What do zoas eat?

[121]

Do you think they can make their own proteins for cell growth from free N, C and P or do they actually need to eat proteins floating in the water column?

 

[kevin32]

Well some people feed them mysis shrimp. Maybe even tiny pellets too.

 

[aimmia]

my friend feeds his palys betta pellets and they love it. I use cycloopez (sp) and turn off the flow and you can see them close up on the food.

 

[Mel 2038]

Every once in awhile I feed mine some Baby Brine Shrimp and you can watch them close up on the food.

 

[650-IS350]

Zoanthids feed via, light.

Palys, Protopalys, Neozoanthids, etc etc. all have prey catching ability and can be fed.

 

[121]

That's the thing 650-IS250,

It's evident that palys can capture foods directly. Zoas cannot capture large foods directly and I'm presuming that they can only filter feed to obtain nutrients from tiny particles present in the water column. Light feeds the zooxanthellae within the zoanthid polyp.

How does that alone produce the catalyst that zoas need to create more cells for growth?

Zoanthids can only eat tiny molecules that are evenly distributed throughout the water column of a said system. With that in mind, target feeding zoathinds seems pointless as they are slowly sucking up random water. You can't squirt food at a zoa and expect it to absorb anything remotely substantial.

 

[Friday Night]

They eat consistent water parameters

 

[MUCHO REEF]

I agree, target feeding is pointless.

 

[pallidamors]

pretty much good light, good flow, good water

 

[agruetz]

I thought they also filter fed...so targeting them with something like Oyster Feast would be helpful? Or am I incorrect in this?

 

[Dana42078]

They eat consistent water parameters

This right here:dance:

 

[MUCHO REEF]

Zoanthids will feed upon and consume Zooplankton, not Phytoplankton.

Zoas rely also on particulate matter, bacteria, organics, some live prey and photosynthesis via their symbiotic zooxanthellae.


Mucho Reef

 

[caudill187]

Some zoanthids (larger species, and palys) with consume particulate matter in the wild. Those equipped to do so will catch and consume meaty scraps and zooplanton. Most will only consume particles that are much, much smaller than commonly offered by "target" feeders. The smaller palys and zoas will only filter feed organic molecules from the water column. The overwhelming majority of strains rely most heavily on photosythesis - which provides sugars to be used by cellular ribosomes to produce proteins from carbon, nitrogen and sulfur gained through absorption/filter feeding.