Is this my zoanthid predator?

[jrgilles]

Hey Leslie

My huge zoanthid colonies have been closed up and some have started to melt. Looked contained to one type for awhile, but now appears to be effecting other colonies (been going on a few weeks.)

Anyway, I ordered a red flash light and was just checking out my tank. One colony, the first to close up and go into decline, had a bunch of 1/3" to 1/2" amphipods on them. I am guessing these guys are just cleaning up dead tissue.

Next to this colony, I found a rock covered in maybe 10 tiny snails. I am wondering if the snails are the culprit. They DO NOT look like sundial snails according to online resources. It is the only predator I found. Well, I did pick off a possibly oppertunistic asternia star...

Anyway, do you (or anyone else) recognize this snail, and is it my possible culprit?

Oh, also the last two times I introduced anything to the tank were from Seamax (a few corals and zoas, back in july) and a few SPS frags that were from a long set up display tank at a local fish store. So, nothing for 3-4 months.

Here is a pic:

 

[fall0n]

subscribing to see if I need to watch out for those guys

 

[TJL]

Hey Rob, those lil guys are quite safe and nocturnal herbivore on Algae and Diatoms/Detritus and related to Stomatella Snails. Wish I had more of them but the Radiant Wrasse I had bought for Pyrimidal Snail control also found these tasty. They are slowly making a comeback and with only Leopard Wrasses for new system maybe will survive.

Cheers, Todd

 

[Herefishyfishy]

I would be interested in a picture of your zoanthids

 

[jrgilles]

I will snap some pictures of the zoas and post today. I don't see any zoa pox or anything like that. Haven't found a predator yet either I guess. After some research last night was pretty sure these guys weren't it.

All my sps are doing great

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[jrgilles]

Accidently hit send. All my sps are doing great. Parameters are all good
Ph 8.3 to 8.37 or so
Kh is 9
Salinity 1.026
Calcium around 430
Phosphates are zero
Nitrates zero
Mg is about 1400
Temp is 76 to 76.7

Had an issue with protein skimmer for a couple weeks, but it is now going strong and skimming great

I have one large frag that I have been dipping in iodine then coral rx then ro water, but still not opening up

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[1guydude]

So the sundial snails that are often preds on zoos have a very not mistaken triangle protective thing in front of their shell opening...those look to be collistria snails or watever, sry not very good with the science side! LOL

 

[Herefishyfishy]

I will snap some pictures of the zoas and post today. I don't see any zoa pox or anything like that. Haven't found a predator yet either I guess. After some research last night was pretty sure these guys weren't it.

All my sps are doing great

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Thanks.
Please list fish in the tank

 

[jrgilles]

Here is a link to the zoa pics. Included are two pics of what the gobstoppers looked like before this issue came up:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/104216026959215989048/albums/5712008081648100705

Fish in the tank:
Scribbled Rabbitfish
Male and female nemos
one blue chromis
target mandarin
dwarf golden morray

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Fish in the tank:
Scribbled Rabbitfish
Male and female nemos
one blue chromis
target mandarin
dwarf golden morray

I've often heard of folks having problems with rabbitfish and softies, particularly zoanthids. Some find them quite tasty for a nibble as a snack. Most zoanthid problems that are not Pox nor bad water including flow, are with fish nibbling. Cover them for protection with one of those grocery store type fruit baskets or equal and see if they open up...

 

[jrgilles]

Ok. That is a good idea, and something I haven't tried yet. I will give it a shot and see what happens.

Hair algae has been taken way back, so maybe he is hungry. I can also be more diligwent about keeping some nori in the tank

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[TJL]

Good call on Fish Mike, now that my DT is Fallow zoanthids/palys and Acans all looking much better. Poor things had to endure a few months of being tasted by a Filefish only to be transplanted to system with a Klienii B-fly whom also tasted them daily. Now are all gloriously happy and only have to put up with an occasional trespassing Hermit Crab...lol

Cheers, Todd

 

[jrgilles]

So I would like to get a protective barrier set up tonight over a rock on the bottom that has zoas on it, maybe 4" by 4" as well as a large frag plug on a frag rack.

I'm going to check the grocery store for a plastic slotted fruit holder, but if you guys have any other good ideas of things I can use to protect the colonies/test this hypothesis (that are readily available/easy to find) please let me know.

Maybe take a plastic tupperware container, drill holes in it and attach it with some frag glue or something?

I really hope this is the cause, as I have been racking my brain for a month trying to figure this out

 

[1guydude]

i used a gatorade top to cover my sun coral! Just drilled a small hole in the top and ran some fish line so i could pull it out when the coral was done eating...

 

[Herefishyfishy]

If nothing at the grocery, you will be amazed some of the shapes you can find at any thrift store.
Be sure to wash and rinse well first...

 

[jrgilles]

Sounds good. I could do a lot with a gatorade container and a large drill bit I think. I can go after just the small (ish) rock in the sand and the frag plug to start with. If they open up, I think that narrows it down to the rabbitfish (as emeralds, etc. can't get up to the frag rack.) At that point, I can get the rabbitfish out and put it in my fuge (where it will have all the food it could ever want) until I can get it to a new home.

Hope this is the cause. Makes sense, as any hair algae in my system is mostly gone now (which was the main reason I got him.)

I will keep you posted. If he is the culprit and anyone is interested in a zoa eating rabbit fish, PM me. Guaranteed to get rid of those pesky zoanthids you have growing in your tank.

 

[jrgilles]

Well, I put some protection over a pair of colonies and they are starting to open. Also, I have been diligent about keeping nori in my algae clip. I see some zoas peaking out in the covered and uncovered colonies.

I guess I wasn't good about keeping algae in the clip since my hair algae disappeared. Hopefully if I am just keep the clip full, this issue will go away. They are far from open, but definately peaking out now, which is a huge step forward. I am thinking the rabbitfish was the issue.

I will keep you posted. It has now been 24 hours since adding algae/covers. So things are looking up. Thanks again for helping me brainstorm the problem.

rob

 

[Herefishyfishy]

My pleasure. I have been raising my tanks temp as of late and think perhaps your Temp of 76 to 76.7 could be a touch higher

 

[jrgilles]

What temp would you recommend? I was using the apex seasonal temps (changes over the year, about 75 during the winter up to around 80 in the summer, also with varying light cycles.

I recently ditched the seasonal charts though and went to a fixed (not changing) light cycle and temp cycle.

What are you running your temp at? Should I go up to around 78 maybe? 77.5 to 78 for the range?

I was planning on raising it a bit more already, just didn't want to do too much at once.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

77.5 to 78 keeps less energy used by the chiller and seems easy to keep stable