What are some reasons for Zooanthids dying?

[ridinfast03]

I have had my 10 gal hex nano-reef now for about seven months and everything is going very well, except my zoanthids. My tank has plenty of trace elements and bacteria. I religiously dose Marine Snow and many other Seachem reef chemicals. My filtration uses, PolyFiber, Renew,de-nitrate from Seachem, Purigen, cuprisorb, and lots of live rock chunks. I am currently keeping torch corals, mushrooms, and two anenomes alive and doing well. Just those darn zoanthids keep dieing.

[Aiptasia]

Do you know what species of zoo's you have? Are they a deep water photosynthetic zoo or are they a mid to top water meat eating zoo?

 

First thing's first, check your nitrates. I'm sure they're fine but double check them just to make sure. I've seen high nitrates contribute to wasting diseases in corals quite often.

 

I've got about four or five species of polyzoanthus, zooanthus and other colonial type anemones and most of them do well with supplimental feedings about twice a week. I target feed each polyp when I feed. For small polyps, I like to feed them a mix of Kent Zooplex (Cyclops in suspension) and Kent Phytoplex (three different food algaes) via syringe when I first turn the lights out. Simply squirt a little near them and they'll capture it like little venus flytraps.

 

When they get a little bigger, I feed them the same thing but also include a little hikari micro sinking pellet food that i've soaked in seachem's vitamin suppliment. This is a micro pelletized food. I turn off my pumps and hand feed the polyps by sprinkling the pellets into the polyps a pinch at a a time.

 

When at last they can accept meatier foods, I like to feed my zoo's chopped squid and mysis formulas, similar to hikari's ocean plankton frozen cubes. I like the cubes because they use a little gelatin in them to keep the ingredients from drifting apart, and you can thaw and tear off little chunks and feed them to individual large polyps. I also feed this same diet to anemones.

[Korbin]

Maybe they're being eaten by something

Or they were sick to begin with

Or they don't like the chemicals you're using

Or they're a type that are generally just hard to keep. Like those pinks or PPE.

 

Theoretically they should do fine with water changes, light, and liverock. That makes me think they don't like something you're adding.