Water parameters: Nitrate 5-20 mg/l, Phosphate 0,05-0,15 mg/l
Feeding: Not required but benefit from regular feeding
Care level: Easy/Moderated
Taxonomy
Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
Location
Zoanthus and Palythoa are found in corals reefs around the world. However, most polyps in the reef keeping industry are harvested mainly from the islands of the Indopacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Zoanthus are photosynthetic corals. Residing in their flesh are a symbiotic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae that carries out photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae utilize chlorophyll to absorb light, the byproduct of which are simple sugars that the Zoas can consume for energy. Some corals rely on this energy source more than others and will need brighter lighting. On the other end of the spectrum, a coral that is receiving too much light may expel zooxanthellae from its mouth to regulate the how much energy is being produced. If you ever see a coral expelling what looks like brown slime it is likely attempting to regulate zooxanthellae concentration.
Zoas can be grown successfully in a wide range of lighting conditions. We have successfully grown Zoas in both bright and dim light conditions. They are very adaptable in that regard.
On average we have them in tanks with PAR in the 75-125 range however I have personally seen them on the reefs in Vietnam under about 6Í of water and the PAR there might have been well over 2000. In a home aquarium I donÍt recommend going anywhere near that bright because there are a lot of things about life in the ocean that does not translate to home aquariums and 2000 PAR lighting would be one of them.
Although these corals will happily adapt to nearly any lighting regimen, you can expect some differences in appearance depending on both spectrum and intensity.
First letÍs talk about their color. It is possible for some color morphs to develop intense fluorescent coloration under brighter lighting. If you have a colony that appears drab, increasing light may help. Remember that lighting that is too bright risks damaging the coral, and this damage can happen quickly. If you start to see the coral starting to turn lighter and bleach out, it is time to move it to a dimmer location. If you want to experiment with higher lighting intensities, do so very slowly.
The spectrum of light also will play a major role in the appearance of the polyp. Some zoas are very fluorescent and will display their most vivid colors under pure actinic lighting. Others that have less fluorescence will look much better under daylight lighting and might look completely muted in heavy blue light.
Next, letÍs talk about how lighting effects their shape. In lower intensity light around 50 PAR or less Zoa polyps extend towards the light. In more intense light the stalks shorten and the colony takes on a flat mat-like appearance.
Light may also influence the size of the polyp. There are likely more impactful variables, but Zoa polyps can triple or quadruple in size depending on how happy they are with the tankÍs parameters.
Water Flow
One such parameter that might influence their appearance more than light is the flow provided. If there was one parameter that I would obsess over with regard to the care of zoas it would be water flow. We have sold zoas to local hobbyists and purchase them back years later. One time I remember getting a colony of radioactive dragon eyes back and the size of each polyp was monstrous. I think this was due in large part to where they were located in his tank and how much flow the colony received.
Zoanthus by their very shape invite detritus accumulation and a colony that is dirty is very different than one that is kept clean. The buildup of detritus can slow a colonyÍs growth or even cause it to die back. Strong water flow helps keep detritus buildup to a minimum, as well as flushing away waste that the colony generates
When designing flow patterns for this coral I like to provide strong consistent flow with short bursts of very strong flow. If you do not have controllable pumps to achieve this it can be done manually with a turkey baster. Once a day you can squirt water at the colony to dislodge any buildup. I use just enough force to close the polyps up.
If you decide to go this route only do this with established colonies that are well attached. If you have a freshly glued Frag of zoas they might get blown away.
Feeding
When it comes to nutrition, I think zoas benefit from regular feeding. They are not the most active feeders in the world and rely in large part on photosynthesis for their nutritional needs. The longer I am in the hobby the more aggressively I want to feed all my corals, and zoas are no different.
We try to feed a blend of small frozen foods such as the fines from mysis shrimp, cyclops plankton, and frozen rotifers. We have also tried feeding a variety of powdered dry plankton. Your mileage may vary depending on the species of zoa you have and also how you are doing the feeding.
As I mentioned they are not nearly as good a feeder as palythoa so they might not be able to grab chunks of food out of the water. I try to turn the pumps off and then give them a good dusting of food and let them sit for about 10 min before restarting the pumps.
Name: Zoanthus
Temperature: 24-26C
Flow: low-mid
PAR: 50-150
Water parameters: Nitrate 5-20 mg/l, Phosphate 0,05-0,15 mg/l
Feeding: Not required but benefit from regular feeding
Care level: Easy/Moderated
Taxonomy
Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
Location
Zoanthus and Palythoa are found in corals reefs around the world. However, most polyps in the reef keeping industry are harvested mainly from the islands of the Indopacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Zoanthus are photosynthetic corals. Residing in their flesh are a symbiotic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae that carries out photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae utilize chlorophyll to absorb light, the byproduct of which are simple sugars that the Zoas can consume for energy. Some corals rely on this energy source more than others and will need brighter lighting. On the other end of the spectrum, a coral that is receiving too much light may expel zooxanthellae from its mouth to regulate the how much energy is being produced. If you ever see a coral expelling what looks like brown slime it is likely attempting to regulate zooxanthellae concentration.
Zoas can be grown successfully in a wide range of lighting conditions. We have successfully grown Zoas in both bright and dim light conditions. They are very adaptable in that regard.
On average we have them in tanks with PAR in the 75-125 range however I have personally seen them on the reefs in Vietnam under about 6Í of water and the PAR there might have been well over 2000. In a home aquarium I donÍt recommend going anywhere near that bright because there are a lot of things about life in the ocean that does not translate to home aquariums and 2000 PAR lighting would be one of them.
Although these corals will happily adapt to nearly any lighting regimen, you can expect some differences in appearance depending on both spectrum and intensity.
First letÍs talk about their color. It is possible for some color morphs to develop intense fluorescent coloration under brighter lighting. If you have a colony that appears drab, increasing light may help. Remember that lighting that is too bright risks damaging the coral, and this damage can happen quickly. If you start to see the coral starting to turn lighter and bleach out, it is time to move it to a dimmer location. If you want to experiment with higher lighting intensities, do so very slowly.
The spectrum of light also will play a major role in the appearance of the polyp. Some zoas are very fluorescent and will display their most vivid colors under pure actinic lighting. Others that have less fluorescence will look much better under daylight lighting and might look completely muted in heavy blue light.
Next, letÍs talk about how lighting effects their shape. In lower intensity light around 50 PAR or less Zoa polyps extend towards the light. In more intense light the stalks shorten and the colony takes on a flat mat-like appearance.
Light may also influence the size of the polyp. There are likely more impactful variables, but Zoa polyps can triple or quadruple in size depending on how happy they are with the tankÍs parameters.
Water Flow
One such parameter that might influence their appearance more than light is the flow provided. If there was one parameter that I would obsess over with regard to the care of zoas it would be water flow. We have sold zoas to local hobbyists and purchase them back years later. One time I remember getting a colony of radioactive dragon eyes back and the size of each polyp was monstrous. I think this was due in large part to where they were located in his tank and how much flow the colony received.
Zoanthus by their very shape invite detritus accumulation and a colony that is dirty is very different than one that is kept clean. The buildup of detritus can slow a colonyÍs growth or even cause it to die back. Strong water flow helps keep detritus buildup to a minimum, as well as flushing away waste that the colony generates
When designing flow patterns for this coral I like to provide strong consistent flow with short bursts of very strong flow. If you do not have controllable pumps to achieve this it can be done manually with a turkey baster. Once a day you can squirt water at the colony to dislodge any buildup. I use just enough force to close the polyps up.
If you decide to go this route only do this with established colonies that are well attached. If you have a freshly glued Frag of zoas they might get blown away.
Feeding
When it comes to nutrition, I think zoas benefit from regular feeding. They are not the most active feeders in the world and rely in large part on photosynthesis for their nutritional needs. The longer I am in the hobby the more aggressively I want to feed all my corals, and zoas are no different.
We try to feed a blend of small frozen foods such as the fines from mysis shrimp, cyclops plankton, and frozen rotifers. We have also tried feeding a variety of powdered dry plankton. Your mileage may vary depending on the species of zoa you have and also how you are doing the feeding.
As I mentioned they are not nearly as good a feeder as palythoa so they might not be able to grab chunks of food out of the water. I try to turn the pumps off and then give them a good dusting of food and let them sit for about 10 min before restarting the pumps.
æ
Water parameters: Nitrate 5-20 mg/l, Phosphate 0,05-0,15 mg/l
Feeding: Not required but benefit from regular feeding
Care level: Easy/Moderated
Taxonomy
Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
Location
Zoanthus and Palythoa are found in corals reefs around the world. However, most polyps in the reef keeping industry are harvested mainly from the islands of the Indopacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Zoanthus are photosynthetic corals. Residing in their flesh are a symbiotic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae that carries out photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae utilize chlorophyll to absorb light, the byproduct of which are simple sugars that the Zoas can consume for energy. Some corals rely on this energy source more than others and will need brighter lighting. On the other end of the spectrum, a coral that is receiving too much light may expel zooxanthellae from its mouth to regulate the how much energy is being produced. If you ever see a coral expelling what looks like brown slime it is likely attempting to regulate zooxanthellae concentration.
Zoas can be grown successfully in a wide range of lighting conditions. We have successfully grown Zoas in both bright and dim light conditions. They are very adaptable in that regard.
On average we have them in tanks with PAR in the 75-125 range however I have personally seen them on the reefs in Vietnam under about 6Í of water and the PAR there might have been well over 2000. In a home aquarium I donÍt recommend going anywhere near that bright because there are a lot of things about life in the ocean that does not translate to home aquariums and 2000 PAR lighting would be one of them.
Although these corals will happily adapt to nearly any lighting regimen, you can expect some differences in appearance depending on both spectrum and intensity.
First letÍs talk about their color. It is possible for some color morphs to develop intense fluorescent coloration under brighter lighting. If you have a colony that appears drab, increasing light may help. Remember that lighting that is too bright risks damaging the coral, and this damage can happen quickly. If you start to see the coral starting to turn lighter and bleach out, it is time to move it to a dimmer location. If you want to experiment with higher lighting intensities, do so very slowly.
The spectrum of light also will play a major role in the appearance of the polyp. Some zoas are very fluorescent and will display their most vivid colors under pure actinic lighting. Others that have less fluorescence will look much better under daylight lighting and might look completely muted in heavy blue light.
Next, letÍs talk about how lighting effects their shape. In lower intensity light around 50 PAR or less Zoa polyps extend towards the light. In more intense light the stalks shorten and the colony takes on a flat mat-like appearance.
Light may also influence the size of the polyp. There are likely more impactful variables, but Zoa polyps can triple or quadruple in size depending on how happy they are with the tankÍs parameters.
Water Flow
One such parameter that might influence their appearance more than light is the flow provided. If there was one parameter that I would obsess over with regard to the care of zoas it would be water flow. We have sold zoas to local hobbyists and purchase them back years later. One time I remember getting a colony of radioactive dragon eyes back and the size of each polyp was monstrous. I think this was due in large part to where they were located in his tank and how much flow the colony received.
Zoanthus by their very shape invite detritus accumulation and a colony that is dirty is very different than one that is kept clean. The buildup of detritus can slow a colonyÍs growth or even cause it to die back. Strong water flow helps keep detritus buildup to a minimum, as well as flushing away waste that the colony generates
When designing flow patterns for this coral I like to provide strong consistent flow with short bursts of very strong flow. If you do not have controllable pumps to achieve this it can be done manually with a turkey baster. Once a day you can squirt water at the colony to dislodge any buildup. I use just enough force to close the polyps up.
If you decide to go this route only do this with established colonies that are well attached. If you have a freshly glued Frag of zoas they might get blown away.
Feeding
When it comes to nutrition, I think zoas benefit from regular feeding. They are not the most active feeders in the world and rely in large part on photosynthesis for their nutritional needs. The longer I am in the hobby the more aggressively I want to feed all my corals, and zoas are no different.
We try to feed a blend of small frozen foods such as the fines from mysis shrimp, cyclops plankton, and frozen rotifers. We have also tried feeding a variety of powdered dry plankton. Your mileage may vary depending on the species of zoa you have and also how you are doing the feeding.
As I mentioned they are not nearly as good a feeder as palythoa so they might not be able to grab chunks of food out of the water. I try to turn the pumps off and then give them a good dusting of food and let them sit for about 10 min before restarting the pumps.
Name: Zoanthus
Temperature: 24-26C
Flow: low-mid
PAR: 50-150
Water parameters: Nitrate 5-20 mg/l, Phosphate 0,05-0,15 mg/l
Feeding: Not required but benefit from regular feeding
Care level: Easy/Moderated
Taxonomy
Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
Location
Zoanthus and Palythoa are found in corals reefs around the world. However, most polyps in the reef keeping industry are harvested mainly from the islands of the Indopacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Zoanthus are photosynthetic corals. Residing in their flesh are a symbiotic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae that carries out photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae utilize chlorophyll to absorb light, the byproduct of which are simple sugars that the Zoas can consume for energy. Some corals rely on this energy source more than others and will need brighter lighting. On the other end of the spectrum, a coral that is receiving too much light may expel zooxanthellae from its mouth to regulate the how much energy is being produced. If you ever see a coral expelling what looks like brown slime it is likely attempting to regulate zooxanthellae concentration.
Zoas can be grown successfully in a wide range of lighting conditions. We have successfully grown Zoas in both bright and dim light conditions. They are very adaptable in that regard.
On average we have them in tanks with PAR in the 75-125 range however I have personally seen them on the reefs in Vietnam under about 6Í of water and the PAR there might have been well over 2000. In a home aquarium I donÍt recommend going anywhere near that bright because there are a lot of things about life in the ocean that does not translate to home aquariums and 2000 PAR lighting would be one of them.
Although these corals will happily adapt to nearly any lighting regimen, you can expect some differences in appearance depending on both spectrum and intensity.
First letÍs talk about their color. It is possible for some color morphs to develop intense fluorescent coloration under brighter lighting. If you have a colony that appears drab, increasing light may help. Remember that lighting that is too bright risks damaging the coral, and this damage can happen quickly. If you start to see the coral starting to turn lighter and bleach out, it is time to move it to a dimmer location. If you want to experiment with higher lighting intensities, do so very slowly.
The spectrum of light also will play a major role in the appearance of the polyp. Some zoas are very fluorescent and will display their most vivid colors under pure actinic lighting. Others that have less fluorescence will look much better under daylight lighting and might look completely muted in heavy blue light.
Next, letÍs talk about how lighting effects their shape. In lower intensity light around 50 PAR or less Zoa polyps extend towards the light. In more intense light the stalks shorten and the colony takes on a flat mat-like appearance.
Light may also influence the size of the polyp. There are likely more impactful variables, but Zoa polyps can triple or quadruple in size depending on how happy they are with the tankÍs parameters.
Water Flow
One such parameter that might influence their appearance more than light is the flow provided. If there was one parameter that I would obsess over with regard to the care of zoas it would be water flow. We have sold zoas to local hobbyists and purchase them back years later. One time I remember getting a colony of radioactive dragon eyes back and the size of each polyp was monstrous. I think this was due in large part to where they were located in his tank and how much flow the colony received.
