Rasta Zoa

[fish flipper]

I have a rasta Zoa that I bought about 2 months ago and still has not grown or split. Still only 1 little head. Should it take this long to multiply? Could I do something to speed up the process? I am feeding BRS reef chili about once a week.

 

[drew2007]

What kind of lighting do you have?

 

[toothybugs]

Parameters please, as well as tank equipment and ideally a pic of where you have it.

 

[homer1475]

Parameters please, as well as tank equipment and ideally a pic of where you have it.

+1

The rastas I got about 2 month ago have tripled(12 polyps to way over 30 now) since I put them in my tank. They are pretty prolific growers from what I've read/experienced.

 

[fish flipper]

I will post a pic of the zoa when I get home from work tonight or tomorrow morning. I have no ammonia, nitrites, and low nitrates. I don't have a test kit for calcium or magnesium. Is it possible that where it is placed on the plug that it has no room to spread to? It sits up high on a little piece of rock that is glued to a plug. Everything else in the tank seems to be growing fine. I have some others zoas that have doubled or tripled in the same amount of time.

 

[homer1475]

If its only one polyp on a plug, doubtful.

It will cover over the plug and down the side, then under the plug till it reaches rock. On my frag rack this is how the rastas originally started to grow till I put them on my rockwork(actually had to scrape some polyps off the rack as they started to spread on it).They will eventually cover over the plug until its unnoticeable.

In my experience, one polyp is hard to keep going and thrive. They tend to take a lot longer to start growing then say 2 or 3 polyps. I stay away from single polyp frags.

 

[fish flipper]

Then what could cause it to not grow?

 

[spit.fire]

from a one polyp frag they'll take awhile to multiply as zoas grow exponentially, basically the more you have the quicker they grow, itll start slow but take off once you have a few

 

[fish flipper]

How long should it typically take for one to grow - 2? Like I said its been 2 to 3 months since I've added it to the tank. I can check the exact time I put it in the tank when I get home tonight.

 

[toothybugs]

Mine were quiet (started with 4) for 3, maybe 4 months then took OFF. I found they did best under moderately bright light, good flow, and just a bit of nutrition in the water. In 2 months my 4 became 35 or 40.

 

[toothybugs]

I should add, my BamBams were only 4 polyps on a tiny tip of rock when I got them. Now I have a small bright orange unicorn horn in my system.

 

[fish flipper]

Really?!?! That's crazy! I wish mine was growing that fast. Here are some pics of what it looks like. I also looked up when I purchased it. It's been in the tank for a little over 3 months. I have 2 led lights. One is a fluval that came with my tank and I also have a current USA marine led.

 

[fish flipper]

Don't mind the hair algae. I think I have it under control. It doesn't seem to be growing anymore but I'm still trying to remove it all.

 

[marvelousone]

Move it around. I moved my up to little above middle in a 75. With in a week they took off. I started with 2 on a plug now I have like 60 or 70 over about 3 months. I frag them off and they keep growing.

 

[fish flipper]

Wow that looks awesome. I will try to move them but don't have much room towards the top right now. I'm in the process of getting a 90 gallon and will be moving everything over to that tank.

 

[toothybugs]

Yea, move it up. You may even want to bump up your lighting in the 90 for them. I have mine actually higher than my SPS sticks (landscaping...) and just out of the current blowing a wave over the sticks, and they all reach up high and happy all day long.