Rastas

[mike61289]

Just got myself a frag of 6 rastas yesterday. They opened up right away and are doing well so far. There isn't much info out there about their care though.

Does anyone have experience with these that they'd like to share? Is it best to place them in high light? High water movement? Feed them (how often)?

 

[mike61289]

Anybody? Rasta info?

 

[organism]

Lower to medium light with moderate flow in my tank. On a side note no zoas need food.

 

[mike61289]

Lower to medium light with moderate flow in my tank. On a side note no zoas need food.

Thank you!

 

[AlSimmons]

They've always melted for me, no matter where I placed them or where I got them from.

 

[mike61289]

That's not encouraging.

How long did you have them before they melted?

 

[jd371]

I had a total of 16-17 polyps form the same colony on two separate plugs that I bought from a member on here. The polyps on one of the plugs melted away, but the other is doing alright...growing really slow but otherwise okay.
They were placed in the same location in the tank.

 

[Kremis]

I picked up a frag of 3, and now I have 30+ a year later. Does well in my tank with moderate light and moderate flow, and is a relatively fast grower. The other red zoanthids I had right next to it melted though, but they do fine in another area of the tank, makes no sense.

 

[AlSimmons]

That's not encouraging.

How long did you have them before they melted?

For the first couple weeks or so they looked ok, but after that it was just a slow decline. I've got a Space Monster and some other unknown polyps doing the same thing right now. I just don't get it. The tank has been set up for about 8 years and the rest of my corals look fine, but for some reason certain zoanthids just don't like my tank. Rastas, Gold Mauls, Blue Hornets, Purple Hornets, Mohawks, GBP have all melted in my tank at one time or another.

 

[mike61289]

I've read that they were hit or miss. The frag I got came from a colony that has been at my lfs for a few years so I'm hoping they'll do well and spread.

As of right now, they're always open. I only see them closed when my cleaner shrimps decide it's fun to walk on them... They open back up within seconds of the shrimps moving away though. They're still on a plug in the sand acclimating to my light, but I'm inclined to move them up to the rocks because the polyps seems to be doing well.

 

[jda]

They grow like crazy for me under metal halide and SPS/Natural-Reef quality parameters. I have some in my frag tank under 4" of water directly under a 250W 20K radium and they glow and grow like crazy.

 

[DrChop]

I have some that are growing out well. While I don't specifically feed mine, I use Red Sea Reef Energy A&B along with Reef Roids and Reef Chili (alternating every few days) and PE Calanus. Bought 1 single head is now 8. Keep in the lower 1/3rd of my tank (jbj 28g) and they are cranking out well. Not the clearest pic, but here they are full light and blues

 

[FattyK21]

SWEET MAN
I finally got me some rastas about a week or 2 ago
Went to store yesterday and they had some BOB MARLEYS so had to get those lol
The wife said we can start calling the tank the 420 LOL

 

[jda]

Metal Halide and clean reef-quality water...

 

[mike61289]

I love the pics and the info! Thanks for sharing everyone!

I moved my frag of 6 polyps off the sand and onto a rock last weekend. They're looking great! I never see them close and that's what I love about them.

Here are mine so far. I wish they weren't on the frag plate, but whatever. Since they're doing well, I don't want to risk damaging them by removing them.

 

[ryeguyy84]

looks like there's a rock underneath that's glued to the plug. I'd just pop it off with a Flathead screwdriver.

*wear gloves and eye protection

 

[mike61289]

looks like there's a rock underneath that's glued to the plug. I'd just pop it off with a Flathead screwdriver.

*wear gloves and eye protection

Everyone keeps saying that they don't like any major disturbances. I'd rather leave them be and let them grow onto the plug and eventually onto the rock.

Thanks for the suggestion though.

 

[PsychoticBeauty]

I wouldn't mess with them either. It's only a matter of time before they completely cover that frag plug anyways. (hopefully)

 

[mike61289]

I'm hoping that will be the case!

 

[mike61289]

3 new heads are growing in! I'll soon be up to 9 heads