Zoanthus by their very shape invite detritus accumulation and a colony that is dirty is very different than one that is kept clean. The buildup of detritus can slow a colonyÍs growth or even cause it to die back. Strong water flow helps keep detritus buildup to a minimum, as well as flushing away waste that the colony generates
When designing flow patterns for this coral I like to provide strong consistent flow with short bursts of very strong flow. If you do not have controllable pumps to achieve this it can be done manually with a turkey baster. Once a day you can squirt water at the colony to dislodge any buildup. I use just enough force to close the polyps up.
If you decide to go this route only do this with established colonies that are well attached. If you have a freshly glued Frag of zoas they might get blown away.
Feeding
When it comes to nutrition, I think zoas benefit from regular feeding. They are not the most active feeders in the world and rely in large part on photosynthesis for their nutritional needs. The longer I am in the hobby the more aggressively I want to feed all my corals, and zoas are no different.
We try to feed a blend of small frozen foods such as the fines from mysis shrimp, cyclops plankton, and frozen rotifers. We have also tried feeding a variety of powdered dry plankton. Your mileage may vary depending on the species of zoa you have and also how you are doing the feeding.
As I mentioned they are not nearly as good a feeder as palythoa so they might not be able to grab chunks of food out of the water. I try to turn the pumps off and then give them a good dusting of food and let them sit for about 10 min before restarting the pumps.
æ
Water parameters: Nitrate 5-20 mg/l, Phosphate 0,05-0,15 mg/l
Feeding: Not required but benefit from regular feeding
Care level: Easy/Moderated
Taxonomy
Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
Location
Zoanthus and Palythoa are found in corals reefs around the world. However, most polyps in the reef keeping industry are harvested mainly from the islands of the Indopacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Zoanthus are photosynthetic corals. Residing in their flesh are a symbiotic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae that carries out photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae utilize chlorophyll to absorb light, the byproduct of which are simple sugars that the Zoas can consume for energy. Some corals rely on this energy source more than others and will need brighter lighting. On the other end of the spectrum, a coral that is receiving too much light may expel zooxanthellae from its mouth to regulate the how much energy is being produced. If you ever see a coral expelling what looks like brown slime it is likely attempting to regulate zooxanthellae concentration.
Zoas can be grown successfully in a wide range of lighting conditions. We have successfully grown Zoas in both bright and dim light conditions. They are very adaptable in that regard.
On average we have them in tanks with PAR in the 75-125 range however I have personally seen them on the reefs in Vietnam under about 6Í of water and the PAR there might have been well over 2000. In a home aquarium I donÍt recommend going anywhere near that bright because there are a lot of things about life in the ocean that does not translate to home aquariums and 2000 PAR lighting would be one of them.
Although these corals will happily adapt to nearly any lighting regimen, you can expect some differences in appearance depending on both spectrum and intensity.
First letÍs talk about their color. It is possible for some color morphs to develop intense fluorescent coloration under brighter lighting. If you have a colony that appears drab, increasing light may help. Remember that lighting that is too bright risks damaging the coral, and this damage can happen quickly. If you start to see the coral starting to turn lighter and bleach out, it is time to move it to a dimmer location. If you want to experiment with higher lighting intensities, do so very slowly.
The spectrum of light also will play a major role in the appearance of the polyp. Some zoas are very fluorescent and will display their most vivid colors under pure actinic lighting. Others that have less fluorescence will look much better under daylight lighting and might look completely muted in heavy blue light.
Next, letÍs talk about how lighting effects their shape. In lower intensity light around 50 PAR or less Zoa polyps extend towards the light. In more intense light the stalks shorten and the colony takes on a flat mat-like appearance.
Light may also influence the size of the polyp. There are likely more impactful variables, but Zoa polyps can triple or quadruple in size depending on how happy they are with the tankÍs parameters.
Water Flow
One such parameter that might influence their appearance more than light is the flow provided. If there was one parameter that I would obsess over with regard to the care of zoas it would be water flow. We have sold zoas to local hobbyists and purchase them back years later. One time I remember getting a colony of radioactive dragon eyes back and the size of each polyp was monstrous. I think this was due in large part to where they were located in his tank and how much flow the colony received.
Zoanthus by their very shape invite detritus accumulation and a colony that is dirty is very different than one that is kept clean. The buildup of detritus can slow a colonyÍs growth or even cause it to die back. Strong water flow helps keep detritus buildup to a minimum, as well as flushing away waste that the colony generates
When designing flow patterns for this coral I like to provide strong consistent flow with short bursts of very strong flow. If you do not have controllable pumps to achieve this it can be done manually with a turkey baster. Once a day you can squirt water at the colony to dislodge any buildup. I use just enough force to close the polyps up.
If you decide to go this route only do this with established colonies that are well attached. If you have a freshly glued Frag of zoas they might get blown away.
Feeding
When it comes to nutrition, I think zoas benefit from regular feeding. They are not the most active feeders in the world and rely in large part on photosynthesis for their nutritional needs. The longer I am in the hobby the more aggressively I want to feed all my corals, and zoas are no different.
We try to feed a blend of small frozen foods such as the fines from mysis shrimp, cyclops plankton, and frozen rotifers. We have also tried feeding a variety of powdered dry plankton. Your mileage may vary depending on the species of zoa you have and also how you are doing the feeding.
As I mentioned they are not nearly as good a feeder as palythoa so they might not be able to grab chunks of food out of the water. I try to turn the pumps off and then give them a good dusting of food and let them sit for about 10 min before restarting the pumps.
Name: Zoanthus
Temperature: 24-26C
Flow: low-mid
PAR: 50-150
Water parameters: Nitrate 5-20 mg/l, Phosphate 0,05-0,15 mg/l
Feeding: Not required but benefit from regular feeding
Care level: Easy/Moderated
Taxonomy
Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
Location
Zoanthus and Palythoa are found in corals reefs around the world. However, most polyps in the reef keeping industry are harvested mainly from the islands of the Indopacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Zoanthus are photosynthetic corals. Residing in their flesh are a symbiotic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae that carries out photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae utilize chlorophyll to absorb light, the byproduct of which are simple sugars that the Zoas can consume for energy. Some corals rely on this energy source more than others and will need brighter lighting. On the other end of the spectrum, a coral that is receiving too much light may expel zooxanthellae from its mouth to regulate the how much energy is being produced. If you ever see a coral expelling what looks like brown slime it is likely attempting to regulate zooxanthellae concentration.
Zoas can be grown successfully in a wide range of lighting conditions. We have successfully grown Zoas in both bright and dim light conditions. They are very adaptable in that regard.
On average we have them in tanks with PAR in the 75-125 range however I have personally seen them on the reefs in Vietnam under about 6Í of water and the PAR there might have been well over 2000. In a home aquarium I donÍt recommend going anywhere near that bright because there are a lot of things about life in the ocean that does not translate to home aquariums and 2000 PAR lighting would be one of them.
Although these corals will happily adapt to nearly any lighting regimen, you can expect some differences in appearance depending on both spectrum and intensity.
First letÍs talk about their color. It is possible for some color morphs to develop intense fluorescent coloration under brighter lighting. If you have a colony that appears drab, increasing light may help. Remember that lighting that is too bright risks damaging the coral, and this damage can happen quickly. If you start to see the coral starting to turn lighter and bleach out, it is time to move it to a dimmer location. If you want to experiment with higher lighting intensities, do so very slowly.
The spectrum of light also will play a major role in the appearance of the polyp. Some zoas are very fluorescent and will display their most vivid colors under pure actinic lighting. Others that have less fluorescence will look much better under daylight lighting and might look completely muted in heavy blue light.
Next, letÍs talk about how lighting effects their shape. In lower intensity light around 50 PAR or less Zoa polyps extend towards the light. In more intense light the stalks shorten and the colony takes on a flat mat-like appearance.
Light may also influence the size of the polyp. There are likely more impactful variables, but Zoa polyps can triple or quadruple in size depending on how happy they are with the tankÍs parameters.
Water Flow
One such parameter that might influence their appearance more than light is the flow provided. If there was one parameter that I would obsess over with regard to the care of zoas it would be water flow. We have sold zoas to local hobbyists and purchase them back years later. One time I remember getting a colony of radioactive dragon eyes back and the size of each polyp was monstrous. I think this was due in large part to where they were located in his tank and how much flow the colony received.
Zoanthus by their very shape invite detritus accumulation and a colony that is dirty is very different than one that is kept clean. The buildup of detritus can slow a colonyÍs growth or even cause it to die back. Strong water flow helps keep detritus buildup to a minimum, as well as flushing away waste that the colony generates
When designing flow patterns for this coral I like to provide strong consistent flow with short bursts of very strong flow. If you do not have controllable pumps to achieve this it can be done manually with a turkey baster. Once a day you can squirt water at the colony to dislodge any buildup. I use just enough force to close the polyps up.
If you decide to go this route only do this with established colonies that are well attached. If you have a freshly glued Frag of zoas they might get blown away.
Feeding
When it comes to nutrition, I think zoas benefit from regular feeding. They are not the most active feeders in the world and rely in large part on photosynthesis for their nutritional needs. The longer I am in the hobby the more aggressively I want to feed all my corals, and zoas are no different.
We try to feed a blend of small frozen foods such as the fines from mysis shrimp, cyclops plankton, and frozen rotifers. We have also tried feeding a variety of powdered dry plankton. Your mileage may vary depending on the species of zoa you have and also how you are doing the feeding.
As I mentioned they are not nearly as good a feeder as palythoa so they might not be able to grab chunks of food out of the water. I try to turn the pumps off and then give them a good dusting of food and let them sit for about 10 min before restarting the pumps.
æ
Water parameters: Nitrate 5-20 mg/l, Phosphate 0,05-0,15 mg/l
Feeding: Not required but benefit from regular feeding
Care level: Easy/Moderated
Taxonomy
Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
Location
Zoanthus and Palythoa are found in corals reefs around the world. However, most polyps in the reef keeping industry are harvested mainly from the islands of the Indopacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Zoanthus are photosynthetic corals. Residing in their flesh are a symbiotic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae that carries out photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae utilize chlorophyll to absorb light, the byproduct of which are simple sugars that the Zoas can consume for energy. Some corals rely on this energy source more than others and will need brighter lighting. On the other end of the spectrum, a coral that is receiving too much light may expel zooxanthellae from its mouth to regulate the how much energy is being produced. If you ever see a coral expelling what looks like brown slime it is likely attempting to regulate zooxanthellae concentration.
Zoas can be grown successfully in a wide range of lighting conditions. We have successfully grown Zoas in both bright and dim light conditions. They are very adaptable in that regard.
On average we have them in tanks with PAR in the 75-125 range however I have personally seen them on the reefs in Vietnam under about 6Í of water and the PAR there might have been well over 2000. In a home aquarium I donÍt recommend going anywhere near that bright because there are a lot of things about life in the ocean that does not translate to home aquariums and 2000 PAR lighting would be one of them.
Although these corals will happily adapt to nearly any lighting regimen, you can expect some differences in appearance depending on both spectrum and intensity.
First letÍs talk about their color. It is possible for some color morphs to develop intense fluorescent coloration under brighter lighting. If you have a colony that appears drab, increasing light may help. Remember that lighting that is too bright risks damaging the coral, and this damage can happen quickly. If you start to see the coral starting to turn lighter and bleach out, it is time to move it to a dimmer location. If you want to experiment with higher lighting intensities, do so very slowly.
The spectrum of light also will play a major role in the appearance of the polyp. Some zoas are very fluorescent and will display their most vivid colors under pure actinic lighting. Others that have less fluorescence will look much better under daylight lighting and might look completely muted in heavy blue light.
Next, letÍs talk about how lighting effects their shape. In lower intensity light around 50 PAR or less Zoa polyps extend towards the light. In more intense light the stalks shorten and the colony takes on a flat mat-like appearance.
Light may also influence the size of the polyp. There are likely more impactful variables, but Zoa polyps can triple or quadruple in size depending on how happy they are with the tankÍs parameters.
Water Flow
One such parameter that might influence their appearance more than light is the flow provided. If there was one parameter that I would obsess over with regard to the care of zoas it would be water flow. We have sold zoas to local hobbyists and purchase them back years later. One time I remember getting a colony of radioactive dragon eyes back and the size of each polyp was monstrous. I think this was due in large part to where they were located in his tank and how much flow the colony received.
Zoanthus by their very shape invite detritus accumulation and a colony that is dirty is very different than one that is kept clean. The buildup of detritus can slow a colonyÍs growth or even cause it to die back. Strong water flow helps keep detritus buildup to a minimum, as well as flushing away waste that the colony generates
When designing flow patterns for this coral I like to provide strong consistent flow with short bursts of very strong flow. If you do not have controllable pumps to achieve this it can be done manually with a turkey baster. Once a day you can squirt water at the colony to dislodge any buildup. I use just enough force to close the polyps up.
If you decide to go this route only do this with established colonies that are well attached. If you have a freshly glued Frag of zoas they might get blown away.
Feeding
When it comes to nutrition, I think zoas benefit from regular feeding. They are not the most active feeders in the world and rely in large part on photosynthesis for their nutritional needs. The longer I am in the hobby the more aggressively I want to feed all my corals, and zoas are no different.
We try to feed a blend of small frozen foods such as the fines from mysis shrimp, cyclops plankton, and frozen rotifers. We have also tried feeding a variety of powdered dry plankton. Your mileage may vary depending on the species of zoa you have and also how you are doing the feeding.
As I mentioned they are not nearly as good a feeder as palythoa so they might not be able to grab chunks of food out of the water. I try to turn the pumps off and then give them a good dusting of food and let them sit for about 10 min before restarting the pumps.
Name: Zoanthus
Temperature: 24-26C
Flow: low-mid
PAR: 50-150
Water parameters: Nitrate 5-20 mg/l, Phosphate 0,05-0,15 mg/l
Feeding: Not required but benefit from regular feeding
Care level: Easy/Moderated
Taxonomy
Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
Location
Zoanthus and Palythoa are found in corals reefs around the world. However, most polyps in the reef keeping industry are harvested mainly from the islands of the Indopacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Zoanthus are photosynthetic corals. Residing in their flesh are a symbiotic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae that carries out photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae utilize chlorophyll to absorb light, the byproduct of which are simple sugars that the Zoas can consume for energy. Some corals rely on this energy source more than others and will need brighter lighting. On the other end of the spectrum, a coral that is receiving too much light may expel zooxanthellae from its mouth to regulate the how much energy is being produced. If you ever see a coral expelling what looks like brown slime it is likely attempting to regulate zooxanthellae concentration.
Zoas can be grown successfully in a wide range of lighting conditions. We have successfully grown Zoas in both bright and dim light conditions. They are very adaptable in that regard.
On average we have them in tanks with PAR in the 75-125 range however I have personally seen them on the reefs in Vietnam under about 6Í of water and the PAR there might have been well over 2000. In a home aquarium I donÍt recommend going anywhere near that bright because there are a lot of things about life in the ocean that does not translate to home aquariums and 2000 PAR lighting would be one of them.
Although these corals will happily adapt to nearly any lighting regimen, you can expect some differences in appearance depending on both spectrum and intensity.
