Rare Phenomenon or Unique Coincidence???

[ReeferRob]

A few weeks back I fragged a paly colony in to two pieces and left them side by side for a few days. (No Name Colony) Then a few days later I cut one again into two, so now I have three frags in the frag tank. Nothing unusual here. Remember this part for later.......
I then go to a friends house and purchase a frag of some z's. Spiderman zoas to be exact. I bring home the frag and all is well. Then as a few days go buy I notice it not looking so good and kinda shrinking but not melting.
I contacted the seller to see exactly where these z's prefer to be. You know the usual high or low light and flow question.

He tells me well "I thought they like lower light but higher flow" I ask "you thought" he continues to tell me that after about six months in the exact same place in his reef and after countless times of being removed to frag, they are not opening and not looking to good????? Odd right?

So I run back to my frag tank to move the frag and notice that both of the paly colonies I had and fragged are looking the same. Keep in mind they are no where near each other and no other frag are effected.
I then look in the DT and the same frag from the palys are dwindling away as well.

Now do you thing this is just a unique coincidence or a rare phenomenon??

Similar to how Xenias seems to melt away once a year?

Im stumped but just wanted to share this odditiy!

[jojo22]

My first question would be is your frag tank plumbed to your DT??

If so have you thought about possible contamination??

[ReeferRob]

My first question would be is your frag tank plumbed to your DT??

If so have you thought about possible contamination??

No they are not plumbed together. Frag tank has close to 20 different morphs and DT has another 5-6 morphs. No duplicates in DT and only 3 frags are dups in frag tank.

[jojo22]

Did you work in both tanks that evening?? Could you have cross contaminated them, as contamination is the only thing I could see causing this issue, but I could be wrong.

[schminksbro]

A bacterial infection is possible. When corals are fragged they become vulnerable. You could try a weak hydrogen peroxide dip. Myself and others have had good success with this method of treatment and zoanthids.

[ReeferRob]

I don't know I dip my corals pretty hard in Revive when new corals are introduced to the frag tank. I also do this if moving things from tank to tank.

[ReeferRob]

Sorry working off iPhone, Jojo that's a hard one to answer as my hands are in both nonstop. But the night I fragged and got the spideys were on 2 diff nights.

[jimsflies]

While it could be any number of things, I have also theorized that zoas have a season die back. I had read a post a long time back from a diver saying that certain times a year, spots were covered with zoas and other times they can hardly be found.

I had a conversation last spring with Collin of Coralmorphologic, I think his response was he hadn't noticed it being seasonal, but had noticed at certain times, zoas weren't a densely colonized as others. I think he said winter tends to slow them down.

It would definitely be worth asking the question in their forum.

[MizTanks]

Wow, this is weird. The frag pack I got a couple of weeks ago, out of 7, so far only 2 have survived and those are looking pretty sad with only a few polyps opening up. 5 just shriveled up and died. Then this past Tuesday I got another pack and they too are looking pretty sad. Troubles opening up, with some polyps just dieing off....Both packs from different sellers, both from colder climate areas.


Update: Ok so having a small tank has benefits. So much easier to notice the goings on in my tank. Like while looking at my zoa's today I noticed long stringy substances coming from them. I do believe their pooping! Maybe this has something to do with them being *lethargic* Yup, I've read somewhere about them but never have actually seen it happening. Yes, the ones doing the pooping are looking much better, open fully in all their glory!

[schminksbro]

They are expelling their zooxanthellae. Likey a response to the stress of their travels. They should be fine.

Wow, this is weird. The frag pack I got a couple of weeks ago, out of 7, so far only 2 have survived and those are looking pretty sad with only a few polyps opening up. 5 just shriveled up and died. Then this past Tuesday I got another pack and they too are looking pretty sad. Troubles opening up, with some polyps just dieing off....Both packs from different sellers, both from colder climate areas.


Update: Ok so having a small tank has benefits. So much easier to notice the goings on in my tank. Like while looking at my zoa's today I noticed long stringy substances coming from them. I do believe their pooping! Maybe this has something to do with them being *lethargic* Yup, I've read somewhere about them but never have actually seen it happening. Yes, the ones doing the pooping are looking much better, open fully in all their glory!