Zoanthid are closed and hairy mushrooms looking like jelly

[npcivic]

Hi,

I have a colony of brown zoanthids and I notice a couple of days ago that a section of the colony is not opening up.

I have a 50gal tank, with 65lbs of LR and LS.
4-65 watt PC's for lighting.
salinity is 1.025
Water Parameters are all at zero.
Protein Skimmer is working fine
Just did a 20% water change.
Phosphate - 0
Calcium - 400
Alkalinity - 8.2

Fish: Pair of Maroon Clownfishes
Yellow Tang
Sallowtail Angelfish
Coral Beauty
Brownbarred Goby
Cleaner Wrasse
Cleaner Shrimp
2-Sand sifting starfishes

Corals:
Finger Leather Coral
Zoanthid colonies
Xenias
Galaxy Coral
Bubble Coral
Hammer Coral
and a bunch red, green and hairy mushrooms

I believe this is all that I have in my tank, but are any of these fishes or corals causing the Zoanthids to close up? I know that none of the angelfishes are disturbing the colony and the cleaner shrimp is not doing anything to disturb them either. I did notice very small bristtleworms lurking between the zoanthids, is that what's irritating them? If it is, how do I get rid of them? And also I notice that my hairy mushrooms are starting to look like they are wasting away because they are starting to look like "brown jelly" and they are giving a foul odor to the tank. Last night, I removed the piece of rock with the mushrooms on it and scrape away the disenegrating mushroom then put it back into the tank, is there anyway to help cure whatever is causing this to the mushrooms? All my other corals are doing just fine. I hope I have given you enough info to help with my dilemma. Thanks for your help

Nilson

 

[reefrunner69]

I'd say any of your corals could be bothering the zoos, the LPS could be sending out sweepers and stinging them or there could be some chemical warfare from the softies. Another possibility is there might be a pest hitchhiker in the tank somewhere. Can we get a ic of the zoos?

The shrooms, were probably injured in someway (possibly stung by one of the LPS) and developed a protozoan infection. If they were mine, I would siphon off the brown jelly and use a coral dip (following the instructions on the bottle) and then put them back in the tank with some good flow across them. The dip may be required every day until the infection is gone or has totally consumed the coral.

 

[Guest]

Can zoos be affected by too much flow?

 

[reefrunner69]

Can zoos be affected by too much flow?

I'm sure they can, I keep mine under a low to med flow.

 

[Guest]

I have a problem with that new rock I bought...It was beautiful remember, and now, more than half gone..If you look at the pictures of it in the photo gallery, you will notice the right side of it going away...just closing up and disappearing... Could it be the hair algae that did it? or the flow? it is kindof under a good flow...Maybe I will move it tonight when I get home..

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=483&password=&sort=7&thecat=500

 

[npcivic]

Thanks,

I know that the water flow is moderate over the zoo's and I will try the coral dip for the mushrooms and keep you posted. Thanks again for the advice. I will try to put a pic soon of my zoos.

Nilson