Zoas vs palys opening at night.

[brad65ford]

Hopefully an easy question for you guys. Any idea why my palys are all open at night but none of my zoas aren't?

 

[Tenor]

Mine Zoas and Palys are open at night under moon light.

 

[Snookster]

I have 2 different types of palys, both of which really extend at night like most of my other corals. None of my zoas do. Most actually close up. While my palys show a feeding response, most of my zoas rarely do. Just a different type of animal.

 

[SIR PATRICK]

Same here. My palys seem to rarely close.

 

[brad65ford]

Nice to hear I'm not alone. Guess there is a bigger difference than I thought between the two. Thanks guys, I was worried.

 

[brad65ford]

Should zoa's be open at night?

 

[MUCHO REEF]

It's perfectly normal behavior. At any given time over the course of having those polyps, each of them will expand in complete darkness at different times. They are as finicky as a 2 year old sometimes. Some will also elongate in complete darkness. Then you will experience periodic retraction for no reason at all. Still some will stay retracted for a full week as they clean themselves externally. All of which are perfectly normal behaviors. The key is recognizing what is normal and when you are having issues with trouble on the horizon.


Mucho Reef

 

[A. Grandis]

Humm. Here all zoanthids are open day and night time.:bounce2:

Perhaps you guys have some nocturnal organisms (snails, stars, ...) that could touch the zoas and they retract. Paythoas would open faster or not even close, I guess. When my snails come close to the zoas sometimes they retract.
In nature all zoanthids are open 24/7.
They would close if you touch them.

Grandis.

 

[jeff@zina.com]

My zoas always closed up at night until I switched to a light with LED moon lights and put the refugium on a reverse light schedule. Now some of them will open a little at night, but not every night. Palys pretty much always stayed open.

Jeff

 

[brad65ford]

Hum, wondering what has more sucess for growth with them closed at night or open?

 

[A. Grandis]

I don't think the opening or closing at night will do anything in regards to growth/reproduction of zoas.

It would have some negative effect if they are closed during the day, depending of how long (many days). Not that bad... some colonies can shut for a while and that's normal.

Grandis.

 

[jyxie]

i think both my zoas and palys close at night

 

[brad65ford]

The reason I asked this is I've seen other these setup, specifically this one which he feeds at night with killer sucess. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1896006&highlight=what+t5+blubs+to+get&page=6

 

[j.p. harrington]

close vs. open all depends on feeding times really. supposedly in nature most of the corals eat at night so if wild caught corals are put in your tank then they will react better at night. but tank raised have more ability to react me personally i feed during the day and most all my stuff stays closed up tight at lights out.

just my exp.