Advice to keep Zoas alive

[law1210]

Hi bros & sis,

I got myself below rock of zoas from Ah Beng 1 1/2 weeks ago.

As you can see, they are not fully opened. I think I only saw them fully open once in my tank. The other time is when I first saw it in the shop display. Lol...

I really love Zoas but all my previous colonies are all gone. What's left are individual polyps scattered around the tank. Not a single colony thrive like the palys. So this time round, thinking of getting the help of bros & sis here to keep this new colony alive. Think I'll give some background first:

1. My 1.5ft cube tank is around 3-4 yrs old using Maxspect 60W for lighting. Thriving corals include Rics, Yumas, Blue star polyps and Palys. Never take any water parameter.

2. Tank inhabitants include Blue tang, 2x Maroon Crown, Domino Damsel, Algae blenny, Watchman Goby, Fire Shrimp, Hermit crab and several species of snails.

3. Asterina starfish were once found and think contributed to the fast dying off of Zoa colonies at that time. But introduction of Harlequin Shrimp helped wipe out that starfish population. After that, the shrimp also disappeared and never seen again...

4. The blue tang somehow developed a liking for zoas. Been seeing it nipping at them. But it doesn't seems to like Palys. So this time round, I've put the new rock near the colony of Palys and just outside the Maroon Crown's house. The Crown helped to keep the tang away from the zoas at the moment. But they also threw a lot of pebbles onto the zoa rock.

With that, I would love to hear your advice may it be placement of coral, condition of zoa now (from the photo) or anything that you think can help to keep this rock alive.

Thanks in advance.

[SamuelTan]

Should measure your tank parameter first. Get six-line or yellow wrasse to look out for parasites on the zoas. It could be because your zoas is dying or covered by algae that's why your blue tang is nipping on it.

[law1210]

I have domino damsel and 2 maroon. They made it difficult to add new fish. I did managed to add one six-line before. But it killed itself after a few weeks by getting itself stuck behind the UV light. Maybe I'll get one more. I like six-lines.

I think you have a point there on the blue tang behavior. Luckily the spot the rock is in now is 'protected' by the clown fish. So the Tang is kept at bay. So far no attacks after moving this rock to current spot. Just worried the flow there might be too low for zoas.

And I do intend to get a tuxedo urchin and more hermits to help with the cleaning. Snail supply no problem since they seems to be reproducing.

Water parameter is something I keep telling myself to do...but...salinity seems to be the only thing I measure now. The rest depends on water changes, skimmer n washing filter. I know I'm bad in this...

[TayHongSiang]

dip yr zoas in freshwater or using coralrx...to kill the pests..especially nudis that feed on zoas.

wat u have is radioactive zoas...the other one on the right, i'm not sure.

[dnsfpl]

base on my personal experience, some blue tang will nip on zoa

anyway BT will out grow your 1.5 cube soon

if you really like zoa, remove your BT

[law1210]

dip yr zoas in freshwater or using coralrx...to kill the pests..especially nudis that feed on zoas.

wat u have is radioactive zoas...the other one on the right, i'm not sure.

I forgot to add that nowadays I do dip the corals in Coral Rx Pro before putting them into tank.

Yeah I like one on the right...dunno what Zoa are they though.

[law1210]

base on my personal experience, some blue tang will nip on zoa

anyway BT will out grow your 1.5 cube soon

if you really like zoa, remove your BT

ya, this BT is supposed to be in some other bigger tank project but it didn't materialize. So it became mine n stayed in my tank since. Haiz...looks like some painful decision has to be made...

[finind]

I forgot to add that nowadays I do dip the corals in Coral Rx Pro before putting them into tank.

Yeah I like one on the right...dunno what Zoa are they though.

Can advise where to get Coral Rx Pro? and the price?

[Harlequinmania]

You can find Coral RX from Reef depot or madpetz . Alternatively, you can also try the Revive coral cleaner from Two Little Fishes which i think price is cheaper. Zoas love nutrient rich water with moderate flow and lighting to grow, if the water parameter is good, they will grow like wild fire .

[finind]

can survive very good liao

[law1210]

can survive very good liao

Haha..so true. Can survive very good liao. Btw, I got my CoralRx Pro from Reef Depot. I don't remember how much though.

