my new zoos are dissapearing....

[freaky-lil-raver]

well i finally got some zoos, just happened to find some at my LFS. but now they have been in my 75 gallon reef for about a week. and slowly but surely they seem to be thinning out.

I dunno if it is normal to lose some or not... I was wondering if it was possible that one of my fish may be plucking them off...

tank set up:
75 gallons
2 powerheads, pushing about 600 gph
magnum 350 canister filter
300 watt heater
bout 150 lbs live rock
bout 200-250 lbs of live sand (6" deep)

temp. bout 80 degrees
PH: somewhere around 8.1-8.3
salinity: 33
ammonia: 0
nitrate:0
nitrite:0
phosphate:0
calcium:400

Live stock
1 sebae anemone
4 or 5 different species of polyps/zoos

1 spotted mandarin
1 firefish goby
1 tomatoe clown
2 three strip damsels
2 black n' gold chromis
2 red n' blue chromis

2 astrea snails
2 cap snails
1 unknown snail (long narrow shell, likes to burrow into the sand sometimes)
1 Queen Conch snail

WHEW..... think I got everything..lol

any ideas would be great!!!!

thanks
Mary

[scubadude]

One of your fish may be plucking them off....The damsels would be one of the first suspects that I would watch.....keep an eye on your zoos and look to see if they are being agitated or torn....if all of them are closed up all of the time then I would suspect chemistry but if you see the ones that are disappearing as being the only ones agitated or closed up then I would suspect a predator preying on them.....If you think that someone is eating them then definately start feeding a bit more. Your long narrow snail that burrows in the sand is probably a netted olive if memory serves me correctly they prey on SB fauna which will deplete food for the fish thus the fish looking for other sources of food? Just thinking out loud 4 ya.

Rocky

[lebowski]

It might be one of those snails, Not sure, there's a thread on em.... hitchhikers.

[scubadude]

Yes there is....DONT throw them away if you have sundial snails here is a pic of one....Mntdewman is looking for some he will pay you for them

http://www.reefs.org/hhfaq/img/faq_heliacus.jpg

[freaky-lil-raver]

the unknown snail has been identafied... it is a cerith snail.....
he pretty much stays away from my inverts....
no sundial snails have been seen.....

now my sebae is on the move, kinda odd, cuz he tends to stay in one place. some of my polyps are staying closed, but most of them seem fine....

I think maybe the damsels are gonna be quarrentined away from the inverts, and I will see how they do.....

any more help would be great
Thank you all!!

Mary

[reefpod]

What do you have for lighting? I read the above post and you didnt mention lighting.

[freaky-lil-raver]

knew I was forgetting something....

I have 2 48 inch 40 watt 20k super daylight floursent and 2 48 inch 40 watt standard flouresent aquarium bulbs.... the 20k bulbs are only a month old and the other 2 are about 4-6 months old

will be getting a VHO system in the future, when money allows

I could put on 2 more standard bulbs if I have to, but the 4 tubes have worked well for the last 6 months....

opinions? Ideas?

thanks again
Mary

[reefpod]

If all possible try moving the polyps up higher towards the light. As for the sebae moving around, he sounds like hes getting restless due to not having enough light. Anemones need alot of light!

[freaky-lil-raver]

the sebae is moving out of the light, that is why I am worried about it... it is trying to hide in the rock pile. dose not seem to wanna eat either. I have been feeding it frozen krill.... but the last 2 feedings it has pushed the food away....

I have my polyps as close to the light as I can get them.... somewhere around 6 to 8 inches away from the light (bout the middle)

Mary