First letÍs talk about their color. It is possible for some color morphs to develop intense fluorescent coloration under brighter lighting. If you have a colony that appears drab, increasing light may help. Remember that lighting that is too bright risks damaging the coral, and this damage can happen quickly. If you start to see the coral starting to turn lighter and bleach out, it is time to move it to a dimmer location. If you want to experiment with higher lighting intensities, do so very slowly.
The spectrum of light also will play a major role in the appearance of the polyp. Some zoas are very fluorescent and will display their most vivid colors under pure actinic lighting. Others that have less fluorescence will look much better under daylight lighting and might look completely muted in heavy blue light.
Next, letÍs talk about how lighting effects their shape. In lower intensity light around 50 PAR or less Zoa polyps extend towards the light. In more intense light the stalks shorten and the colony takes on a flat mat-like appearance.
Light may also influence the size of the polyp. There are likely more impactful variables, but Zoa polyps can triple or quadruple in size depending on how happy they are with the tankÍs parameters.
Water Flow
One such parameter that might influence their appearance more than light is the flow provided. If there was one parameter that I would obsess over with regard to the care of zoas it would be water flow. We have sold zoas to local hobbyists and purchase them back years later. One time I remember getting a colony of radioactive dragon eyes back and the size of each polyp was monstrous. I think this was due in large part to where they were located in his tank and how much flow the colony received.
Zoanthus by their very shape invite detritus accumulation and a colony that is dirty is very different than one that is kept clean. The buildup of detritus can slow a colonyÍs growth or even cause it to die back. Strong water flow helps keep detritus buildup to a minimum, as well as flushing away waste that the colony generates
When designing flow patterns for this coral I like to provide strong consistent flow with short bursts of very strong flow. If you do not have controllable pumps to achieve this it can be done manually with a turkey baster. Once a day you can squirt water at the colony to dislodge any buildup. I use just enough force to close the polyps up.
If you decide to go this route only do this with established colonies that are well attached. If you have a freshly glued Frag of zoas they might get blown away.
Feeding
When it comes to nutrition, I think zoas benefit from regular feeding. They are not the most active feeders in the world and rely in large part on photosynthesis for their nutritional needs. The longer I am in the hobby the more aggressively I want to feed all my corals, and zoas are no different.
We try to feed a blend of small frozen foods such as the fines from mysis shrimp, cyclops plankton, and frozen rotifers. We have also tried feeding a variety of powdered dry plankton. Your mileage may vary depending on the species of zoa you have and also how you are doing the feeding.
As I mentioned they are not nearly as good a feeder as palythoa so they might not be able to grab chunks of food out of the water. I try to turn the pumps off and then give them a good dusting of food and let them sit for about 10 min before restarting the pumps.
æ
Water parameters: Nitrate 5-20 mg/l, Phosphate 0,05-0,15 mg/l
Feeding: Not required but benefit from regular feeding
Care level: Easy/Moderated
Taxonomy
Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
Location
Zoanthus and Palythoa are found in corals reefs around the world. However, most polyps in the reef keeping industry are harvested mainly from the islands of the Indopacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Zoanthus are photosynthetic corals. Residing in their flesh are a symbiotic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae that carries out photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae utilize chlorophyll to absorb light, the byproduct of which are simple sugars that the Zoas can consume for energy. Some corals rely on this energy source more than others and will need brighter lighting. On the other end of the spectrum, a coral that is receiving too much light may expel zooxanthellae from its mouth to regulate the how much energy is being produced. If you ever see a coral expelling what looks like brown slime it is likely attempting to regulate zooxanthellae concentration.
Zoas can be grown successfully in a wide range of lighting conditions. We have successfully grown Zoas in both bright and dim light conditions. They are very adaptable in that regard.
On average we have them in tanks with PAR in the 75-125 range however I have personally seen them on the reefs in Vietnam under about 6Í of water and the PAR there might have been well over 2000. In a home aquarium I donÍt recommend going anywhere near that bright because there are a lot of things about life in the ocean that does not translate to home aquariums and 2000 PAR lighting would be one of them.
Although these corals will happily adapt to nearly any lighting regimen, you can expect some differences in appearance depending on both spectrum and intensity.
First letÍs talk about their color. It is possible for some color morphs to develop intense fluorescent coloration under brighter lighting. If you have a colony that appears drab, increasing light may help. Remember that lighting that is too bright risks damaging the coral, and this damage can happen quickly. If you start to see the coral starting to turn lighter and bleach out, it is time to move it to a dimmer location. If you want to experiment with higher lighting intensities, do so very slowly.
The spectrum of light also will play a major role in the appearance of the polyp. Some zoas are very fluorescent and will display their most vivid colors under pure actinic lighting. Others that have less fluorescence will look much better under daylight lighting and might look completely muted in heavy blue light.
Next, letÍs talk about how lighting effects their shape. In lower intensity light around 50 PAR or less Zoa polyps extend towards the light. In more intense light the stalks shorten and the colony takes on a flat mat-like appearance.
Light may also influence the size of the polyp. There are likely more impactful variables, but Zoa polyps can triple or quadruple in size depending on how happy they are with the tankÍs parameters.
Water Flow
One such parameter that might influence their appearance more than light is the flow provided. If there was one parameter that I would obsess over with regard to the care of zoas it would be water flow. We have sold zoas to local hobbyists and purchase them back years later. One time I remember getting a colony of radioactive dragon eyes back and the size of each polyp was monstrous. I think this was due in large part to where they were located in his tank and how much flow the colony received.
Zoanthus by their very shape invite detritus accumulation and a colony that is dirty is very different than one that is kept clean. The buildup of detritus can slow a colonyÍs growth or even cause it to die back. Strong water flow helps keep detritus buildup to a minimum, as well as flushing away waste that the colony generates
When designing flow patterns for this coral I like to provide strong consistent flow with short bursts of very strong flow. If you do not have controllable pumps to achieve this it can be done manually with a turkey baster. Once a day you can squirt water at the colony to dislodge any buildup. I use just enough force to close the polyps up.
If you decide to go this route only do this with established colonies that are well attached. If you have a freshly glued Frag of zoas they might get blown away.
Feeding
When it comes to nutrition, I think zoas benefit from regular feeding. They are not the most active feeders in the world and rely in large part on photosynthesis for their nutritional needs. The longer I am in the hobby the more aggressively I want to feed all my corals, and zoas are no different.
We try to feed a blend of small frozen foods such as the fines from mysis shrimp, cyclops plankton, and frozen rotifers. We have also tried feeding a variety of powdered dry plankton. Your mileage may vary depending on the species of zoa you have and also how you are doing the feeding.
As I mentioned they are not nearly as good a feeder as palythoa so they might not be able to grab chunks of food out of the water. I try to turn the pumps off and then give them a good dusting of food and let them sit for about 10 min before restarting the pumps.
Name: Zoanthus
Temperature: 24-26C
Flow: low-mid
PAR: 50-150
Water parameters: Nitrate 5-20 mg/l, Phosphate 0,05-0,15 mg/l
Feeding: Not required but benefit from regular feeding
Care level: Easy/Moderated
Taxonomy
Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
Location
Zoanthus and Palythoa are found in corals reefs around the world. However, most polyps in the reef keeping industry are harvested mainly from the islands of the Indopacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Zoanthus are photosynthetic corals. Residing in their flesh are a symbiotic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae that carries out photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae utilize chlorophyll to absorb light, the byproduct of which are simple sugars that the Zoas can consume for energy. Some corals rely on this energy source more than others and will need brighter lighting. On the other end of the spectrum, a coral that is receiving too much light may expel zooxanthellae from its mouth to regulate the how much energy is being produced. If you ever see a coral expelling what looks like brown slime it is likely attempting to regulate zooxanthellae concentration.
Zoas can be grown successfully in a wide range of lighting conditions. We have successfully grown Zoas in both bright and dim light conditions. They are very adaptable in that regard.
On average we have them in tanks with PAR in the 75-125 range however I have personally seen them on the reefs in Vietnam under about 6Í of water and the PAR there might have been well over 2000. In a home aquarium I donÍt recommend going anywhere near that bright because there are a lot of things about life in the ocean that does not translate to home aquariums and 2000 PAR lighting would be one of them.
Although these corals will happily adapt to nearly any lighting regimen, you can expect some differences in appearance depending on both spectrum and intensity.
First letÍs talk about their color. It is possible for some color morphs to develop intense fluorescent coloration under brighter lighting. If you have a colony that appears drab, increasing light may help. Remember that lighting that is too bright risks damaging the coral, and this damage can happen quickly. If you start to see the coral starting to turn lighter and bleach out, it is time to move it to a dimmer location. If you want to experiment with higher lighting intensities, do so very slowly.
The spectrum of light also will play a major role in the appearance of the polyp. Some zoas are very fluorescent and will display their most vivid colors under pure actinic lighting. Others that have less fluorescence will look much better under daylight lighting and might look completely muted in heavy blue light.
Next, letÍs talk about how lighting effects their shape. In lower intensity light around 50 PAR or less Zoa polyps extend towards the light. In more intense light the stalks shorten and the colony takes on a flat mat-like appearance.
Light may also influence the size of the polyp. There are likely more impactful variables, but Zoa polyps can triple or quadruple in size depending on how happy they are with the tankÍs parameters.
Water Flow
One such parameter that might influence their appearance more than light is the flow provided. If there was one parameter that I would obsess over with regard to the care of zoas it would be water flow. We have sold zoas to local hobbyists and purchase them back years later. One time I remember getting a colony of radioactive dragon eyes back and the size of each polyp was monstrous. I think this was due in large part to where they were located in his tank and how much flow the colony received.
Zoanthus by their very shape invite detritus accumulation and a colony that is dirty is very different than one that is kept clean. The buildup of detritus can slow a colonyÍs growth or even cause it to die back. Strong water flow helps keep detritus buildup to a minimum, as well as flushing away waste that the colony generates
When designing flow patterns for this coral I like to provide strong consistent flow with short bursts of very strong flow. If you do not have controllable pumps to achieve this it can be done manually with a turkey baster. Once a day you can squirt water at the colony to dislodge any buildup. I use just enough force to close the polyps up.
If you decide to go this route only do this with established colonies that are well attached. If you have a freshly glued Frag of zoas they might get blown away.
Feeding
When it comes to nutrition, I think zoas benefit from regular feeding. They are not the most active feeders in the world and rely in large part on photosynthesis for their nutritional needs. The longer I am in the hobby the more aggressively I want to feed all my corals, and zoas are no different.
We try to feed a blend of small frozen foods such as the fines from mysis shrimp, cyclops plankton, and frozen rotifers. We have also tried feeding a variety of powdered dry plankton. Your mileage may vary depending on the species of zoa you have and also how you are doing the feeding.
As I mentioned they are not nearly as good a feeder as palythoa so they might not be able to grab chunks of food out of the water. I try to turn the pumps off and then give them a good dusting of food and let them sit for about 10 min before restarting the pumps.
æ
Water parameters: Nitrate 5-20 mg/l, Phosphate 0,05-0,15 mg/l
Feeding: Not required but benefit from regular feeding
Care level: Easy/Moderated
Taxonomy
Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
Location
Zoanthus and Palythoa are found in corals reefs around the world. However, most polyps in the reef keeping industry are harvested mainly from the islands of the Indopacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Zoanthus are photosynthetic corals. Residing in their flesh are a symbiotic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae that carries out photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae utilize chlorophyll to absorb light, the byproduct of which are simple sugars that the Zoas can consume for energy. Some corals rely on this energy source more than others and will need brighter lighting. On the other end of the spectrum, a coral that is receiving too much light may expel zooxanthellae from its mouth to regulate the how much energy is being produced. If you ever see a coral expelling what looks like brown slime it is likely attempting to regulate zooxanthellae concentration.
Zoas can be grown successfully in a wide range of lighting conditions. We have successfully grown Zoas in both bright and dim light conditions. They are very adaptable in that regard.
On average we have them in tanks with PAR in the 75-125 range however I have personally seen them on the reefs in Vietnam under about 6Í of water and the PAR there might have been well over 2000. In a home aquarium I donÍt recommend going anywhere near that bright because there are a lot of things about life in the ocean that does not translate to home aquariums and 2000 PAR lighting would be one of them.
Although these corals will happily adapt to nearly any lighting regimen, you can expect some differences in appearance depending on both spectrum and intensity.
First letÍs talk about their color. It is possible for some color morphs to develop intense fluorescent coloration under brighter lighting. If you have a colony that appears drab, increasing light may help. Remember that lighting that is too bright risks damaging the coral, and this damage can happen quickly. If you start to see the coral starting to turn lighter and bleach out, it is time to move it to a dimmer location. If you want to experiment with higher lighting intensities, do so very slowly.
The spectrum of light also will play a major role in the appearance of the polyp. Some zoas are very fluorescent and will display their most vivid colors under pure actinic lighting. Others that have less fluorescence will look much better under daylight lighting and might look completely muted in heavy blue light.
Next, letÍs talk about how lighting effects their shape. In lower intensity light around 50 PAR or less Zoa polyps extend towards the light. In more intense light the stalks shorten and the colony takes on a flat mat-like appearance.
Light may also influence the size of the polyp. There are likely more impactful variables, but Zoa polyps can triple or quadruple in size depending on how happy they are with the tankÍs parameters.
Water Flow
One such parameter that might influence their appearance more than light is the flow provided. If there was one parameter that I would obsess over with regard to the care of zoas it would be water flow. We have sold zoas to local hobbyists and purchase them back years later. One time I remember getting a colony of radioactive dragon eyes back and the size of each polyp was monstrous. I think this was due in large part to where they were located in his tank and how much flow the colony received.
Zoanthus by their very shape invite detritus accumulation and a colony that is dirty is very different than one that is kept clean. The buildup of detritus can slow a colonyÍs growth or even cause it to die back. Strong water flow helps keep detritus buildup to a minimum, as well as flushing away waste that the colony generates
When designing flow patterns for this coral I like to provide strong consistent flow with short bursts of very strong flow. If you do not have controllable pumps to achieve this it can be done manually with a turkey baster. Once a day you can squirt water at the colony to dislodge any buildup. I use just enough force to close the polyps up.
If you decide to go this route only do this with established colonies that are well attached. If you have a freshly glued Frag of zoas they might get blown away.
Feeding
When it comes to nutrition, I think zoas benefit from regular feeding. They are not the most active feeders in the world and rely in large part on photosynthesis for their nutritional needs. The longer I am in the hobby the more aggressively I want to feed all my corals, and zoas are no different.
We try to feed a blend of small frozen foods such as the fines from mysis shrimp, cyclops plankton, and frozen rotifers. We have also tried feeding a variety of powdered dry plankton. Your mileage may vary depending on the species of zoa you have and also how you are doing the feeding.
As I mentioned they are not nearly as good a feeder as palythoa so they might not be able to grab chunks of food out of the water. I try to turn the pumps off and then give them a good dusting of food and let them sit for about 10 min before restarting the pumps.