Cheers

[law1210]

The zoas are now more or less stablized. The below circled spots are where they are usually closed. Don't know why. Do I monitor them for clearer signs of pests or disease or take further action?

And on last Fri night, I got some zoa frags from a nice bro and as I was putting them in, spotted some unidentified snails in the tank (see pic below). The pattern looked a bit like sundial. So play safe took them all out and destroyed. O-mi-tuo-foh...Btw, are they really sundial snails? Looks a bit different from web though.

Lastly, here's how they looked when closed at night. I know there're bros/sis here eyes very sharp. Can help see if got anything on them? Thank you.

[SamuelTan]

Those snails are excellent algae cleaner not sundial snail. And the zoas looks normal to me too. If your zoas is dying, i'm sure something is wrong with your water.

[law1210]

Oops! Killed the good guys. Hope I did not wipe out their species in the tank.

I also scared water problem. But all my rics, yuma, palys and blue star polyps all seems to be growing well and propagating. Even algae and cyanobacteria also growing very well too...haiz...So I'm ruling out water for the time being (except maybe too much nutrients).

I took the advice and got a six-line (plus 5 cute little hermits). Wanted to get yellow wrasse but the fishes in that tank don't look healthy. So got the six-line instead.

Lastly check out this palys. I really must do something about it. Amazing growth rate! Been procastinating its fragging for too long. Cos never frag before. Don't really have the heart to put the blade on it.

[law1210]

Waiting for my lunch kaki for lunch, thot will just post some of the zoas that a nice bro passed me on Friday. Still got another 2 but the angle very tight for my tablet camera to take proper pic. My task is to keep all of them alive now.

[kutrax82]

has anyone tried fauna marin coral dip for their zoas?

[Copperband]

nice zoa !

[law1210]

nice zoa !

Thanks bro.

[finind]

nice coralline alage

[christan1959]

hi bro, am keen to get some of the blue star polyps u hv. where did u get them? cost? easy to keep?

many thanks!

[cool guy]

Im not sure if my theory is rite. But tis is wat ive experience.

Few reason for zoas do not open is:

1- got pest, like nudis.

2- hair algae. 

3- Water parameter.

4- zoas is giving birth to small baby. Ive notice tat some of my zoas didnt open for like 5 to 6days. E next time it open, i saw some baby poly. 

Hope tis help. Cheers bro. Btw u got some nice zoas. 

[kenny1111]

Im not sure if my theory is rite. But tis is wat ive experience.

Few reason for zoas do not open is:

1- got pest, like nudis.

2- hair algae. 

3- Water parameter.

4- zoas is giving birth to small baby. Ive notice tat some of my zoas didnt open for like 5 to 6days. E next time it open, i saw some baby poly. 

Hope tis help. Cheers bro. Btw u got some nice zoas. 

number 4, i also noted this in my zoa..before new poly appear. the old ones will close for a few day.

[law1210]

hi bro, am keen to get some of the blue star polyps u hv. where did u get them? cost? easy to keep?

many thanks!

Hi bro, my apologies for taking so long to reply. Has been really busy. No time to update. No time to take pictures too. As for blue star polyps, they came as hitchhikers (I think). Just appeared in one of the rocks and then it started its tank conquering campaign. Judging from the rate my zoas are dying off and them spreading like wild fire, I guess they are easy to keep. ;-)

[law1210]

Im not sure if my theory is rite. But tis is wat ive experience.

Few reason for zoas do not open is:

1- got pest, like nudis.

2- hair algae. 

3- Water parameter.

4- zoas is giving birth to small baby. Ive notice tat some of my zoas didnt open for like 5 to 6days. E next time it open, i saw some baby poly. 

Hope tis help. Cheers bro. Btw u got some nice zoas. 

Thanks bro! Guess points 1 & 2 are prime suspect for my disappearing zoas. Few months passed. All I have left are the colonies from Ah Beng and one rock from bro Copperband. Rest disappeared slowly...

And the green palys continue it's spread. Anyone interested to have some frags of it? I have two small frags (3-4 polyps) that broke off from its main colony because it outgrew the rock it's on. But be warned though. Haha...

[law1210]

Give you guys an idea of how fast the palys spread. Below is one pic taken in Oct'11 and one taken today. The two runaway frags on the left are free for anyone interested to take.