650-IS350
New member
For those who haven't seen this, take time to read.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-03/cj/index.php
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-03/cj/index.php
Here's a good read
- Thread starter 650-IS350
- Start date
mikehaase1norse
New member
Interesting read. Thanks for the link.
trinidiver
New member
good info
Thank you for the read.
So has the hobby gotten any better at not lumping the needs or are we just repeating history?
So has the hobby gotten any better at not lumping the needs or are we just repeating history?
A. Grandis
Active member
Thanks for the read, 650-IS350!!
I just have to do a copy&paste about the zoas here:
"The Myth
Zoanthids (order Zoanthidea): They should be called zoos because they are ZOOanthids. They don't care about dirty water with high nutrient levels. They don't need much light or water flow. They don't eat; they just use light. They're very hardy and ok to put into a new tank."
"As mentioned above for corallimorpharians, zoanthids do not need and are not necessarily healthier in high nutrient water. Tropical species often grow on the same reefs as our other corals, and there is no reason to assume that their needs for dissolved inorganic nutrients should be different than that of any other groups of corals. They do seem fairly tolerant of conditions that other corals often don't tolerate, but this is no reason to push them to their limits. They have no more place in a new, immature tank than does any other coral. Similarly, a dog might be able to go two months without food whereas a cat might only survive one month, but who would test this on their pets? It probably isn't a good idea to see how far our charges can stray from suitable conditions and still survive. Along these lines, nutrient-rich water does not satisfy all the nutritional needs of most zoanthids. In fact, many of them are decidedly predatory (Tanner, 2002) and some absolutely feast on any food offered. Other species tend to be much pickier in what they will accept. In general, species in the genus Zoanthus tend to rely heavily on light, dissolved nutrients and detritus. Some species readily take certain prey but reject many others. Finding out what they will and won't take is largely a matter of trial and error. In nature plenty of whatever they eat is usually available, so obtaining sufficient food is rarely an issue for wild zoanthids. Due to the very limited plankton populations in our tanks, this is not the case in captivity. Species from some of the other genera tend to take food more readily, especially some Protopalythoa spp. Some individuals in this genus can be absolutely ravenous, and while they use light to a large extent (like most reef corals), food seems to be more important (Tanner, 2002). The polyps of a particular colony that was in my care often would catch and engulf five or six pellets or two or three mysid shrimp at a time. Each polyp would then reopen within minutes and take the same amount of food again. I have fed this colony this amount of food four and five times a day, and it eagerly takes the food each time and expands again, tentacles waving in the current. So much for zoanthids not eating.
In terms of light intensity and water flow, luckily, these corals are very adaptable. They certainly can and do grow in modest light levels and weak water flow, and this is often what they're given in captivity. More often in nature they are actually found in shallow water where light is very strong and water flow can be turbulent. On a large granite boulder in "The Baths" on Virgin Gorda, BVI I saw a carpet of Palythoa sp. covering at least 300 if not 400 ft.2 reaching from the surface to about 2 m depth and exposed to crashing waves without any shade from the sun whatsoever. While the majority of species can be found in shallow areas, some are found almost exclusively in deeper water. Again, variation is the rule and classifying any sort of conditions as the "right" conditions for this group ignores the fact that each colony can be very different from every other colony. No two species are the same and there are likely many species (though they need taxonomic revision)."
That's a great read right there!!!
Now I know I'm not alone. LOL!!
:thumbsup:
Grandis.
I just have to do a copy&paste about the zoas here:
"The Myth
Zoanthids (order Zoanthidea): They should be called zoos because they are ZOOanthids. They don't care about dirty water with high nutrient levels. They don't need much light or water flow. They don't eat; they just use light. They're very hardy and ok to put into a new tank."
"As mentioned above for corallimorpharians, zoanthids do not need and are not necessarily healthier in high nutrient water. Tropical species often grow on the same reefs as our other corals, and there is no reason to assume that their needs for dissolved inorganic nutrients should be different than that of any other groups of corals. They do seem fairly tolerant of conditions that other corals often don't tolerate, but this is no reason to push them to their limits. They have no more place in a new, immature tank than does any other coral. Similarly, a dog might be able to go two months without food whereas a cat might only survive one month, but who would test this on their pets? It probably isn't a good idea to see how far our charges can stray from suitable conditions and still survive. Along these lines, nutrient-rich water does not satisfy all the nutritional needs of most zoanthids. In fact, many of them are decidedly predatory (Tanner, 2002) and some absolutely feast on any food offered. Other species tend to be much pickier in what they will accept. In general, species in the genus Zoanthus tend to rely heavily on light, dissolved nutrients and detritus. Some species readily take certain prey but reject many others. Finding out what they will and won't take is largely a matter of trial and error. In nature plenty of whatever they eat is usually available, so obtaining sufficient food is rarely an issue for wild zoanthids. Due to the very limited plankton populations in our tanks, this is not the case in captivity. Species from some of the other genera tend to take food more readily, especially some Protopalythoa spp. Some individuals in this genus can be absolutely ravenous, and while they use light to a large extent (like most reef corals), food seems to be more important (Tanner, 2002). The polyps of a particular colony that was in my care often would catch and engulf five or six pellets or two or three mysid shrimp at a time. Each polyp would then reopen within minutes and take the same amount of food again. I have fed this colony this amount of food four and five times a day, and it eagerly takes the food each time and expands again, tentacles waving in the current. So much for zoanthids not eating.
In terms of light intensity and water flow, luckily, these corals are very adaptable. They certainly can and do grow in modest light levels and weak water flow, and this is often what they're given in captivity. More often in nature they are actually found in shallow water where light is very strong and water flow can be turbulent. On a large granite boulder in "The Baths" on Virgin Gorda, BVI I saw a carpet of Palythoa sp. covering at least 300 if not 400 ft.2 reaching from the surface to about 2 m depth and exposed to crashing waves without any shade from the sun whatsoever. While the majority of species can be found in shallow areas, some are found almost exclusively in deeper water. Again, variation is the rule and classifying any sort of conditions as the "right" conditions for this group ignores the fact that each colony can be very different from every other colony. No two species are the same and there are likely many species (though they need taxonomic revision)."
That's a great read right there!!!
Now I know I'm not alone. LOL!!
:thumbsup:
Grandis.
Friday Night
New member
To much to read Charles
In laymans terms please :smokin: lol
In laymans terms please :smokin: lol
A coral's ability to adapt to our tanks allows us to screw up.
Usually.
Usually.
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