Name: Zoanthus
Temperature: 24-26C
Flow: low-mid
PAR: 50-150
Water parameters: Nitrate 5-20 mg/l, Phosphate 0,05-0,15 mg/l
Feeding: Not required but benefit from regular feeding
Care level: Easy/Moderated
Taxonomy
Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
Location
Zoanthus and Palythoa are found in corals reefs around the world. However, most polyps in the reef keeping industry are harvested mainly from the islands of the Indopacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Zoanthus are photosynthetic corals. Residing in their flesh are a symbiotic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae that carries out photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae utilize chlorophyll to absorb light, the byproduct of which are simple sugars that the Zoas can consume for energy. Some corals rely on this energy source more than others and will need brighter lighting. On the other end of the spectrum, a coral that is receiving too much light may expel zooxanthellae from its mouth to regulate the how much energy is being produced. If you ever see a coral expelling what looks like brown slime it is likely attempting to regulate zooxanthellae concentration.
Zoas can be grown successfully in a wide range of lighting conditions. We have successfully grown Zoas in both bright and dim light conditions. They are very adaptable in that regard.
On average we have them in tanks with PAR in the 75-125 range however I have personally seen them on the reefs in Vietnam under about 6Í of water and the PAR there might have been well over 2000. In a home aquarium I donÍt recommend going anywhere near that bright because there are a lot of things about life in the ocean that does not translate to home aquariums and 2000 PAR lighting would be one of them.
Although these corals will happily adapt to nearly any lighting regimen, you can expect some differences in appearance depending on both spectrum and intensity.
First letÍs talk about their color. It is possible for some color morphs to develop intense fluorescent coloration under brighter lighting. If you have a colony that appears drab, increasing light may help. Remember that lighting that is too bright risks damaging the coral, and this damage can happen quickly. If you start to see the coral starting to turn lighter and bleach out, it is time to move it to a dimmer location. If you want to experiment with higher lighting intensities, do so very slowly.
The spectrum of light also will play a major role in the appearance of the polyp. Some zoas are very fluorescent and will display their most vivid colors under pure actinic lighting. Others that have less fluorescence will look much better under daylight lighting and might look completely muted in heavy blue light.
Next, letÍs talk about how lighting effects their shape. In lower intensity light around 50 PAR or less Zoa polyps extend towards the light. In more intense light the stalks shorten and the colony takes on a flat mat-like appearance.
Light may also influence the size of the polyp. There are likely more impactful variables, but Zoa polyps can triple or quadruple in size depending on how happy they are with the tankÍs parameters.
Water Flow
One such parameter that might influence their appearance more than light is the flow provided. If there was one parameter that I would obsess over with regard to the care of zoas it would be water flow. We have sold zoas to local hobbyists and purchase them back years later. One time I remember getting a colony of radioactive dragon eyes back and the size of each polyp was monstrous. I think this was due in large part to where they were located in his tank and how much flow the colony received.
Zoanthus by their very shape invite detritus accumulation and a colony that is dirty is very different than one that is kept clean. The buildup of detritus can slow a colonyÍs growth or even cause it to die back. Strong water flow helps keep detritus buildup to a minimum, as well as flushing away waste that the colony generates
When designing flow patterns for this coral I like to provide strong consistent flow with short bursts of very strong flow. If you do not have controllable pumps to achieve this it can be done manually with a turkey baster. Once a day you can squirt water at the colony to dislodge any buildup. I use just enough force to close the polyps up.
If you decide to go this route only do this with established colonies that are well attached. If you have a freshly glued Frag of zoas they might get blown away.
Feeding
When it comes to nutrition, I think zoas benefit from regular feeding. They are not the most active feeders in the world and rely in large part on photosynthesis for their nutritional needs. The longer I am in the hobby the more aggressively I want to feed all my corals, and zoas are no different.
We try to feed a blend of small frozen foods such as the fines from mysis shrimp, cyclops plankton, and frozen rotifers. We have also tried feeding a variety of powdered dry plankton. Your mileage may vary depending on the species of zoa you have and also how you are doing the feeding.
As I mentioned they are not nearly as good a feeder as palythoa so they might not be able to grab chunks of food out of the water. I try to turn the pumps off and then give them a good dusting of food and let them sit for about 10 min before restarting the pumps.
æ
Water parameters: Nitrate 5-20 mg/l, Phosphate 0,05-0,15 mg/l
Feeding: Not required but benefit from regular feeding
Care level: Easy/Moderated
Taxonomy
Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
Location
Zoanthus and Palythoa are found in corals reefs around the world. However, most polyps in the reef keeping industry are harvested mainly from the islands of the Indopacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Zoanthus are photosynthetic corals. Residing in their flesh are a symbiotic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae that carries out photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae utilize chlorophyll to absorb light, the byproduct of which are simple sugars that the Zoas can consume for energy. Some corals rely on this energy source more than others and will need brighter lighting. On the other end of the spectrum, a coral that is receiving too much light may expel zooxanthellae from its mouth to regulate the how much energy is being produced. If you ever see a coral expelling what looks like brown slime it is likely attempting to regulate zooxanthellae concentration.
Zoas can be grown successfully in a wide range of lighting conditions. We have successfully grown Zoas in both bright and dim light conditions. They are very adaptable in that regard.
On average we have them in tanks with PAR in the 75-125 range however I have personally seen them on the reefs in Vietnam under about 6Í of water and the PAR there might have been well over 2000. In a home aquarium I donÍt recommend going anywhere near that bright because there are a lot of things about life in the ocean that does not translate to home aquariums and 2000 PAR lighting would be one of them.
Although these corals will happily adapt to nearly any lighting regimen, you can expect some differences in appearance depending on both spectrum and intensity.
First letÍs talk about their color. It is possible for some color morphs to develop intense fluorescent coloration under brighter lighting. If you have a colony that appears drab, increasing light may help. Remember that lighting that is too bright risks damaging the coral, and this damage can happen quickly. If you start to see the coral starting to turn lighter and bleach out, it is time to move it to a dimmer location. If you want to experiment with higher lighting intensities, do so very slowly.
The spectrum of light also will play a major role in the appearance of the polyp. Some zoas are very fluorescent and will display their most vivid colors under pure actinic lighting. Others that have less fluorescence will look much better under daylight lighting and might look completely muted in heavy blue light.
Next, letÍs talk about how lighting effects their shape. In lower intensity light around 50 PAR or less Zoa polyps extend towards the light. In more intense light the stalks shorten and the colony takes on a flat mat-like appearance.
Light may also influence the size of the polyp. There are likely more impactful variables, but Zoa polyps can triple or quadruple in size depending on how happy they are with the tankÍs parameters.
Water Flow
One such parameter that might influence their appearance more than light is the flow provided. If there was one parameter that I would obsess over with regard to the care of zoas it would be water flow. We have sold zoas to local hobbyists and purchase them back years later. One time I remember getting a colony of radioactive dragon eyes back and the size of each polyp was monstrous. I think this was due in large part to where they were located in his tank and how much flow the colony received.
Zoanthus by their very shape invite detritus accumulation and a colony that is dirty is very different than one that is kept clean. The buildup of detritus can slow a colonyÍs growth or even cause it to die back. Strong water flow helps keep detritus buildup to a minimum, as well as flushing away waste that the colony generates
When designing flow patterns for this coral I like to provide strong consistent flow with short bursts of very strong flow. If you do not have controllable pumps to achieve this it can be done manually with a turkey baster. Once a day you can squirt water at the colony to dislodge any buildup. I use just enough force to close the polyps up.
If you decide to go this route only do this with established colonies that are well attached. If you have a freshly glued Frag of zoas they might get blown away.
Feeding
When it comes to nutrition, I think zoas benefit from regular feeding. They are not the most active feeders in the world and rely in large part on photosynthesis for their nutritional needs. The longer I am in the hobby the more aggressively I want to feed all my corals, and zoas are no different.
We try to feed a blend of small frozen foods such as the fines from mysis shrimp, cyclops plankton, and frozen rotifers. We have also tried feeding a variety of powdered dry plankton. Your mileage may vary depending on the species of zoa you have and also how you are doing the feeding.
As I mentioned they are not nearly as good a feeder as palythoa so they might not be able to grab chunks of food out of the water. I try to turn the pumps off and then give them a good dusting of food and let them sit for about 10 min before restarting the pumps.
Name: Zoanthus
Temperature: 24-26C
Flow: low-mid
PAR: 50-150
Water parameters: Nitrate 5-20 mg/l, Phosphate 0,05-0,15 mg/l
Feeding: Not required but benefit from regular feeding
Care level: Easy/Moderated
Taxonomy
Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
Location
Zoanthus and Palythoa are found in corals reefs around the world. However, most polyps in the reef keeping industry are harvested mainly from the islands of the Indopacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Zoanthus are photosynthetic corals. Residing in their flesh are a symbiotic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae that carries out photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae utilize chlorophyll to absorb light, the byproduct of which are simple sugars that the Zoas can consume for energy. Some corals rely on this energy source more than others and will need brighter lighting. On the other end of the spectrum, a coral that is receiving too much light may expel zooxanthellae from its mouth to regulate the how much energy is being produced. If you ever see a coral expelling what looks like brown slime it is likely attempting to regulate zooxanthellae concentration.
Zoas can be grown successfully in a wide range of lighting conditions. We have successfully grown Zoas in both bright and dim light conditions. They are very adaptable in that regard.
On average we have them in tanks with PAR in the 75-125 range however I have personally seen them on the reefs in Vietnam under about 6Í of water and the PAR there might have been well over 2000. In a home aquarium I donÍt recommend going anywhere near that bright because there are a lot of things about life in the ocean that does not translate to home aquariums and 2000 PAR lighting would be one of them.
Although these corals will happily adapt to nearly any lighting regimen, you can expect some differences in appearance depending on both spectrum and intensity.
First letÍs talk about their color. It is possible for some color morphs to develop intense fluorescent coloration under brighter lighting. If you have a colony that appears drab, increasing light may help. Remember that lighting that is too bright risks damaging the coral, and this damage can happen quickly. If you start to see the coral starting to turn lighter and bleach out, it is time to move it to a dimmer location. If you want to experiment with higher lighting intensities, do so very slowly.
The spectrum of light also will play a major role in the appearance of the polyp. Some zoas are very fluorescent and will display their most vivid colors under pure actinic lighting. Others that have less fluorescence will look much better under daylight lighting and might look completely muted in heavy blue light.
Next, letÍs talk about how lighting effects their shape. In lower intensity light around 50 PAR or less Zoa polyps extend towards the light. In more intense light the stalks shorten and the colony takes on a flat mat-like appearance.
Light may also influence the size of the polyp. There are likely more impactful variables, but Zoa polyps can triple or quadruple in size depending on how happy they are with the tankÍs parameters.
Water Flow
One such parameter that might influence their appearance more than light is the flow provided. If there was one parameter that I would obsess over with regard to the care of zoas it would be water flow. We have sold zoas to local hobbyists and purchase them back years later. One time I remember getting a colony of radioactive dragon eyes back and the size of each polyp was monstrous. I think this was due in large part to where they were located in his tank and how much flow the colony received.
Zoanthus by their very shape invite detritus accumulation and a colony that is dirty is very different than one that is kept clean. The buildup of detritus can slow a colonyÍs growth or even cause it to die back. Strong water flow helps keep detritus buildup to a minimum, as well as flushing away waste that the colony generates
When designing flow patterns for this coral I like to provide strong consistent flow with short bursts of very strong flow. If you do not have controllable pumps to achieve this it can be done manually with a turkey baster. Once a day you can squirt water at the colony to dislodge any buildup. I use just enough force to close the polyps up.
If you decide to go this route only do this with established colonies that are well attached. If you have a freshly glued Frag of zoas they might get blown away.
Feeding
When it comes to nutrition, I think zoas benefit from regular feeding. They are not the most active feeders in the world and rely in large part on photosynthesis for their nutritional needs. The longer I am in the hobby the more aggressively I want to feed all my corals, and zoas are no different.
We try to feed a blend of small frozen foods such as the fines from mysis shrimp, cyclops plankton, and frozen rotifers. We have also tried feeding a variety of powdered dry plankton. Your mileage may vary depending on the species of zoa you have and also how you are doing the feeding.
As I mentioned they are not nearly as good a feeder as palythoa so they might not be able to grab chunks of food out of the water. I try to turn the pumps off and then give them a good dusting of food and let them sit for about 10 min before restarting the pumps.
æ
Water parameters: Nitrate 5-20 mg/l, Phosphate 0,05-0,15 mg/l
Feeding: Not required but benefit from regular feeding
Care level: Easy/Moderated
Taxonomy
Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
Location
Zoanthus and Palythoa are found in corals reefs around the world. However, most polyps in the reef keeping industry are harvested mainly from the islands of the Indopacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Zoanthus are photosynthetic corals. Residing in their flesh are a symbiotic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae that carries out photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae utilize chlorophyll to absorb light, the byproduct of which are simple sugars that the Zoas can consume for energy. Some corals rely on this energy source more than others and will need brighter lighting. On the other end of the spectrum, a coral that is receiving too much light may expel zooxanthellae from its mouth to regulate the how much energy is being produced. If you ever see a coral expelling what looks like brown slime it is likely attempting to regulate zooxanthellae concentration.
Zoas can be grown successfully in a wide range of lighting conditions. We have successfully grown Zoas in both bright and dim light conditions. They are very adaptable in that regard.
On average we have them in tanks with PAR in the 75-125 range however I have personally seen them on the reefs in Vietnam under about 6Í of water and the PAR there might have been well over 2000. In a home aquarium I donÍt recommend going anywhere near that bright because there are a lot of things about life in the ocean that does not translate to home aquariums and 2000 PAR lighting would be one of them.
Although these corals will happily adapt to nearly any lighting regimen, you can expect some differences in appearance depending on both spectrum and intensity.
First letÍs talk about their color. It is possible for some color morphs to develop intense fluorescent coloration under brighter lighting. If you have a colony that appears drab, increasing light may help. Remember that lighting that is too bright risks damaging the coral, and this damage can happen quickly. If you start to see the coral starting to turn lighter and bleach out, it is time to move it to a dimmer location. If you want to experiment with higher lighting intensities, do so very slowly.
The spectrum of light also will play a major role in the appearance of the polyp. Some zoas are very fluorescent and will display their most vivid colors under pure actinic lighting. Others that have less fluorescence will look much better under daylight lighting and might look completely muted in heavy blue light.
Next, letÍs talk about how lighting effects their shape. In lower intensity light around 50 PAR or less Zoa polyps extend towards the light. In more intense light the stalks shorten and the colony takes on a flat mat-like appearance.
Light may also influence the size of the polyp. There are likely more impactful variables, but Zoa polyps can triple or quadruple in size depending on how happy they are with the tankÍs parameters.
Water Flow
One such parameter that might influence their appearance more than light is the flow provided. If there was one parameter that I would obsess over with regard to the care of zoas it would be water flow. We have sold zoas to local hobbyists and purchase them back years later. One time I remember getting a colony of radioactive dragon eyes back and the size of each polyp was monstrous. I think this was due in large part to where they were located in his tank and how much flow the colony received.
