Feeding

[heyitsomid]

Hi,
I'm new to the hobby. I got a couple of these guys one from an LFS and another as a hitch hiker on LR. The hitchhiker ones are big but they don't look too healthy, although they are getting better. I was trying to feed them and I heard that shredded shrimp as good. In anycase when I try to feed them they close up so i'm having a hard time. Any suggestions, videos, demonstrations etc?
thanks

 

[Skeptic_07]

concentrate more on lighting and flow for them. Some but not all polyps will respond to food and i think an occasional feeding will help them to grow faster but the most important 'food' for all zoos and palys is light. Meaty food is more of a bonus for them and is not necesary. Also, make sure the hitchhiker zoas you got aren't aiptasia as they could be confused my someone so new to the hobby.

 

[heyitsomid]

Lighting and Flow are epic in my system as of yet, finally got my daylights in. I read that zoas will stretch out under only actinics to get more surface area under the bulb but they are more stretched out now under both lamps than before. In anycase I checked for "aiptasia" but i didn't see any. I understand that food isn't totally necessary but I know that people do feed their zoas and I would like to know what and how they go about doing this. I think a youtube video demonstration would be helpful

 

[pimpinitup6969]

i feed a mixture of brine cyclopeeze and mysis. its def not needed but it does help growth IMO! also not many zoas that i have will take anything when i feed them most palys do though

 

[Skeptic_07]

exactly, small meaty foods are ideal, frozen cyclops and mysis are perfect. Shut the pumps off and use a turkey baster. Melt the frozen stuff in a cup, suck up with baster and release into the water above the polyps so that it falls gently onto them. Don't squirt it directly on the polyps as most of them will probably miss the food. Please realize that most zoanthus DO NOT eat and repeatedly trying to feed them will be detrimental. I wouldn't be trying to feed them or be putting any food in the tank since its only up for 3 weeks and its not necessary to feed them.