zoo fungus

[johnq]

I recently bought a frag of zoos from a nice looking colony and when I got them home I noticed the piece was covered with a white fungas and only 1 polyp would open. what should I do?

[Reefland]

Hi johnq, Welcome to Reefland!

Is this something that you can blow off the polyps by waving your hand over it or using a turkey baster? If so, that would be my suggestion.

[johnq]

I think so. last night the bristle worms ate most of it. I heard something about a freshwater dip with iodine. this is the most expensive coral I have purchased and it came diseased. I was looking at the colony not the frag I got. What do you do if something like this happens? I would be happy with 3 or 4 healthy polyps over the 15 sick ones.

The colony was a nice yellow and orange color. I hope they make it.

[Reefland]

Definitely don't do a freshwater dip, that will be very harmful if not fatal to the polyps you have. I would just try to remove the fungus manually and monitor it. If it does not seem to get better you might try an Iodine dip.

[johnq]

Do you know what aquatica reefs policy is on this sort of stuff? He had a whole colony of these. I dont feel I did anything wrong but the polyps look pretty scrunched up and some skinny at the base.

[johnq]

anyone? I followed advice fromthe site and fragged the pieces and treated them with iodine one piece looks like it myight make it but has yet to open. should I remove the other peices they look like they are rotting?

[Reefland]

If they look like they are rotting I would go ahead and remove them.

What kind of water parameters are you running with? I would be interested in hearing the following:
Salinity
Temperature
Ammonia
Nitrites
Nitrates

Also how long has your tank been set up and what other inhabitants do you have?

[johnq]

salinity: 1.022

ammonia: 0

ph: 8.2

temp: 77F

29 gallon

I have many different thriving corals in the tank including zoanthids, a big leather, one encrusting stony coral, a orange fungi plate, and various sponges.

I have a pair of black saddle back clownfish (A. polymnus) a domino damsel and a peppermint shrimp.

This is the first disease and the worst thing that has happened to my tank since the green hair algea back in march 2004.

I noticed the fungus right after I put it in my tank and began doing research but by the next day half the colony was gone.

I am willing to pay $10 for a replacement frag as long as it is healthy.

[johnq]

all polyps are now dead.

[johnq]

anyone know aquaticas user name on this site? I cant get a rid up there for a while.

[Reefland]

Todd S. You miught just try to contact them via their e-mail address on www.aquaticareef.com

Additionally, you might consider slowly raising your salinity to 1.025 and your temp up to 80. If you did not acclimate the corals slowly they might have went through some stress from the changes. I'm pretty sure Aquatica keeps their coral tanks around those ranges which is a bit more natural.