Zoanthus by their very shape invite detritus accumulation and a colony that is dirty is very different than one that is kept clean. The buildup of detritus can slow a colonyÍs growth or even cause it to die back. Strong water flow helps keep detritus buildup to a minimum, as well as flushing away waste that the colony generates
When designing flow patterns for this coral I like to provide strong consistent flow with short bursts of very strong flow. If you do not have controllable pumps to achieve this it can be done manually with a turkey baster. Once a day you can squirt water at the colony to dislodge any buildup. I use just enough force to close the polyps up.
If you decide to go this route only do this with established colonies that are well attached. If you have a freshly glued Frag of zoas they might get blown away.
Feeding
When it comes to nutrition, I think zoas benefit from regular feeding. They are not the most active feeders in the world and rely in large part on photosynthesis for their nutritional needs. The longer I am in the hobby the more aggressively I want to feed all my corals, and zoas are no different.
We try to feed a blend of small frozen foods such as the fines from mysis shrimp, cyclops plankton, and frozen rotifers. We have also tried feeding a variety of powdered dry plankton. Your mileage may vary depending on the species of zoa you have and also how you are doing the feeding.
As I mentioned they are not nearly as good a feeder as palythoa so they might not be able to grab chunks of food out of the water. I try to turn the pumps off and then give them a good dusting of food and let them sit for about 10 min before restarting the pumps.
Name: Zoanthus
Temperature: 24-26C
Flow: low-mid
PAR: 50-150
Water parameters: Nitrate 5-20 mg/l, Phosphate 0,05-0,15 mg/l
Feeding: Not required but benefit from regular feeding
Care level: Easy/Moderated
Taxonomy
Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
Location
Zoanthus and Palythoa are found in corals reefs around the world. However, most polyps in the reef keeping industry are harvested mainly from the islands of the Indopacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Zoanthus are photosynthetic corals. Residing in their flesh are a symbiotic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae that carries out photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae utilize chlorophyll to absorb light, the byproduct of which are simple sugars that the Zoas can consume for energy. Some corals rely on this energy source more than others and will need brighter lighting. On the other end of the spectrum, a coral that is receiving too much light may expel zooxanthellae from its mouth to regulate the how much energy is being produced. If you ever see a coral expelling what looks like brown slime it is likely attempting to regulate zooxanthellae concentration.
Zoas can be grown successfully in a wide range of lighting conditions. We have successfully grown Zoas in both bright and dim light conditions. They are very adaptable in that regard.
On average we have them in tanks with PAR in the 75-125 range however I have personally seen them on the reefs in Vietnam under about 6Í of water and the PAR there might have been well over 2000. In a home aquarium I donÍt recommend going anywhere near that bright because there are a lot of things about life in the ocean that does not translate to home aquariums and 2000 PAR lighting would be one of them.
Although these corals will happily adapt to nearly any lighting regimen, you can expect some differences in appearance depending on both spectrum and intensity.
First letÍs talk about their color. It is possible for some color morphs to develop intense fluorescent coloration under brighter lighting. If you have a colony that appears drab, increasing light may help. Remember that lighting that is too bright risks damaging the coral, and this damage can happen quickly. If you start to see the coral starting to turn lighter and bleach out, it is time to move it to a dimmer location. If you want to experiment with higher lighting intensities, do so very slowly.
The spectrum of light also will play a major role in the appearance of the polyp. Some zoas are very fluorescent and will display their most vivid colors under pure actinic lighting. Others that have less fluorescence will look much better under daylight lighting and might look completely muted in heavy blue light.
Next, letÍs talk about how lighting effects their shape. In lower intensity light around 50 PAR or less Zoa polyps extend towards the light. In more intense light the stalks shorten and the colony takes on a flat mat-like appearance.
Light may also influence the size of the polyp. There are likely more impactful variables, but Zoa polyps can triple or quadruple in size depending on how happy they are with the tankÍs parameters.
Water Flow
One such parameter that might influence their appearance more than light is the flow provided. If there was one parameter that I would obsess over with regard to the care of zoas it would be water flow. We have sold zoas to local hobbyists and purchase them back years later. One time I remember getting a colony of radioactive dragon eyes back and the size of each polyp was monstrous. I think this was due in large part to where they were located in his tank and how much flow the colony received.
Zoanthus by their very shape invite detritus accumulation and a colony that is dirty is very different than one that is kept clean. The buildup of detritus can slow a colonyÍs growth or even cause it to die back. Strong water flow helps keep detritus buildup to a minimum, as well as flushing away waste that the colony generates
When designing flow patterns for this coral I like to provide strong consistent flow with short bursts of very strong flow. If you do not have controllable pumps to achieve this it can be done manually with a turkey baster. Once a day you can squirt water at the colony to dislodge any buildup. I use just enough force to close the polyps up.
If you decide to go this route only do this with established colonies that are well attached. If you have a freshly glued Frag of zoas they might get blown away.
Feeding
When it comes to nutrition, I think zoas benefit from regular feeding. They are not the most active feeders in the world and rely in large part on photosynthesis for their nutritional needs. The longer I am in the hobby the more aggressively I want to feed all my corals, and zoas are no different.
We try to feed a blend of small frozen foods such as the fines from mysis shrimp, cyclops plankton, and frozen rotifers. We have also tried feeding a variety of powdered dry plankton. Your mileage may vary depending on the species of zoa you have and also how you are doing the feeding.
As I mentioned they are not nearly as good a feeder as palythoa so they might not be able to grab chunks of food out of the water. I try to turn the pumps off and then give them a good dusting of food and let them sit for about 10 min before restarting the pumps.
æ
Water parameters: Nitrate 5-20 mg/l, Phosphate 0,05-0,15 mg/l
Feeding: Not required but benefit from regular feeding
Care level: Easy/Moderated
Taxonomy
Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
Location
Zoanthus and Palythoa are found in corals reefs around the world. However, most polyps in the reef keeping industry are harvested mainly from the islands of the Indopacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Zoanthus are photosynthetic corals. Residing in their flesh are a symbiotic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae that carries out photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae utilize chlorophyll to absorb light, the byproduct of which are simple sugars that the Zoas can consume for energy. Some corals rely on this energy source more than others and will need brighter lighting. On the other end of the spectrum, a coral that is receiving too much light may expel zooxanthellae from its mouth to regulate the how much energy is being produced. If you ever see a coral expelling what looks like brown slime it is likely attempting to regulate zooxanthellae concentration.
Zoas can be grown successfully in a wide range of lighting conditions. We have successfully grown Zoas in both bright and dim light conditions. They are very adaptable in that regard.
On average we have them in tanks with PAR in the 75-125 range however I have personally seen them on the reefs in Vietnam under about 6Í of water and the PAR there might have been well over 2000. In a home aquarium I donÍt recommend going anywhere near that bright because there are a lot of things about life in the ocean that does not translate to home aquariums and 2000 PAR lighting would be one of them.
Although these corals will happily adapt to nearly any lighting regimen, you can expect some differences in appearance depending on both spectrum and intensity.
First letÍs talk about their color. It is possible for some color morphs to develop intense fluorescent coloration under brighter lighting. If you have a colony that appears drab, increasing light may help. Remember that lighting that is too bright risks damaging the coral, and this damage can happen quickly. If you start to see the coral starting to turn lighter and bleach out, it is time to move it to a dimmer location. If you want to experiment with higher lighting intensities, do so very slowly.
The spectrum of light also will play a major role in the appearance of the polyp. Some zoas are very fluorescent and will display their most vivid colors under pure actinic lighting. Others that have less fluorescence will look much better under daylight lighting and might look completely muted in heavy blue light.
Next, letÍs talk about how lighting effects their shape. In lower intensity light around 50 PAR or less Zoa polyps extend towards the light. In more intense light the stalks shorten and the colony takes on a flat mat-like appearance.
Light may also influence the size of the polyp. There are likely more impactful variables, but Zoa polyps can triple or quadruple in size depending on how happy they are with the tankÍs parameters.
Water Flow
One such parameter that might influence their appearance more than light is the flow provided. If there was one parameter that I would obsess over with regard to the care of zoas it would be water flow. We have sold zoas to local hobbyists and purchase them back years later. One time I remember getting a colony of radioactive dragon eyes back and the size of each polyp was monstrous. I think this was due in large part to where they were located in his tank and how much flow the colony received.
Zoanthus by their very shape invite detritus accumulation and a colony that is dirty is very different than one that is kept clean. The buildup of detritus can slow a colonyÍs growth or even cause it to die back. Strong water flow helps keep detritus buildup to a minimum, as well as flushing away waste that the colony generates
When designing flow patterns for this coral I like to provide strong consistent flow with short bursts of very strong flow. If you do not have controllable pumps to achieve this it can be done manually with a turkey baster. Once a day you can squirt water at the colony to dislodge any buildup. I use just enough force to close the polyps up.
If you decide to go this route only do this with established colonies that are well attached. If you have a freshly glued Frag of zoas they might get blown away.
Feeding
When it comes to nutrition, I think zoas benefit from regular feeding. They are not the most active feeders in the world and rely in large part on photosynthesis for their nutritional needs. The longer I am in the hobby the more aggressively I want to feed all my corals, and zoas are no different.
We try to feed a blend of small frozen foods such as the fines from mysis shrimp, cyclops plankton, and frozen rotifers. We have also tried feeding a variety of powdered dry plankton. Your mileage may vary depending on the species of zoa you have and also how you are doing the feeding.
As I mentioned they are not nearly as good a feeder as palythoa so they might not be able to grab chunks of food out of the water. I try to turn the pumps off and then give them a good dusting of food and let them sit for about 10 min before restarting the pumps.
Name: Zoanthus
Temperature: 24-26C
Flow: low-mid
PAR: 50-150
Water parameters: Nitrate 5-20 mg/l, Phosphate 0,05-0,15 mg/l
Feeding: Not required but benefit from regular feeding
Care level: Easy/Moderated
Taxonomy
Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
Location
Zoanthus and Palythoa are found in corals reefs around the world. However, most polyps in the reef keeping industry are harvested mainly from the islands of the Indopacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Zoanthus are photosynthetic corals. Residing in their flesh are a symbiotic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae that carries out photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae utilize chlorophyll to absorb light, the byproduct of which are simple sugars that the Zoas can consume for energy. Some corals rely on this energy source more than others and will need brighter lighting. On the other end of the spectrum, a coral that is receiving too much light may expel zooxanthellae from its mouth to regulate the how much energy is being produced. If you ever see a coral expelling what looks like brown slime it is likely attempting to regulate zooxanthellae concentration.
Zoas can be grown successfully in a wide range of lighting conditions. We have successfully grown Zoas in both bright and dim light conditions. They are very adaptable in that regard.
On average we have them in tanks with PAR in the 75-125 range however I have personally seen them on the reefs in Vietnam under about 6Í of water and the PAR there might have been well over 2000. In a home aquarium I donÍt recommend going anywhere near that bright because there are a lot of things about life in the ocean that does not translate to home aquariums and 2000 PAR lighting would be one of them.
Although these corals will happily adapt to nearly any lighting regimen, you can expect some differences in appearance depending on both spectrum and intensity.
First letÍs talk about their color. It is possible for some color morphs to develop intense fluorescent coloration under brighter lighting. If you have a colony that appears drab, increasing light may help. Remember that lighting that is too bright risks damaging the coral, and this damage can happen quickly. If you start to see the coral starting to turn lighter and bleach out, it is time to move it to a dimmer location. If you want to experiment with higher lighting intensities, do so very slowly.
The spectrum of light also will play a major role in the appearance of the polyp. Some zoas are very fluorescent and will display their most vivid colors under pure actinic lighting. Others that have less fluorescence will look much better under daylight lighting and might look completely muted in heavy blue light.
Next, letÍs talk about how lighting effects their shape. In lower intensity light around 50 PAR or less Zoa polyps extend towards the light. In more intense light the stalks shorten and the colony takes on a flat mat-like appearance.
Light may also influence the size of the polyp. There are likely more impactful variables, but Zoa polyps can triple or quadruple in size depending on how happy they are with the tankÍs parameters.
Water Flow
One such parameter that might influence their appearance more than light is the flow provided. If there was one parameter that I would obsess over with regard to the care of zoas it would be water flow. We have sold zoas to local hobbyists and purchase them back years later. One time I remember getting a colony of radioactive dragon eyes back and the size of each polyp was monstrous. I think this was due in large part to where they were located in his tank and how much flow the colony received.
Zoanthus by their very shape invite detritus accumulation and a colony that is dirty is very different than one that is kept clean. The buildup of detritus can slow a colonyÍs growth or even cause it to die back. Strong water flow helps keep detritus buildup to a minimum, as well as flushing away waste that the colony generates
When designing flow patterns for this coral I like to provide strong consistent flow with short bursts of very strong flow. If you do not have controllable pumps to achieve this it can be done manually with a turkey baster. Once a day you can squirt water at the colony to dislodge any buildup. I use just enough force to close the polyps up.
If you decide to go this route only do this with established colonies that are well attached. If you have a freshly glued Frag of zoas they might get blown away.
Feeding
When it comes to nutrition, I think zoas benefit from regular feeding. They are not the most active feeders in the world and rely in large part on photosynthesis for their nutritional needs. The longer I am in the hobby the more aggressively I want to feed all my corals, and zoas are no different.
We try to feed a blend of small frozen foods such as the fines from mysis shrimp, cyclops plankton, and frozen rotifers. We have also tried feeding a variety of powdered dry plankton. Your mileage may vary depending on the species of zoa you have and also how you are doing the feeding.
As I mentioned they are not nearly as good a feeder as palythoa so they might not be able to grab chunks of food out of the water. I try to turn the pumps off and then give them a good dusting of food and let them sit for about 10 min before restarting the pumps.
æ
Water parameters: Nitrate 5-20 mg/l, Phosphate 0,05-0,15 mg/l
Feeding: Not required but benefit from regular feeding
Care level: Easy/Moderated
Taxonomy
Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
Location
Zoanthus and Palythoa are found in corals reefs around the world. However, most polyps in the reef keeping industry are harvested mainly from the islands of the Indopacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Zoanthus are photosynthetic corals. Residing in their flesh are a symbiotic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae that carries out photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae utilize chlorophyll to absorb light, the byproduct of which are simple sugars that the Zoas can consume for energy. Some corals rely on this energy source more than others and will need brighter lighting. On the other end of the spectrum, a coral that is receiving too much light may expel zooxanthellae from its mouth to regulate the how much energy is being produced. If you ever see a coral expelling what looks like brown slime it is likely attempting to regulate zooxanthellae concentration.
Zoas can be grown successfully in a wide range of lighting conditions. We have successfully grown Zoas in both bright and dim light conditions. They are very adaptable in that regard.
On average we have them in tanks with PAR in the 75-125 range however I have personally seen them on the reefs in Vietnam under about 6Í of water and the PAR there might have been well over 2000. In a home aquarium I donÍt recommend going anywhere near that bright because there are a lot of things about life in the ocean that does not translate to home aquariums and 2000 PAR lighting would be one of them.
Although these corals will happily adapt to nearly any lighting regimen, you can expect some differences in appearance depending on both spectrum and intensity.
