Are Rastas slow growers?

[ajespo85]

Everything I seem to buy, grows great in my tank, like a new polyp each week! With the exception on my Rastas, which I bought as a 3 pack. They open great and wide each day, but they won't grow. Everything is on plugs, except the Rastas, which are attached rock. Could that be it? Or are they just slow. My Everlasting Gobb and Eagle Eye's seem to grow just fine, and some new additions look promising.

 

[m0nkie]

they are definitely slower than Eagle Eyes... but I wouldn't consider them the slowest...

 

[650-IS350]

Its all relative IMHO. I used to think they're slow growers until I've got a couple of various strains. the 3 different strains are growing the same rate ( Decent growth factor ) Not super fast like texas trash or pinkngold, nor as moderate grower like EE's.

Like most coral once they take a liking to your tank, without anything picking at it or eating it, plus good steady parameters you should get a pretty good growth rate on them.

 

[ajespo85]

I mean they look in the tank. They've been settled and open wide, just like everyone else, they look awesome really. There's just no signs of any new polyps yet, it's been months. I just got some new frags of other zoas early last week, and two already have new polyps starting. My particular strain must just be slow. I was just curious if it was common for them.

 

[m0nkie]

I mean they look in the tank. They've been settled and open wide, just like everyone else, they look awesome really. There's just no signs of any new polyps yet, it's been months. I just got some new frags of other zoas early last week, and two already have new polyps starting. My particular strain must just be slow. I was just curious if it was common for them.

maybe it's the position its in? different zoas like different lightings. Tried moving it around?

 

[ajespo85]

I had it on a frag on a corner of a rock. it seemed to like it there, so i took it off the frag and attached it to the rock. so can't really move it haha. My Gobbstoppers are sitting right next them on the same rock though, which are doing great!

 

[JDMhoes]

I placed mine in medium to high flow in my tank under my chinese LEDs and they grow pretty fast. I started with 4polyps and I now have 15 within 1.5-2 months.

 

[GKorals]

i really think it comes down to strains. Ive used to have a single polyp of CAR and it never grew anything for over a year. Just bought a frag of 8 a little over a month ago and have 17 lol My rastas are one of the fastest growing zoas i have in my tank IMO

 

[ajespo85]

my eagle eyes, gobbstoppers and now my new (2weeks old) scramble eggs and god of wars grow fast. my rastas (had about 9 months now) haven't grown at all. they look healthy as can be, full color and perfectly round and open, just no new polyps. I'm going to take them off the rock and place them on a plug again, I'll see if that helps.

 

[LinkinReef]

They grow like weeds in my tank. Low flow on the sand bed under radion lights

 

[acro-ed]

I have had some under the ReefBreeder type LED's and they looked really nice (excellent color), but the growth wasn't great. I threw a 400w Radium over them (same location in the tank) and I have at least three new ones over an ~18 day period, whereas I only grew a few in the past couple months. This was really only a temporary measure, as I'm about to put them under a Radion (that I had not yet acquired when I sold the other LED's), but obviously they like the intense light I gave them. I'm hoping they continue to grow well under the Radion. I think sometimes corals just need a "change" of some sort to trigger some growth. Not everything is loving it though; some Japanese deepwater type zoas look a little irritated and are smaller than normal under the Radium MH. Just my thoughts and experiences....

-Ed

 

[s_kelley]

Slow growers and quick diers

 

[acro-ed]

Slow growers and quick diers

I don't think that's necessarily the case. I think some corals do better or worse in different tanks. For example, some people say how prolific "Sunny D" zoas are, and I can't seem to keep them long-term, but I have some that people seem to kill frequently that are very stable and grow well in my tanks.

 

[ajespo85]

I have them under reefbreeders as well. everything else grows well, very well. I just took them off the rock last night and placed them on a plug, I'll see if that helps.

 

[a.browning]

I've always considered them to be relatively quick growing. As mentioned, there are multiple rasta "strains", and like any coral it'll take a while to settle in before starting to take off.

 

[FragzillaUK]

Mine grow like weeds, had a 10 polyp colony turn into 40 in about 3 months.

They like being up high and as much flow as you can throw at them.

 

[fasteddie222]

I don't think they are slow growers. Mine grow pretty quick

 

[ajespo85]

Update. It's only been a few days, but I moved the Rastas from the rock onto a plug and placed the plug on my frag rack. I have 2 new babies already! Location Location Location.

 

[Piper27]

Its all relative IMHO. I used to think they're slow growers until I've got a couple of various strains. the 3 different strains are growing the same rate ( Decent growth factor ) Not super fast like texas trash or pinkngold, nor as moderate grower like EE's.

Like most coral once they take a liking to your tank, without anything picking at it or eating it, plus good steady parameters you should get a pretty good growth rate on them.

I agree, we always buy multiple frags from different sources to try and get different strains. I also agree that like with sps, z and p polyps grow just as well once they are settled in and nothing is bothering them, given they are in the right conditions. I also experience colonies grow better once they are above 3-4" around, for both sps and z and P's.