Why cant i keep zoas

[dollydip]

i have tried to keep zoas and they seem to close up and never open again after a about 6 weeks palys do well mushies do well in fact everything i put in seems to do fine apart from zoas . Is there a reason??? does this happen to anyone else ???? or am i missing something or doing something wrong??its a shame because i realy would like to keep zoas any thoughts???

[mfcfan]

hi andy wonder if it might have anything to do with the algea trouble you were having how is it at the moment m8

steve :)

[Ravensaxo]

im the same mine close up and never opem

[dollydip]

Has no one got any idea as to what could be the problem????

[Tom2006]

Could it be the time of year? :rolleyes::D Mine closed up about 5-6 weeks ago and despite trying everything they wont open up properly. Prior to this they were growing like weeds!:(:confused:

[Tetley]

Hi,

Things to eliminate:-

No spiders, nudis?

Water is OK -

Idoine - do you test?

No fish bothering them - angels ?

Flow - moderate - lighting - have your bulbs been changed, are they due a change?

If still no joy, then Berns is your man, he has a lot of experince with Zoas, maybe worth a pm ?

ATB

[MR Teee]

Zoas still need good quality water to live. My guess is that the phosphate and nitrate causing your algae is also killing off the zoas. Get these two sorted and the zoas should thrive.

[dollydip]

thanks guys adam at my last water test nitrate was ok ( asuming the test kit was fine ) phosphate has been reduced to zero according to the test kit again!!! new bulb 4-5 weeks ago good flow in the tank unless they have been closed that long that now they will never open is this possible???

[dollydip]

thanks tetley no i havent tested for iodine thanks for the suggestion i will have to get my water tested for that ill post when i have results thanks again any more suggestions always welcome

[mousehunter22]

unless they have been closed that long that now they will never open is this possible???[/QUOTE]

I dont think so mate after movin them to my tank most are starting to open again:D

If you find the problem let me know and they can come back to your tank if you want them il just look after them for you:D

[MR Teee]

Have you got critters crawling over them all the time? Crabs, shrimp, gobies sitting in them?

[mousehunter22]

Have you got critters crawling over them all the time? Crabs, shrimp, gobies sitting in them?

I dont think he has adam they were 4 different types dotted around his setup in different places:confused:

[MR Teee]

Ahh right, forget that one then.

Have they been dipped?

[mousehunter22]

Ahh right, forget that one then.

Have they been dipped?

Not to my knowledge!!!

[MR Teee]

Might be worth a go, RO, up to the same temp, hold upside down, and give them a vigorous shake.

Worth a bash as Dolly ain't got much to loose at the mo if they are not opening up.

[mousehunter22]

Might be worth a go, RO, up to the same temp, hold upside down, and give them a vigorous shake.

Worth a bash as Dolly ain't got much to loose at the mo if they are not opening up.

A lot of them have started to open up since going into my tank is it possible that the hair algae in his tank is causing them not to open? By touching them i mean?

[Tetley]

A lot of them have started to open up since going into my tank is it possible that the hair algae in his tank is causing them not to open? By touching them i mean?

Yes, could be. Is it all his Zoas?

Must admit they are fairly hardy, so am at a bit of a loss to understand why they refuse to open.

What else is tested for in? PH, Ca, DKH ? Are these within acceptable readings?

If all else fails, give Berns a PM as suggested.

HTH

[MR Teee]

Yeah could be irritating them, easy test would be to clear a patch of hair algae manually, and put them there to see if they open up.

[dollydip]

did a dip the other day and out came a bristle star a small snail two little white star fish and what looked like detritus and what appeared to be grains of sand??? put them back in the tank just the same the palys are open but not the zoas ill do a full water test today and post the results

[berns]

hi dolly, sorry to hear your frustration with zoas, zoas do and will close for a while (3 weeks my longest) but if you have different varieties and they all acting this way in different areas of your tank then its either of two things.... predators/irratents or water conditions. tobe honest water conditions very rarely stop zoas from opening unless theres something extremely out in your water chemistry and if other softies are opening ok then that kills that idea.

now if you can post a picture of how some are looking now it can save alot of guessing, a close up clear image of them would really help.

[berns]

A lot of them have started to open up since going into my tank is it possible that the hair algae in his tank is causing them not to open? By touching them i mean?

can easily be just this, zoas are more sensative to irratents like slime then palys/mushys etc

[dollydip]

i will get some close ups of the zoas bern and im sure i have some pics before they sarted to close the only ones that have stayed open at the moment are the ones with pink centres thanks for posting berns