First letÍs talk about their color. It is possible for some color morphs to develop intense fluorescent coloration under brighter lighting. If you have a colony that appears drab, increasing light may help. Remember that lighting that is too bright risks damaging the coral, and this damage can happen quickly. If you start to see the coral starting to turn lighter and bleach out, it is time to move it to a dimmer location. If you want to experiment with higher lighting intensities, do so very slowly.
The spectrum of light also will play a major role in the appearance of the polyp. Some zoas are very fluorescent and will display their most vivid colors under pure actinic lighting. Others that have less fluorescence will look much better under daylight lighting and might look completely muted in heavy blue light.
Next, letÍs talk about how lighting effects their shape. In lower intensity light around 50 PAR or less Zoa polyps extend towards the light. In more intense light the stalks shorten and the colony takes on a flat mat-like appearance.
Light may also influence the size of the polyp. There are likely more impactful variables, but Zoa polyps can triple or quadruple in size depending on how happy they are with the tankÍs parameters.
Water Flow
One such parameter that might influence their appearance more than light is the flow provided. If there was one parameter that I would obsess over with regard to the care of zoas it would be water flow. We have sold zoas to local hobbyists and purchase them back years later. One time I remember getting a colony of radioactive dragon eyes back and the size of each polyp was monstrous. I think this was due in large part to where they were located in his tank and how much flow the colony received.
Zoanthus by their very shape invite detritus accumulation and a colony that is dirty is very different than one that is kept clean. The buildup of detritus can slow a colonyÍs growth or even cause it to die back. Strong water flow helps keep detritus buildup to a minimum, as well as flushing away waste that the colony generates
When designing flow patterns for this coral I like to provide strong consistent flow with short bursts of very strong flow. If you do not have controllable pumps to achieve this it can be done manually with a turkey baster. Once a day you can squirt water at the colony to dislodge any buildup. I use just enough force to close the polyps up.
If you decide to go this route only do this with established colonies that are well attached. If you have a freshly glued Frag of zoas they might get blown away.
Feeding
When it comes to nutrition, I think zoas benefit from regular feeding. They are not the most active feeders in the world and rely in large part on photosynthesis for their nutritional needs. The longer I am in the hobby the more aggressively I want to feed all my corals, and zoas are no different.
We try to feed a blend of small frozen foods such as the fines from mysis shrimp, cyclops plankton, and frozen rotifers. We have also tried feeding a variety of powdered dry plankton. Your mileage may vary depending on the species of zoa you have and also how you are doing the feeding.
As I mentioned they are not nearly as good a feeder as palythoa so they might not be able to grab chunks of food out of the water. I try to turn the pumps off and then give them a good dusting of food and let them sit for about 10 min before restarting the pumps.
Name: Zoanthus
Temperature: 24-26C
Flow: low-mid
PAR: 50-150
Water parameters: Nitrate 5-20 mg/l, Phosphate 0,05-0,15 mg/l
Feeding: Not required but benefit from regular feeding
Care level: Easy/Moderated
Taxonomy
Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
Location
Zoanthus and Palythoa are found in corals reefs around the world. However, most polyps in the reef keeping industry are harvested mainly from the islands of the Indopacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Zoanthus are photosynthetic corals. Residing in their flesh are a symbiotic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae that carries out photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae utilize chlorophyll to absorb light, the byproduct of which are simple sugars that the Zoas can consume for energy. Some corals rely on this energy source more than others and will need brighter lighting. On the other end of the spectrum, a coral that is receiving too much light may expel zooxanthellae from its mouth to regulate the how much energy is being produced. If you ever see a coral expelling what looks like brown slime it is likely attempting to regulate zooxanthellae concentration.
Zoas can be grown successfully in a wide range of lighting conditions. We have successfully grown Zoas in both bright and dim light conditions. They are very adaptable in that regard.
On average we have them in tanks with PAR in the 75-125 range however I have personally seen them on the reefs in Vietnam under about 6Í of water and the PAR there might have been well over 2000. In a home aquarium I donÍt recommend going anywhere near that bright because there are a lot of things about life in the ocean that does not translate to home aquariums and 2000 PAR lighting would be one of them.
Although these corals will happily adapt to nearly any lighting regimen, you can expect some differences in appearance depending on both spectrum and intensity.
First letÍs talk about their color. It is possible for some color morphs to develop intense fluorescent coloration under brighter lighting. If you have a colony that appears drab, increasing light may help. Remember that lighting that is too bright risks damaging the coral, and this damage can happen quickly. If you start to see the coral starting to turn lighter and bleach out, it is time to move it to a dimmer location. If you want to experiment with higher lighting intensities, do so very slowly.
The spectrum of light also will play a major role in the appearance of the polyp. Some zoas are very fluorescent and will display their most vivid colors under pure actinic lighting. Others that have less fluorescence will look much better under daylight lighting and might look completely muted in heavy blue light.
Next, letÍs talk about how lighting effects their shape. In lower intensity light around 50 PAR or less Zoa polyps extend towards the light. In more intense light the stalks shorten and the colony takes on a flat mat-like appearance.
Light may also influence the size of the polyp. There are likely more impactful variables, but Zoa polyps can triple or quadruple in size depending on how happy they are with the tankÍs parameters.
Water Flow
One such parameter that might influence their appearance more than light is the flow provided. If there was one parameter that I would obsess over with regard to the care of zoas it would be water flow. We have sold zoas to local hobbyists and purchase them back years later. One time I remember getting a colony of radioactive dragon eyes back and the size of each polyp was monstrous. I think this was due in large part to where they were located in his tank and how much flow the colony received.
Zoanthus by their very shape invite detritus accumulation and a colony that is dirty is very different than one that is kept clean. The buildup of detritus can slow a colonyÍs growth or even cause it to die back. Strong water flow helps keep detritus buildup to a minimum, as well as flushing away waste that the colony generates
When designing flow patterns for this coral I like to provide strong consistent flow with short bursts of very strong flow. If you do not have controllable pumps to achieve this it can be done manually with a turkey baster. Once a day you can squirt water at the colony to dislodge any buildup. I use just enough force to close the polyps up.
If you decide to go this route only do this with established colonies that are well attached. If you have a freshly glued Frag of zoas they might get blown away.
Feeding
When it comes to nutrition, I think zoas benefit from regular feeding. They are not the most active feeders in the world and rely in large part on photosynthesis for their nutritional needs. The longer I am in the hobby the more aggressively I want to feed all my corals, and zoas are no different.
We try to feed a blend of small frozen foods such as the fines from mysis shrimp, cyclops plankton, and frozen rotifers. We have also tried feeding a variety of powdered dry plankton. Your mileage may vary depending on the species of zoa you have and also how you are doing the feeding.
As I mentioned they are not nearly as good a feeder as palythoa so they might not be able to grab chunks of food out of the water. I try to turn the pumps off and then give them a good dusting of food and let them sit for about 10 min before restarting the pumps.
æ
Water parameters: Nitrate 5-20 mg/l, Phosphate 0,05-0,15 mg/l
Feeding: Not required but benefit from regular feeding
Care level: Easy/Moderated
Taxonomy
Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
Location
Zoanthus and Palythoa are found in corals reefs around the world. However, most polyps in the reef keeping industry are harvested mainly from the islands of the Indopacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Zoanthus are photosynthetic corals. Residing in their flesh are a symbiotic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae that carries out photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae utilize chlorophyll to absorb light, the byproduct of which are simple sugars that the Zoas can consume for energy. Some corals rely on this energy source more than others and will need brighter lighting. On the other end of the spectrum, a coral that is receiving too much light may expel zooxanthellae from its mouth to regulate the how much energy is being produced. If you ever see a coral expelling what looks like brown slime it is likely attempting to regulate zooxanthellae concentration.
Zoas can be grown successfully in a wide range of lighting conditions. We have successfully grown Zoas in both bright and dim light conditions. They are very adaptable in that regard.
On average we have them in tanks with PAR in the 75-125 range however I have personally seen them on the reefs in Vietnam under about 6Í of water and the PAR there might have been well over 2000. In a home aquarium I donÍt recommend going anywhere near that bright because there are a lot of things about life in the ocean that does not translate to home aquariums and 2000 PAR lighting would be one of them.
Although these corals will happily adapt to nearly any lighting regimen, you can expect some differences in appearance depending on both spectrum and intensity.
First letÍs talk about their color. It is possible for some color morphs to develop intense fluorescent coloration under brighter lighting. If you have a colony that appears drab, increasing light may help. Remember that lighting that is too bright risks damaging the coral, and this damage can happen quickly. If you start to see the coral starting to turn lighter and bleach out, it is time to move it to a dimmer location. If you want to experiment with higher lighting intensities, do so very slowly.
The spectrum of light also will play a major role in the appearance of the polyp. Some zoas are very fluorescent and will display their most vivid colors under pure actinic lighting. Others that have less fluorescence will look much better under daylight lighting and might look completely muted in heavy blue light.
Next, letÍs talk about how lighting effects their shape. In lower intensity light around 50 PAR or less Zoa polyps extend towards the light. In more intense light the stalks shorten and the colony takes on a flat mat-like appearance.
Light may also influence the size of the polyp. There are likely more impactful variables, but Zoa polyps can triple or quadruple in size depending on how happy they are with the tankÍs parameters.
Water Flow
One such parameter that might influence their appearance more than light is the flow provided. If there was one parameter that I would obsess over with regard to the care of zoas it would be water flow. We have sold zoas to local hobbyists and purchase them back years later. One time I remember getting a colony of radioactive dragon eyes back and the size of each polyp was monstrous. I think this was due in large part to where they were located in his tank and how much flow the colony received.
Zoanthus by their very shape invite detritus accumulation and a colony that is dirty is very different than one that is kept clean. The buildup of detritus can slow a colonyÍs growth or even cause it to die back. Strong water flow helps keep detritus buildup to a minimum, as well as flushing away waste that the colony generates
When designing flow patterns for this coral I like to provide strong consistent flow with short bursts of very strong flow. If you do not have controllable pumps to achieve this it can be done manually with a turkey baster. Once a day you can squirt water at the colony to dislodge any buildup. I use just enough force to close the polyps up.
If you decide to go this route only do this with established colonies that are well attached. If you have a freshly glued Frag of zoas they might get blown away.
Feeding
When it comes to nutrition, I think zoas benefit from regular feeding. They are not the most active feeders in the world and rely in large part on photosynthesis for their nutritional needs. The longer I am in the hobby the more aggressively I want to feed all my corals, and zoas are no different.
We try to feed a blend of small frozen foods such as the fines from mysis shrimp, cyclops plankton, and frozen rotifers. We have also tried feeding a variety of powdered dry plankton. Your mileage may vary depending on the species of zoa you have and also how you are doing the feeding.
As I mentioned they are not nearly as good a feeder as palythoa so they might not be able to grab chunks of food out of the water. I try to turn the pumps off and then give them a good dusting of food and let them sit for about 10 min before restarting the pumps.
Name: Zoanthus
Temperature: 24-26C
Flow: low-mid
PAR: 50-150
Water parameters: Nitrate 5-20 mg/l, Phosphate 0,05-0,15 mg/l
Feeding: Not required but benefit from regular feeding
Care level: Easy/Moderated
Taxonomy
Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
Location
Zoanthus and Palythoa are found in corals reefs around the world. However, most polyps in the reef keeping industry are harvested mainly from the islands of the Indopacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Zoanthus are photosynthetic corals. Residing in their flesh are a symbiotic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae that carries out photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae utilize chlorophyll to absorb light, the byproduct of which are simple sugars that the Zoas can consume for energy. Some corals rely on this energy source more than others and will need brighter lighting. On the other end of the spectrum, a coral that is receiving too much light may expel zooxanthellae from its mouth to regulate the how much energy is being produced. If you ever see a coral expelling what looks like brown slime it is likely attempting to regulate zooxanthellae concentration.
Zoas can be grown successfully in a wide range of lighting conditions. We have successfully grown Zoas in both bright and dim light conditions. They are very adaptable in that regard.
On average we have them in tanks with PAR in the 75-125 range however I have personally seen them on the reefs in Vietnam under about 6Í of water and the PAR there might have been well over 2000. In a home aquarium I donÍt recommend going anywhere near that bright because there are a lot of things about life in the ocean that does not translate to home aquariums and 2000 PAR lighting would be one of them.
Although these corals will happily adapt to nearly any lighting regimen, you can expect some differences in appearance depending on both spectrum and intensity.
First letÍs talk about their color. It is possible for some color morphs to develop intense fluorescent coloration under brighter lighting. If you have a colony that appears drab, increasing light may help. Remember that lighting that is too bright risks damaging the coral, and this damage can happen quickly. If you start to see the coral starting to turn lighter and bleach out, it is time to move it to a dimmer location. If you want to experiment with higher lighting intensities, do so very slowly.
The spectrum of light also will play a major role in the appearance of the polyp. Some zoas are very fluorescent and will display their most vivid colors under pure actinic lighting. Others that have less fluorescence will look much better under daylight lighting and might look completely muted in heavy blue light.
Next, letÍs talk about how lighting effects their shape. In lower intensity light around 50 PAR or less Zoa polyps extend towards the light. In more intense light the stalks shorten and the colony takes on a flat mat-like appearance.
Light may also influence the size of the polyp. There are likely more impactful variables, but Zoa polyps can triple or quadruple in size depending on how happy they are with the tankÍs parameters.
Water Flow
One such parameter that might influence their appearance more than light is the flow provided. If there was one parameter that I would obsess over with regard to the care of zoas it would be water flow. We have sold zoas to local hobbyists and purchase them back years later. One time I remember getting a colony of radioactive dragon eyes back and the size of each polyp was monstrous. I think this was due in large part to where they were located in his tank and how much flow the colony received.
Zoanthus by their very shape invite detritus accumulation and a colony that is dirty is very different than one that is kept clean. The buildup of detritus can slow a colonyÍs growth or even cause it to die back. Strong water flow helps keep detritus buildup to a minimum, as well as flushing away waste that the colony generates
When designing flow patterns for this coral I like to provide strong consistent flow with short bursts of very strong flow. If you do not have controllable pumps to achieve this it can be done manually with a turkey baster. Once a day you can squirt water at the colony to dislodge any buildup. I use just enough force to close the polyps up.
If you decide to go this route only do this with established colonies that are well attached. If you have a freshly glued Frag of zoas they might get blown away.
Feeding
When it comes to nutrition, I think zoas benefit from regular feeding. They are not the most active feeders in the world and rely in large part on photosynthesis for their nutritional needs. The longer I am in the hobby the more aggressively I want to feed all my corals, and zoas are no different.
We try to feed a blend of small frozen foods such as the fines from mysis shrimp, cyclops plankton, and frozen rotifers. We have also tried feeding a variety of powdered dry plankton. Your mileage may vary depending on the species of zoa you have and also how you are doing the feeding.
As I mentioned they are not nearly as good a feeder as palythoa so they might not be able to grab chunks of food out of the water. I try to turn the pumps off and then give them a good dusting of food and let them sit for about 10 min before restarting the pumps.
