Different Zoanthids and Different Requirements?

[Grimreaperz]

Okay so I have had a tank for just over a year now...and have been attempting to collect as many different types of Zoas as I can.

At one point I was up to about 25ish types....
I have noticed that it seems some zoas thrive while others are happy but do not reproduce...and the complete worst and some just straight up melt away.

All the same placements etc. So it begs the question do different zoas / palys prefer different perameters/flow/light and if so is there and ongoing list that anyone can share?

It have had a few of my favourites melt away on me and others are thriving so I'm really kinda lost at this point apose to just spending more money hoping for the best lol.

TIA!

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[thepotoo]

>do different zoas / palys prefer different perameters/flow/light

Absolutely. I have had colonies starting to melt, moved them to an area with higher flow, and they came back. Swings in parameters can be devastating to some species, but not to others.

> is there and ongoing list that anyone can share

Not that I know of, but trial and error works for me. There are certainly hardy and less hardy zoas, but as long as you keep an eye on new colonies you'll be good. Just move them if they stop opening up or look melty. Once they start growing additional polyps, you're good, I don't think I've ever lost a colony once it started spreading.

 

[kichimark]

>do different zoas / palys prefer different perameters/flow/light

Absolutely. I have had colonies starting to melt, moved them to an area with higher flow, and they came back. Swings in parameters can be devastating to some species, but not to others.

> is there and ongoing list that anyone can share

Not that I know of, but trial and error works for me. There are certainly hardy and less hardy zoas, but as long as you keep an eye on new colonies you'll be good. Just move them if they stop opening up or look melty. Once they start growing additional polyps, you're good, I don't think I've ever lost a colony once it started spreading.

+1. Even the same type of zoas can act different in other peoples tanks. I usually start new arrivals at the bottom and just as mentioned above, watch their behavior and adjust accordingly.

It is just my observation that variations in flow tended to bother some more picky zoas (i.e. zoas who like lots of flow placed in very low flow areas). Sometimes where we think the coral would look best tends to be th less than ideal spot and we got to adjust.

What zoas were giving you a hard time? Were they wild or aquacultured?

 

[Grimreaperz]

Hey thanks for the advice this is kind of what I have been doing just trial and error.

So far I have lost
Mohawks
Red People Eaters
Sunny Ds

Almost lost my space monsters but they are coming back.

And a few others I can't remember here is a list of the current Zoas I have

Utter Chaos
Space Monsters
Fruit loops
Rastas
Flaming Sun?
Blue Hornets
Rainbow Hornets
Radioactive Dragon Eye
Mint Chocolate Chip
Dragon Eye or Black Dragon
Armor of God
Captain America
Everlasting Gobstobbers
Miami Vice?
Pineaple Express
Emeralds on fire
Watermelons

And most seem happy. Some are doing well but I have noticed a major slow in reproduction lately.....i am going tonne trying to get some T5s to help out my cheap China black box as I'm sure that's part of the issue

As far as if they are wild or AC I would say Majority are ACd if not all. Just getting frags from local reefers


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[kichimark]

How are your nitrates? I have noticed my sunny d's like a little more nutrients in the water which can be said for most zoas/paly's.

 

[Grimreaperz]

Actually after this I was doing water tests for the first time in a while and I must have had a snail or 2 die or soemrhing as my nitrates were way higher than usual I have done several water changes over the last week to get them back down to around 10

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[Randy27]

Flow seems to be the biggest factor to me, with light being the least of my concerns with them.

 

[jda]

For the most part, I have found that not changing water is the main reason that zoas melt in my tanks. I light them all with metal halide and they get a lot of light and they all thrive as long as I replace the trace elements that my calcium reactor does not supply - for me, this is in the form of water changes.

I have a LOT of flow, but really none of it direct.