growing zoas

[Maverick00]

Ive had good success with growing most of my lps as well as some sps. The zoanthids seem to be the only coral that just doesnt appear to be growing or spreading over the last 8 months. I have two colonies that both look healthy and happy but these guys just wont grow! I target feed mysis shrimp/cyclopeeze and coral frenzy from time to time with the pumps off. I have tried moving them around the tank and that doesnt seem to help either. I was under the impression these are a relatively quick growing coral. Parameters are in check. Any ideas?

[doch]

I find that the best growth I get out of zoas is in semi shaded areas... you could try that.

[chris88]

Ive had good success with growing most of my lps as well as some sps. The zoanthids seem to be the only coral that just doesnt appear to be growing or spreading over the last 8 months. I have two colonies that both look healthy and happy but these guys just wont grow! I target feed mysis shrimp/cyclopeeze and coral frenzy from time to time with the pumps off. I have tried moving them around the tank and that doesnt seem to help either. I was under the impression these are a relatively quick growing coral. Parameters are in check. Any ideas?

Dont bother feeding them, if they eat anying it is disolved organics. Just give them lots of light and good flow and leave them be. make sure they are touching a rock or flat surface so they have room to spread. A little bit of iodine may help but be careful not to overdose.

[Maverick00]

i was actually researching iodine the past few weeks. I bought a salifert iodine test kit but came up with nothing detectable. I do weekly water changes with IO but i guess this isnt replacing the iodine assuming the test kit is accurate. Im gonna give that a shot and try a few more locations in the tank, thanks!

[fishytime]

I really wish that books and the internet wouldnt classify zoanthids as an easy/beginners coral......they can be every bit as tricky as SPS.....what some people dont realize is, zoanthids are harvested from a wide range of "zones" ......some zoas are tidal and literally get exposed to the air at low tide and tons of light.....other zoas are deepwater and dont get exposed to much light at all(comparatively speaking).....so this makes generalizing about how much light and flow etc that zoa X needs, very difficult....you really do need to play around with placement.....but where ever you do decide to place them, glue them down.....they seem to never really settle in and grow if they are getting pushed around or knocked over....

[daniella3d]

I never have the slightest problem with my sps, but the zoanthids are a real mystery. I can have a colony thriving one day and the polyps are big and beautiful, and the next day they are all shriveled and tiny. No idea why. They don't seem to like me dosing with sodium carbonate either and shrivel if the change is too drastic in alkalinity.

I noticed that doing a water change always please them but it depends on the salt. I almost lost them all when I switched to H2O salt, and they are coming back strong now with IO Reef Crystal.

I had a colony invaded with pink hair algae and it was declining. I dipped it in 50% peroxyde hydrogen and 50% tank water. They seem to be doing well and the algae is gone and they are coming back better. The peroxide killed all the invading algae and pest and the zoa are doing fine. I am planning to do this treatment to all my colonies that are doing soso.

This is to my opinion the hardest coral to keep healthy for a long time. I have alveopora for a year and half and it's doing great....can't say the same for my zoanthids.

[scherzo]

Once I neglected my tank for over 2 months and they took off! I didn't do any water changes over that time and they spread all over anything they could touch.

In my new tank they stalled a little until I started using coral frenzy. They started spreading again.

[skabooya]

Agreed. My zoas do nothing. They look the same as when I first got them. No new polyps and some colonies are very slowly decreasing. Im not buying anymore zoas because they just wont grow in my tank.

[gobytron]

I remember Charles Delbeek talking about how some of the most amazig zoanthid colonies were found in areas close to where raw sewage was being released into the oceans...

Generally, they do like "dirtier" water.

I have very mixed results with zoas too, agree with the poster who talks about how different habitats are found in nature...
the trouble is, its nearly impossible to replicate more than one biotope in the home aquarium.

Too bad you cant get more info on where each specimenoriginated from any of the LFS...I'm sure thats impossible but sure might make some of the trial and error easier.

[Jex]

Hmmmm I had my heart set on Zoas. They are so colorful, and most places on the web say 'easy and beginner ' coral.

Probably will still try them when my tank is ready for corals. It would be interesting to hear more on the different types and what conditions they need. Anyone know of good sites with good information on the different species?

[JohnnyReeftank]

Hey Jex.....I was in the same boat as you about 10 months ago when I got into the hobby and I just went for it and started buying $10 frags of various Zoa's. I've got about 20-30 different kinds now and its pretty much hit and miss. I've had some colonies melt away while sitting right beside another colony that is thriving and showing no signs of stress. I have noticed that most prefer a bit of shade and I've had better success with polyps that are more vertical on the rock and not horizontal (but who knows).....my advice is to try a couple frags and see how they do.