æ
Water parameters: Nitrate 5-20 mg/l, Phosphate 0,05-0,15 mg/l
Feeding: Not required but benefit from regular feeding
Care level: Easy/Moderated
Taxonomy
Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
Location
Zoanthus and Palythoa are found in corals reefs around the world. However, most polyps in the reef keeping industry are harvested mainly from the islands of the Indopacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Zoanthus are photosynthetic corals. Residing in their flesh are a symbiotic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae that carries out photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae utilize chlorophyll to absorb light, the byproduct of which are simple sugars that the Zoas can consume for energy. Some corals rely on this energy source more than others and will need brighter lighting. On the other end of the spectrum, a coral that is receiving too much light may expel zooxanthellae from its mouth to regulate the how much energy is being produced. If you ever see a coral expelling what looks like brown slime it is likely attempting to regulate zooxanthellae concentration.
Zoas can be grown successfully in a wide range of lighting conditions. We have successfully grown Zoas in both bright and dim light conditions. They are very adaptable in that regard.
On average we have them in tanks with PAR in the 75-125 range however I have personally seen them on the reefs in Vietnam under about 6Í of water and the PAR there might have been well over 2000. In a home aquarium I donÍt recommend going anywhere near that bright because there are a lot of things about life in the ocean that does not translate to home aquariums and 2000 PAR lighting would be one of them.
Although these corals will happily adapt to nearly any lighting regimen, you can expect some differences in appearance depending on both spectrum and intensity.
First letÍs talk about their color. It is possible for some color morphs to develop intense fluorescent coloration under brighter lighting. If you have a colony that appears drab, increasing light may help. Remember that lighting that is too bright risks damaging the coral, and this damage can happen quickly. If you start to see the coral starting to turn lighter and bleach out, it is time to move it to a dimmer location. If you want to experiment with higher lighting intensities, do so very slowly.
The spectrum of light also will play a major role in the appearance of the polyp. Some zoas are very fluorescent and will display their most vivid colors under pure actinic lighting. Others that have less fluorescence will look much better under daylight lighting and might look completely muted in heavy blue light.
Next, letÍs talk about how lighting effects their shape. In lower intensity light around 50 PAR or less Zoa polyps extend towards the light. In more intense light the stalks shorten and the colony takes on a flat mat-like appearance.
Light may also influence the size of the polyp. There are likely more impactful variables, but Zoa polyps can triple or quadruple in size depending on how happy they are with the tankÍs parameters.
Water Flow
One such parameter that might influence their appearance more than light is the flow provided. If there was one parameter that I would obsess over with regard to the care of zoas it would be water flow. We have sold zoas to local hobbyists and purchase them back years later. One time I remember getting a colony of radioactive dragon eyes back and the size of each polyp was monstrous. I think this was due in large part to where they were located in his tank and how much flow the colony received.
Zoanthus by their very shape invite detritus accumulation and a colony that is dirty is very different than one that is kept clean. The buildup of detritus can slow a colonyÍs growth or even cause it to die back. Strong water flow helps keep detritus buildup to a minimum, as well as flushing away waste that the colony generates
When designing flow patterns for this coral I like to provide strong consistent flow with short bursts of very strong flow. If you do not have controllable pumps to achieve this it can be done manually with a turkey baster. Once a day you can squirt water at the colony to dislodge any buildup. I use just enough force to close the polyps up.
If you decide to go this route only do this with established colonies that are well attached. If you have a freshly glued Frag of zoas they might get blown away.
Feeding
When it comes to nutrition, I think zoas benefit from regular feeding. They are not the most active feeders in the world and rely in large part on photosynthesis for their nutritional needs. The longer I am in the hobby the more aggressively I want to feed all my corals, and zoas are no different.
We try to feed a blend of small frozen foods such as the fines from mysis shrimp, cyclops plankton, and frozen rotifers. We have also tried feeding a variety of powdered dry plankton. Your mileage may vary depending on the species of zoa you have and also how you are doing the feeding.
As I mentioned they are not nearly as good a feeder as palythoa so they might not be able to grab chunks of food out of the water. I try to turn the pumps off and then give them a good dusting of food and let them sit for about 10 min before restarting the pumps.
Name: Zoanthus
Temperature: 24-26C
Flow: low-mid
PAR: 50-150
Water parameters: Nitrate 5-20 mg/l, Phosphate 0,05-0,15 mg/l
Feeding: Not required but benefit from regular feeding
Care level: Easy/Moderated
Taxonomy
Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
Location
Zoanthus and Palythoa are found in corals reefs around the world. However, most polyps in the reef keeping industry are harvested mainly from the islands of the Indopacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Zoanthus are photosynthetic corals. Residing in their flesh are a symbiotic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae that carries out photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae utilize chlorophyll to absorb light, the byproduct of which are simple sugars that the Zoas can consume for energy. Some corals rely on this energy source more than others and will need brighter lighting. On the other end of the spectrum, a coral that is receiving too much light may expel zooxanthellae from its mouth to regulate the how much energy is being produced. If you ever see a coral expelling what looks like brown slime it is likely attempting to regulate zooxanthellae concentration.
Zoas can be grown successfully in a wide range of lighting conditions. We have successfully grown Zoas in both bright and dim light conditions. They are very adaptable in that regard.
On average we have them in tanks with PAR in the 75-125 range however I have personally seen them on the reefs in Vietnam under about 6Í of water and the PAR there might have been well over 2000. In a home aquarium I donÍt recommend going anywhere near that bright because there are a lot of things about life in the ocean that does not translate to home aquariums and 2000 PAR lighting would be one of them.
Although these corals will happily adapt to nearly any lighting regimen, you can expect some differences in appearance depending on both spectrum and intensity.
First letÍs talk about their color. It is possible for some color morphs to develop intense fluorescent coloration under brighter lighting. If you have a colony that appears drab, increasing light may help. Remember that lighting that is too bright risks damaging the coral, and this damage can happen quickly. If you start to see the coral starting to turn lighter and bleach out, it is time to move it to a dimmer location. If you want to experiment with higher lighting intensities, do so very slowly.
The spectrum of light also will play a major role in the appearance of the polyp. Some zoas are very fluorescent and will display their most vivid colors under pure actinic lighting. Others that have less fluorescence will look much better under daylight lighting and might look completely muted in heavy blue light.
Next, letÍs talk about how lighting effects their shape. In lower intensity light around 50 PAR or less Zoa polyps extend towards the light. In more intense light the stalks shorten and the colony takes on a flat mat-like appearance.
Light may also influence the size of the polyp. There are likely more impactful variables, but Zoa polyps can triple or quadruple in size depending on how happy they are with the tankÍs parameters.
Water Flow
One such parameter that might influence their appearance more than light is the flow provided. If there was one parameter that I would obsess over with regard to the care of zoas it would be water flow. We have sold zoas to local hobbyists and purchase them back years later. One time I remember getting a colony of radioactive dragon eyes back and the size of each polyp was monstrous. I think this was due in large part to where they were located in his tank and how much flow the colony received.
Zoanthus by their very shape invite detritus accumulation and a colony that is dirty is very different than one that is kept clean. The buildup of detritus can slow a colonyÍs growth or even cause it to die back. Strong water flow helps keep detritus buildup to a minimum, as well as flushing away waste that the colony generates
When designing flow patterns for this coral I like to provide strong consistent flow with short bursts of very strong flow. If you do not have controllable pumps to achieve this it can be done manually with a turkey baster. Once a day you can squirt water at the colony to dislodge any buildup. I use just enough force to close the polyps up.
If you decide to go this route only do this with established colonies that are well attached. If you have a freshly glued Frag of zoas they might get blown away.
Feeding
When it comes to nutrition, I think zoas benefit from regular feeding. They are not the most active feeders in the world and rely in large part on photosynthesis for their nutritional needs. The longer I am in the hobby the more aggressively I want to feed all my corals, and zoas are no different.
We try to feed a blend of small frozen foods such as the fines from mysis shrimp, cyclops plankton, and frozen rotifers. We have also tried feeding a variety of powdered dry plankton. Your mileage may vary depending on the species of zoa you have and also how you are doing the feeding.
As I mentioned they are not nearly as good a feeder as palythoa so they might not be able to grab chunks of food out of the water. I try to turn the pumps off and then give them a good dusting of food and let them sit for about 10 min before restarting the pumps.
æ
Water parameters: Nitrate 5-20 mg/l, Phosphate 0,05-0,15 mg/l
Feeding: Not required but benefit from regular feeding
Care level: Easy/Moderated
Taxonomy
Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
Location
Zoanthus and Palythoa are found in corals reefs around the world. However, most polyps in the reef keeping industry are harvested mainly from the islands of the Indopacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Zoanthus are photosynthetic corals. Residing in their flesh are a symbiotic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae that carries out photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae utilize chlorophyll to absorb light, the byproduct of which are simple sugars that the Zoas can consume for energy. Some corals rely on this energy source more than others and will need brighter lighting. On the other end of the spectrum, a coral that is receiving too much light may expel zooxanthellae from its mouth to regulate the how much energy is being produced. If you ever see a coral expelling what looks like brown slime it is likely attempting to regulate zooxanthellae concentration.
Zoas can be grown successfully in a wide range of lighting conditions. We have successfully grown Zoas in both bright and dim light conditions. They are very adaptable in that regard.
On average we have them in tanks with PAR in the 75-125 range however I have personally seen them on the reefs in Vietnam under about 6Í of water and the PAR there might have been well over 2000. In a home aquarium I donÍt recommend going anywhere near that bright because there are a lot of things about life in the ocean that does not translate to home aquariums and 2000 PAR lighting would be one of them.
Although these corals will happily adapt to nearly any lighting regimen, you can expect some differences in appearance depending on both spectrum and intensity.
First letÍs talk about their color. It is possible for some color morphs to develop intense fluorescent coloration under brighter lighting. If you have a colony that appears drab, increasing light may help. Remember that lighting that is too bright risks damaging the coral, and this damage can happen quickly. If you start to see the coral starting to turn lighter and bleach out, it is time to move it to a dimmer location. If you want to experiment with higher lighting intensities, do so very slowly.
The spectrum of light also will play a major role in the appearance of the polyp. Some zoas are very fluorescent and will display their most vivid colors under pure actinic lighting. Others that have less fluorescence will look much better under daylight lighting and might look completely muted in heavy blue light.
Next, letÍs talk about how lighting effects their shape. In lower intensity light around 50 PAR or less Zoa polyps extend towards the light. In more intense light the stalks shorten and the colony takes on a flat mat-like appearance.
Light may also influence the size of the polyp. There are likely more impactful variables, but Zoa polyps can triple or quadruple in size depending on how happy they are with the tankÍs parameters.
Water Flow
One such parameter that might influence their appearance more than light is the flow provided. If there was one parameter that I would obsess over with regard to the care of zoas it would be water flow. We have sold zoas to local hobbyists and purchase them back years later. One time I remember getting a colony of radioactive dragon eyes back and the size of each polyp was monstrous. I think this was due in large part to where they were located in his tank and how much flow the colony received.
Zoanthus by their very shape invite detritus accumulation and a colony that is dirty is very different than one that is kept clean. The buildup of detritus can slow a colonyÍs growth or even cause it to die back. Strong water flow helps keep detritus buildup to a minimum, as well as flushing away waste that the colony generates
When designing flow patterns for this coral I like to provide strong consistent flow with short bursts of very strong flow. If you do not have controllable pumps to achieve this it can be done manually with a turkey baster. Once a day you can squirt water at the colony to dislodge any buildup. I use just enough force to close the polyps up.
If you decide to go this route only do this with established colonies that are well attached. If you have a freshly glued Frag of zoas they might get blown away.
Feeding
When it comes to nutrition, I think zoas benefit from regular feeding. They are not the most active feeders in the world and rely in large part on photosynthesis for their nutritional needs. The longer I am in the hobby the more aggressively I want to feed all my corals, and zoas are no different.
We try to feed a blend of small frozen foods such as the fines from mysis shrimp, cyclops plankton, and frozen rotifers. We have also tried feeding a variety of powdered dry plankton. Your mileage may vary depending on the species of zoa you have and also how you are doing the feeding.
As I mentioned they are not nearly as good a feeder as palythoa so they might not be able to grab chunks of food out of the water. I try to turn the pumps off and then give them a good dusting of food and let them sit for about 10 min before restarting the pumps.
Name: Zoanthus
Temperature: 24-26C
Flow: low-mid
PAR: 50-150
Water parameters: Nitrate 5-20 mg/l, Phosphate 0,05-0,15 mg/l
Feeding: Not required but benefit from regular feeding
Care level: Easy/Moderated
Taxonomy
Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
Location
Zoanthus and Palythoa are found in corals reefs around the world. However, most polyps in the reef keeping industry are harvested mainly from the islands of the Indopacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Zoanthus are photosynthetic corals. Residing in their flesh are a symbiotic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae that carries out photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae utilize chlorophyll to absorb light, the byproduct of which are simple sugars that the Zoas can consume for energy. Some corals rely on this energy source more than others and will need brighter lighting. On the other end of the spectrum, a coral that is receiving too much light may expel zooxanthellae from its mouth to regulate the how much energy is being produced. If you ever see a coral expelling what looks like brown slime it is likely attempting to regulate zooxanthellae concentration.
Zoas can be grown successfully in a wide range of lighting conditions. We have successfully grown Zoas in both bright and dim light conditions. They are very adaptable in that regard.
On average we have them in tanks with PAR in the 75-125 range however I have personally seen them on the reefs in Vietnam under about 6Í of water and the PAR there might have been well over 2000. In a home aquarium I donÍt recommend going anywhere near that bright because there are a lot of things about life in the ocean that does not translate to home aquariums and 2000 PAR lighting would be one of them.
Although these corals will happily adapt to nearly any lighting regimen, you can expect some differences in appearance depending on both spectrum and intensity.
First letÍs talk about their color. It is possible for some color morphs to develop intense fluorescent coloration under brighter lighting. If you have a colony that appears drab, increasing light may help. Remember that lighting that is too bright risks damaging the coral, and this damage can happen quickly. If you start to see the coral starting to turn lighter and bleach out, it is time to move it to a dimmer location. If you want to experiment with higher lighting intensities, do so very slowly.
The spectrum of light also will play a major role in the appearance of the polyp. Some zoas are very fluorescent and will display their most vivid colors under pure actinic lighting. Others that have less fluorescence will look much better under daylight lighting and might look completely muted in heavy blue light.
Next, letÍs talk about how lighting effects their shape. In lower intensity light around 50 PAR or less Zoa polyps extend towards the light. In more intense light the stalks shorten and the colony takes on a flat mat-like appearance.
Light may also influence the size of the polyp. There are likely more impactful variables, but Zoa polyps can triple or quadruple in size depending on how happy they are with the tankÍs parameters.
Water Flow
One such parameter that might influence their appearance more than light is the flow provided. If there was one parameter that I would obsess over with regard to the care of zoas it would be water flow. We have sold zoas to local hobbyists and purchase them back years later. One time I remember getting a colony of radioactive dragon eyes back and the size of each polyp was monstrous. I think this was due in large part to where they were located in his tank and how much flow the colony received.
