Zoanthid Nutrition

[Ciarán]

Hi guys, I'm new enough round these parts as a poster but have been a lurker for about a year. Im currently restricted regarding my tanks due to the fact im finishing high school and cant devote as much time as i would like to my first love, reef-keeping!

Anyway, ill quit the waffle, before my small tank phase i never really kept zoos much, just the odd colony and always just browns or non-descript Zoanthus Sp. Due to my recent limitations i have had to reconsider and i have been seduced by the beauty of Zoanthids and have incorporated them as a major component of my 20 Gal reef. Just a kind of trivial question here, can Zoanthids, endo-symbiotic algae( zooxanthellae) hosters as they are, derive their full nutrition from the translocation of carbon etc. from their symbionts or do you supplement with a zooplankton supplement delivered by pipette? I would do the latter, im just interested to see if they are obligate filter-feeders or just opportunistic.

 

[jessiesgrrl]

I do supplement, but not with a pippette.. I'm more of a turkey baster type of girl. Also, imho, it's sort of a moot point for me because the same stuff I am releasing into the water to other corals can also feed the zoas. It'd be harder to keep them from NOT getting the supplementation to the zooxanthellae product. I make a pass with the baster over them more to just give me that sunshiny feeling of, woohoo guys, here's a treat! I do think it works to some degree because I do not have the best of lights (PC) but I have been able to buy brown zoas and watch them color up in my tank.


Laurie

 

[twon8]

I have found the larger pe-types will capture food, but smaller ones not so much. the palys will also capture mysis, which is cool to see.