Calling all people eater paly growers!

[Lee_is_007]

I have a zoa dominated tank and I can grow zoas with the best of um. But, when it comes to people eaters I have no luck at all. People eaters just happen to be my favorite kind of zoas.

Can any people eater growers give me some tips or post your tank parameters/lighting?

My parameters are: PH 8.0, 1.025 salinity, 9 dKH, Calcium 400

I recently started to dose iodide and have seen some awesome results! Is this the reason why or am I missing something?

 

[Lee_is_007]

My lighting is 4 HO T5 ATI bulbs

1 blue plus
1 coral plus
1 purple plus
1 actinic

 

[BubbaBoBobBrain]

I have purple, red, and soon to have red devil people eaters in both of my tanks and haven't had much problem keeping them (probably just luck, lol). My dt is a rr75 with a 6 bulb t5 and my frag tank is a 40 breeder with a reefbreeders led over it. I keep params the same in both tanks. 1.025 salinity, Ph 8.0-8.3, Cal 440, mag 1325ish, alk 7-8, nit 3-5ppm, phos .08-.10 not sure if that will help at all but good luck nonetheless

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

 

[got2envy]

I can't keep these either...they do great for a while and then *poof* they are gone.
Also my favorites.

 

[Chriskid]

i have been trying to test tanks that do and dont...... im testing silica next. my local reefers that can keep them happen to have high readings in this area.

 

[650-IS350]

I tend to drop a drop or 2 of lugols every 2-3 weeks for iodine

 

[Lee_is_007]

I just tested my tank. pH around 8.0-8.1, dKH 9, Cal 420, Nitrates 0, Phosphates almost 0.

I dose DT's phytoplankton and Oysterfeast with Phytofeast. (I change it up not all at once)

I have just recently started to does Brightwell Iodion for the iodine (water changes are not enough) and I have notice a huge difference. Polyps look way better and the growth is insane. I'm still waiting on the people eaters though. Time will tell I guess... If it's not the iodine dosing then I don't know. Maybe they like a lower alkalinity? Like around 7.5 or 8?

 

[Chriskid]

i personally don't see iodine, potassium, or 7.5 alk to be any different. over the last few months if tryed these thoughts.but to no avale. but thats me.

 

[Lee_is_007]

Well Chris we need to get to the bottom of this lol.

I keep you updated on what I come up with. Iodine first, then I'll see what else I can try/change.

 

[Chriskid]

Well Chris we need to get to the bottom of this lol.

I keep you updated on what I come up with. Iodine first, then I'll see what else I can try/change.

im just as interested as you..lol I have been searching for a reason for a while also. over feeding, under skimming multiple levels....bla,bla ,bla ill keep posting here after i try whats next on my list and looking for your updates aswell

 

[SushiGirl]

Have you tried feeding them directly? We bought one at MACNA back in September. I feed it a small piece of mysis any time it will take it & we have 4 now. We don't dose anything because we use ESV 4 part salt mix & I haven't tested parameters in probably 4 months in that tank. We have LED lighting & just recently dimmed the whites some due to some zoas not doing to well (which helped the zoas). Be careful dosing iodine, easy to overdose & will kill if it is overdosed. Regular water changes with good salt should negate the need to dose trace elements. We change water every 2 weeks.

 

[650-IS350]

I used to feed palys, protopalys n neozanthus with soft sinking pellets that I mush up and spray on them

 

[danimal1211]

I have a couple morphs they open up great every day but so far no growth. The greens I've had for over three months with no growth, the oranges I've had for about a month and a half. They had a baby attached which has been growing very slowly. The pic of the oranges was the second day I had them so they weren't fully open yet.

 

[Chriskid]

these types never seem to accept food for me. dont know why, others yes

 

[BubbaBoBobBrain]

All the people eaters I have also do not accept food. They also grow very slow but all seem very healthy

 

[danimal1211]

Mine will accept food the oranges especially have a quick feeding response.

 

[Lee_is_007]

As far as spot feeding I will try it and see what I can get them to eat. I have 3 different types of people eaters all with two polyps. All have been two polyps for too long lol. I will say though that all the locals here who can grow them don't spot feed them so there has to be something else I'm missing.

I'm going to get an Iodine test kit tomorrow and see what the rate of consumption is in my zoa/paly dominated tank.

 

[650-IS350]

As long as they exibit prey catching ability n not just close due to scare response u can try to feed it
Hell even my mohawks feed

 

[Lee_is_007]

OK! I think I have found the reason. I never used to test my Mg. I finally got a test kit and my tank tested at 1080??? I couldn't believe it. I just did a 20 percent saltwater change with reef crystals too. Since correcting my level back to 1350 and dosing a tiny bit of iodide my Hawaiian people eaters now have 2 babies growing!! Everything looks waaaay better too. I may be looking into other salt mixes as I have been told some can be Mg deficient.

What salt mix do you guys use?

 

[650-IS350]

D&d