my lights may be old, I am running a 70w MH unit about 8 inches above the water and the bulb is about 8 months old... it is a good bulb though and like I said this has been going on for months so I doubt this is it. My water parameters are good, too:
SG 1.024
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Phosphate 0
Ca 1350
dKH 9-10
Mg 1525 (I know a bit high... but I doubt this would do it?)
Temp: 78-81
Lighting: 70W MH for 7hrs, actinic 2x18W 9 hrs
Flow: 2 90gph pumps, 1 koralia nano
See my closed colonies:
Attachment 239180
Attachment 239181
Attachment 239182
Attachment 239183
Attachment 239184

My tank has been up and running for over two years now and I have been able to keep zoanthids fine until about 3-4 months ago. I am at my wits end and ready to throw my tank out. I know zoanthids can be finicky, but I would think at least one or two colonies should open. Any ideas?





 

debbie

Active Member
I am no zoa expert but yours look like they are healthy. Its a long time for them to not open so there must be something in the tank that is irritating them.
They can be very stubborn to and not open for a long time.
Can you change the bulb?? I don't have MH so i don't know how often you should change those out.
Is there just the one fish in there with them??
Is he perching on the zoas at all??
Dont throw out your tank, there is a solution to your problems we just need to figure out what it is.
 
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