Colonies on shells

[Durbelethwen]

I have been considering getting zoanthids for a while based on the description of them in one of my books. While looking at the available zoanthids on ccritters.com I came across an interesting idea: ccritters sale one type of zoanthid colony on a clam shell. It think something like that would look very well in a tank. I would get it except there is another type of zoanthid that is a very pretty blue color (blue is my favorite color), its only base is some coraline algae.
My question is would I be able to take the blue zoanthid colony and have it settle on a clam or oyster shell that I would provide. I would probably buy the shell from the grocery store and eat the insides. Buying a shell from elsewhere would be rather expensive for the purpose in mind.

 

[rogersb]

They will grow on to anything. To get them secured use a little super glue gel and then let them do their thing.

 

[CrazyZoa]

I have 3 colonies growing on shells right now.

 

[jefathome]

LOL... I thought you were gonna ask what I have been thinking for a while. Putting Zoa Frags on the backs of my snails (turbo and Trocus) and maybe the hermets as well.

 

[CrazyZoa]

Yup...zoas on the shells of live hermits and snails are funny as heck to watch. Only thing is they get knocked off pretty quickly from rocks etc as the animal moves about the tank.

 

[Puffcrusader696]

^^ I have done that with my turbo snails... my record was 4 weeks... then they fell off lol it was like a game... then my tank boiled... and now I have a new one with more zoas

 

[Timanator]

I got some growing on egg crates.

 

[Giglamesh]

i had a small colony growing on a trochus but it got to the point where it would sting other corals as it moved around the tank.

 

[viethunny1]

how are you guys doing that? i just got some on a rock with about 25 zoas ($4 !) I think they are green men from mars.

 

[Durbelethwen]

I got the glue

I got the glue

I got the aqurium glue and the directions say that it should be applied out of water and it needs to set for thirty seconds before being placed in the tank. Will it hurt the zoanthids to be out of water for that long? If it will does anybody here have any alternate ideas of what I can use to glue zoanthids to oyster shells? Thank you for your imput.

 

[twizzlerman77]

Most all corals in the wild are exposed to the sun during low tide for a couple hours a day. So pulling the zoas of of the tank for just a few minutes wont hurt anything.