zoa growing question

[teenab3]

I'm not sure how to word this...

My zoas do not stay close to the rock like i've seen others do in photos. Mine all grow what looks like stems and point upward like small flowers...

I'm fairly new to them...am I doing something wrong?

thanks!

 

[killingseed]

what kind of light? some zoa's its normal some mean they are reaching for the light and might need more light.

 

[DetectiveTofu]

When zoas don't have enough light as they'd like to have, they extend their stalks for that extra bit of light. Not entire sure, but I think the more starved they are for light, the longer their skirts get to absorb more light.
Isn't it cool how zoas can change their morphologies depending on their environment?

 

[teenab3]

Thanks for the responses! I currently have a biocube 8 with 36 watts of light. I was told this would be enough light for zoos. What lighting would you recommend? I was thinking of getting another nano...and could get one with more light if that would be better. I wasn't planning on upgrading to a metal halide nano though, so would i be able to keep them in a nano under just pcs?

 

[SoFloReefer]

Do they make T5s that small? If they do thats what you need

 

[Malenurse]

Eric Borneman (reef guru - author of "Corals...") lists zoanthids as needing lots of light. I'm surprised how many people seem to rate them with mushrooms as not needing much light. I just spent $130 to replace the hood on my Aquapod 12 gallon with a clip-on K2 Viper 150 watt metal halide (14K JBL bulb) since my goal was to have tank that featured zoas. I still don't know if this was the right decision since so many of my zoos look browner now.

 

[ActinopteryGuy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10939903#post10939903 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Malenurse
Eric Borneman (reef guru - author of "Corals...") lists zoanthids as needing lots of light. I'm surprised how many people seem to rate them with mushrooms as not needing much light. I just spent $130 to replace the hood on my Aquapod 12 gallon with a clip-on K2 Viper 150 watt metal halide (14K JBL bulb) since my goal was to have tank that featured zoas. I still don't know if this was the right decision since so many of my zoos look browner now.

you may want to step up to 20k if you like the blue look.

 

[ActinopteryGuy]

zoas dont need allot of light to live, they need lots of light to multiply.

 

[650-IS350]

zoanthids MAIN food source IS light.. for zoanthyl ? just like plants converting light to chloraphyl for food. You get the drift... they do need a light.. the better and brighter the better looking they get and more they multiply.

unless your talking palythoas, protopalys and palythoa grandis's which you can feed.