[chris88]

Zoanthids are the easiest coral other then duncans that I have ever kept. They grow like weeds for me and will take just about any conditions. I do not feed them and feel that they like dissolved organics and most of all they need to be left alone. It also helps if they are on a very nice piece of flat rock and are touching other pieces of flat rock with no algae growth on it so they can spread like lava. That being said every now and then a colony will cause a virus or something and cause them to melt while all other zoanthids and plays are unaffected.


All zoanthids were grown form frags in about a year’s time:

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff42/chrishenz/111.jpg
http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff42/chrishenz/109.jpg
http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff42/chrishenz/041.jpg
http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff42/chrishenz/june21st029.jpg
http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff42/chrishenz/061-1.jpg
http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff42/chrishenz/127.jpg


Grown from a single polyp cut from the other colony in the tank:

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff42/chrishenz/068.jpg

[Maverick00]

unbelievable chris ^^ i dont think my plug has grown a single polyp in 8 months lol.

I have since moved one of the plugs into deeper and darker water and the polyps appear to be opening alittle wider so i think its happier down there. Ive also started dosing iodine in hopes that will play a positive role. Im wondering if im "overskimming" the water column and stripping it of most dissolved organics. I guess time will tell, ive got years of trial and error to see what works and what doesnt :razz:. Thanks for all the helpful comments :smile:

[chris88]

I have had about the same growth rate when i ran a carbon source (vinegar)to get nutrients really low and when i let me tank get a little bit dirty. I dont know what i could be doing differently. i also notice no difference in tap or ro water. The only thing i can think of is that i do not do water changes. i dont know if that is whats causing them to grow but its something to think about.

[Aquattro]

Zoanthids are the easiest coral other then duncans

lol, I can't Duncans going if my life depended on it :)

[chris88]

lol really, when i moved this tank a year ago it crashed and i lost everything excpet some zoanthids and a large duncan colony. the duncans grew like a weed to the point that i had to get rid of them. the slowest growing coral i have is gsp. they litterally dont grow, which is the opposite for other people.

[Zoaelite]

Doug practically stole the words right from my mouth:
-Very diverse group of species collected all over.
-What works for some might not work for others.
-Zoas should not be classified as a beginner coral.
-Move them around until you find a happy zone then glue them in and sit back and enjoy.

Chris I swear there's something special in that fort mac tap water your using, the growth on those red palys baffles me a bit. Mowhawks have to be the fastest growing piece in my tank and even then its **** in a bucket compared to those beauties!

[chris88]

I have to agree with you. maybe its the bitumen lol. take a look at the full tank shot. in the bottom left where the major red paly colony is. the far left of that colony is now starting to spread and cover the rock beside it. That has happend in a month or so. i wouldnt be suprised if it covers that whole rock in another month or two. I can't take credit for anything, i really do nothing special to brag about. like you said it could vary well be something in that water.

[Maverick00]

whats the chances you could send me 500ml of tap water and ill start using it as an additive chris :lol:

[Maverick00]

I figured id update this thread.

I tried moving some of the blue coloured zoas to the bottom of the tank under some of the shade of the LR. WOW what a tremendous difference in the last couple weeks. Such a minor position change in the tank and these guys appear to be thriving and growing unlike anything ive seen in the last 6 months. Im surprised how far a small change like that goes. As mentioned before, a low flow lower light area does seem to be the ticket for some of these guys anyway.

[daniella3d]

This is amazing. What salt mix are you using? Are you dosing for KH? and if so, what do you use? Do you dose anything else? What light are you using?

How mature is your tank?

I have to agree with you. maybe its the bitumen lol. take a look at the full tank shot. in the bottom left where the major red paly colony is. the far left of that colony is now starting to spread and cover the rock beside it. That has happend in a month or so. i wouldnt be suprised if it covers that whole rock in another month or two. I can't take credit for anything, i really do nothing special to brag about. like you said it could vary well be something in that water.

[reefwars]

I have had about the same growth rate when i ran a carbon source (vinegar)to get nutrients really low and when i let me tank get a little bit dirty. I dont know what i could be doing differently. i also notice no difference in tap or ro water. The only thing i can think of is that i do not do water changes. i dont know if that is whats causing them to grow but its something to think about.



hummmm someone else with no water changes and amazing growth.....is there a horseshoe in the tank???