Zoanthus by their very shape invite detritus accumulation and a colony that is dirty is very different than one that is kept clean. The buildup of detritus can slow a colonyÍs growth or even cause it to die back. Strong water flow helps keep detritus buildup to a minimum, as well as flushing away waste that the colony generates
When designing flow patterns for this coral I like to provide strong consistent flow with short bursts of very strong flow. If you do not have controllable pumps to achieve this it can be done manually with a turkey baster. Once a day you can squirt water at the colony to dislodge any buildup. I use just enough force to close the polyps up.
If you decide to go this route only do this with established colonies that are well attached. If you have a freshly glued Frag of zoas they might get blown away.
Feeding
When it comes to nutrition, I think zoas benefit from regular feeding. They are not the most active feeders in the world and rely in large part on photosynthesis for their nutritional needs. The longer I am in the hobby the more aggressively I want to feed all my corals, and zoas are no different.
We try to feed a blend of small frozen foods such as the fines from mysis shrimp, cyclops plankton, and frozen rotifers. We have also tried feeding a variety of powdered dry plankton. Your mileage may vary depending on the species of zoa you have and also how you are doing the feeding.
As I mentioned they are not nearly as good a feeder as palythoa so they might not be able to grab chunks of food out of the water. I try to turn the pumps off and then give them a good dusting of food and let them sit for about 10 min before restarting the pumps.
æ
Water parameters: Nitrate 5-20 mg/l, Phosphate 0,05-0,15 mg/l
Feeding: Not required but benefit from regular feeding
Care level: Easy/Moderated
Taxonomy
Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
Location
Zoanthus and Palythoa are found in corals reefs around the world. However, most polyps in the reef keeping industry are harvested mainly from the islands of the Indopacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Zoanthus are photosynthetic corals. Residing in their flesh are a symbiotic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae that carries out photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae utilize chlorophyll to absorb light, the byproduct of which are simple sugars that the Zoas can consume for energy. Some corals rely on this energy source more than others and will need brighter lighting. On the other end of the spectrum, a coral that is receiving too much light may expel zooxanthellae from its mouth to regulate the how much energy is being produced. If you ever see a coral expelling what looks like brown slime it is likely attempting to regulate zooxanthellae concentration.
Zoas can be grown successfully in a wide range of lighting conditions. We have successfully grown Zoas in both bright and dim light conditions. They are very adaptable in that regard.
On average we have them in tanks with PAR in the 75-125 range however I have personally seen them on the reefs in Vietnam under about 6Í of water and the PAR there might have been well over 2000. In a home aquarium I donÍt recommend going anywhere near that bright because there are a lot of things about life in the ocean that does not translate to home aquariums and 2000 PAR lighting would be one of them.
Although these corals will happily adapt to nearly any lighting regimen, you can expect some differences in appearance depending on both spectrum and intensity.
First letÍs talk about their color. It is possible for some color morphs to develop intense fluorescent coloration under brighter lighting. If you have a colony that appears drab, increasing light may help. Remember that lighting that is too bright risks damaging the coral, and this damage can happen quickly. If you start to see the coral starting to turn lighter and bleach out, it is time to move it to a dimmer location. If you want to experiment with higher lighting intensities, do so very slowly.
The spectrum of light also will play a major role in the appearance of the polyp. Some zoas are very fluorescent and will display their most vivid colors under pure actinic lighting. Others that have less fluorescence will look much better under daylight lighting and might look completely muted in heavy blue light.
Next, letÍs talk about how lighting effects their shape. In lower intensity light around 50 PAR or less Zoa polyps extend towards the light. In more intense light the stalks shorten and the colony takes on a flat mat-like appearance.
Light may also influence the size of the polyp. There are likely more impactful variables, but Zoa polyps can triple or quadruple in size depending on how happy they are with the tankÍs parameters.
Water Flow
One such parameter that might influence their appearance more than light is the flow provided. If there was one parameter that I would obsess over with regard to the care of zoas it would be water flow. We have sold zoas to local hobbyists and purchase them back years later. One time I remember getting a colony of radioactive dragon eyes back and the size of each polyp was monstrous. I think this was due in large part to where they were located in his tank and how much flow the colony received.
Zoanthus by their very shape invite detritus accumulation and a colony that is dirty is very different than one that is kept clean. The buildup of detritus can slow a colonyÍs growth or even cause it to die back. Strong water flow helps keep detritus buildup to a minimum, as well as flushing away waste that the colony generates
When designing flow patterns for this coral I like to provide strong consistent flow with short bursts of very strong flow. If you do not have controllable pumps to achieve this it can be done manually with a turkey baster. Once a day you can squirt water at the colony to dislodge any buildup. I use just enough force to close the polyps up.
If you decide to go this route only do this with established colonies that are well attached. If you have a freshly glued Frag of zoas they might get blown away.
Feeding
When it comes to nutrition, I think zoas benefit from regular feeding. They are not the most active feeders in the world and rely in large part on photosynthesis for their nutritional needs. The longer I am in the hobby the more aggressively I want to feed all my corals, and zoas are no different.
We try to feed a blend of small frozen foods such as the fines from mysis shrimp, cyclops plankton, and frozen rotifers. We have also tried feeding a variety of powdered dry plankton. Your mileage may vary depending on the species of zoa you have and also how you are doing the feeding.
As I mentioned they are not nearly as good a feeder as palythoa so they might not be able to grab chunks of food out of the water. I try to turn the pumps off and then give them a good dusting of food and let them sit for about 10 min before restarting the pumps.
Name: Zoanthus
Temperature: 24-26C
Flow: low-mid
PAR: 50-150
Water parameters: Nitrate 5-20 mg/l, Phosphate 0,05-0,15 mg/l
Feeding: Not required but benefit from regular feeding
Care level: Easy/Moderated
Taxonomy
Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
Location
Zoanthus and Palythoa are found in corals reefs around the world. However, most polyps in the reef keeping industry are harvested mainly from the islands of the Indopacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Zoanthus are photosynthetic corals. Residing in their flesh are a symbiotic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae that carries out photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae utilize chlorophyll to absorb light, the byproduct of which are simple sugars that the Zoas can consume for energy. Some corals rely on this energy source more than others and will need brighter lighting. On the other end of the spectrum, a coral that is receiving too much light may expel zooxanthellae from its mouth to regulate the how much energy is being produced. If you ever see a coral expelling what looks like brown slime it is likely attempting to regulate zooxanthellae concentration.
Zoas can be grown successfully in a wide range of lighting conditions. We have successfully grown Zoas in both bright and dim light conditions. They are very adaptable in that regard.
On average we have them in tanks with PAR in the 75-125 range however I have personally seen them on the reefs in Vietnam under about 6Í of water and the PAR there might have been well over 2000. In a home aquarium I donÍt recommend going anywhere near that bright because there are a lot of things about life in the ocean that does not translate to home aquariums and 2000 PAR lighting would be one of them.
Although these corals will happily adapt to nearly any lighting regimen, you can expect some differences in appearance depending on both spectrum and intensity.
First letÍs talk about their color. It is possible for some color morphs to develop intense fluorescent coloration under brighter lighting. If you have a colony that appears drab, increasing light may help. Remember that lighting that is too bright risks damaging the coral, and this damage can happen quickly. If you start to see the coral starting to turn lighter and bleach out, it is time to move it to a dimmer location. If you want to experiment with higher lighting intensities, do so very slowly.
The spectrum of light also will play a major role in the appearance of the polyp. Some zoas are very fluorescent and will display their most vivid colors under pure actinic lighting. Others that have less fluorescence will look much better under daylight lighting and might look completely muted in heavy blue light.
Next, letÍs talk about how lighting effects their shape. In lower intensity light around 50 PAR or less Zoa polyps extend towards the light. In more intense light the stalks shorten and the colony takes on a flat mat-like appearance.
Light may also influence the size of the polyp. There are likely more impactful variables, but Zoa polyps can triple or quadruple in size depending on how happy they are with the tankÍs parameters.
Water Flow
One such parameter that might influence their appearance more than light is the flow provided. If there was one parameter that I would obsess over with regard to the care of zoas it would be water flow. We have sold zoas to local hobbyists and purchase them back years later. One time I remember getting a colony of radioactive dragon eyes back and the size of each polyp was monstrous. I think this was due in large part to where they were located in his tank and how much flow the colony received.
Zoanthus by their very shape invite detritus accumulation and a colony that is dirty is very different than one that is kept clean. The buildup of detritus can slow a colonyÍs growth or even cause it to die back. Strong water flow helps keep detritus buildup to a minimum, as well as flushing away waste that the colony generates
When designing flow patterns for this coral I like to provide strong consistent flow with short bursts of very strong flow. If you do not have controllable pumps to achieve this it can be done manually with a turkey baster. Once a day you can squirt water at the colony to dislodge any buildup. I use just enough force to close the polyps up.
If you decide to go this route only do this with established colonies that are well attached. If you have a freshly glued Frag of zoas they might get blown away.
Feeding
When it comes to nutrition, I think zoas benefit from regular feeding. They are not the most active feeders in the world and rely in large part on photosynthesis for their nutritional needs. The longer I am in the hobby the more aggressively I want to feed all my corals, and zoas are no different.
We try to feed a blend of small frozen foods such as the fines from mysis shrimp, cyclops plankton, and frozen rotifers. We have also tried feeding a variety of powdered dry plankton. Your mileage may vary depending on the species of zoa you have and also how you are doing the feeding.
As I mentioned they are not nearly as good a feeder as palythoa so they might not be able to grab chunks of food out of the water. I try to turn the pumps off and then give them a good dusting of food and let them sit for about 10 min before restarting the pumps.
æ
Water parameters: Nitrate 5-20 mg/l, Phosphate 0,05-0,15 mg/l
Feeding: Not required but benefit from regular feeding
Care level: Easy/Moderated
Taxonomy
Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
Location
Zoanthus and Palythoa are found in corals reefs around the world. However, most polyps in the reef keeping industry are harvested mainly from the islands of the Indopacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Zoanthus are photosynthetic corals. Residing in their flesh are a symbiotic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae that carries out photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae utilize chlorophyll to absorb light, the byproduct of which are simple sugars that the Zoas can consume for energy. Some corals rely on this energy source more than others and will need brighter lighting. On the other end of the spectrum, a coral that is receiving too much light may expel zooxanthellae from its mouth to regulate the how much energy is being produced. If you ever see a coral expelling what looks like brown slime it is likely attempting to regulate zooxanthellae concentration.
Zoas can be grown successfully in a wide range of lighting conditions. We have successfully grown Zoas in both bright and dim light conditions. They are very adaptable in that regard.
On average we have them in tanks with PAR in the 75-125 range however I have personally seen them on the reefs in Vietnam under about 6Í of water and the PAR there might have been well over 2000. In a home aquarium I donÍt recommend going anywhere near that bright because there are a lot of things about life in the ocean that does not translate to home aquariums and 2000 PAR lighting would be one of them.
Although these corals will happily adapt to nearly any lighting regimen, you can expect some differences in appearance depending on both spectrum and intensity.
First letÍs talk about their color. It is possible for some color morphs to develop intense fluorescent coloration under brighter lighting. If you have a colony that appears drab, increasing light may help. Remember that lighting that is too bright risks damaging the coral, and this damage can happen quickly. If you start to see the coral starting to turn lighter and bleach out, it is time to move it to a dimmer location. If you want to experiment with higher lighting intensities, do so very slowly.
The spectrum of light also will play a major role in the appearance of the polyp. Some zoas are very fluorescent and will display their most vivid colors under pure actinic lighting. Others that have less fluorescence will look much better under daylight lighting and might look completely muted in heavy blue light.
Next, letÍs talk about how lighting effects their shape. In lower intensity light around 50 PAR or less Zoa polyps extend towards the light. In more intense light the stalks shorten and the colony takes on a flat mat-like appearance.
Light may also influence the size of the polyp. There are likely more impactful variables, but Zoa polyps can triple or quadruple in size depending on how happy they are with the tankÍs parameters.
Water Flow
One such parameter that might influence their appearance more than light is the flow provided. If there was one parameter that I would obsess over with regard to the care of zoas it would be water flow. We have sold zoas to local hobbyists and purchase them back years later. One time I remember getting a colony of radioactive dragon eyes back and the size of each polyp was monstrous. I think this was due in large part to where they were located in his tank and how much flow the colony received.
Zoanthus by their very shape invite detritus accumulation and a colony that is dirty is very different than one that is kept clean. The buildup of detritus can slow a colonyÍs growth or even cause it to die back. Strong water flow helps keep detritus buildup to a minimum, as well as flushing away waste that the colony generates
When designing flow patterns for this coral I like to provide strong consistent flow with short bursts of very strong flow. If you do not have controllable pumps to achieve this it can be done manually with a turkey baster. Once a day you can squirt water at the colony to dislodge any buildup. I use just enough force to close the polyps up.
If you decide to go this route only do this with established colonies that are well attached. If you have a freshly glued Frag of zoas they might get blown away.
Feeding
When it comes to nutrition, I think zoas benefit from regular feeding. They are not the most active feeders in the world and rely in large part on photosynthesis for their nutritional needs. The longer I am in the hobby the more aggressively I want to feed all my corals, and zoas are no different.
We try to feed a blend of small frozen foods such as the fines from mysis shrimp, cyclops plankton, and frozen rotifers. We have also tried feeding a variety of powdered dry plankton. Your mileage may vary depending on the species of zoa you have and also how you are doing the feeding.
As I mentioned they are not nearly as good a feeder as palythoa so they might not be able to grab chunks of food out of the water. I try to turn the pumps off and then give them a good dusting of food and let them sit for about 10 min before restarting the pumps.
Name: Zoanthus
Temperature: 24-26C
Flow: low-mid
PAR: 50-150
Water parameters: Nitrate 5-20 mg/l, Phosphate 0,05-0,15 mg/l
Feeding: Not required but benefit from regular feeding
Care level: Easy/Moderated
Taxonomy
Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
Location
Zoanthus and Palythoa are found in corals reefs around the world. However, most polyps in the reef keeping industry are harvested mainly from the islands of the Indopacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Zoanthus are photosynthetic corals. Residing in their flesh are a symbiotic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae that carries out photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae utilize chlorophyll to absorb light, the byproduct of which are simple sugars that the Zoas can consume for energy. Some corals rely on this energy source more than others and will need brighter lighting. On the other end of the spectrum, a coral that is receiving too much light may expel zooxanthellae from its mouth to regulate the how much energy is being produced. If you ever see a coral expelling what looks like brown slime it is likely attempting to regulate zooxanthellae concentration.
Zoas can be grown successfully in a wide range of lighting conditions. We have successfully grown Zoas in both bright and dim light conditions. They are very adaptable in that regard.
On average we have them in tanks with PAR in the 75-125 range however I have personally seen them on the reefs in Vietnam under about 6Í of water and the PAR there might have been well over 2000. In a home aquarium I donÍt recommend going anywhere near that bright because there are a lot of things about life in the ocean that does not translate to home aquariums and 2000 PAR lighting would be one of them.
Although these corals will happily adapt to nearly any lighting regimen, you can expect some differences in appearance depending on both spectrum and intensity.
First letÍs talk about their color. It is possible for some color morphs to develop intense fluorescent coloration under brighter lighting. If you have a colony that appears drab, increasing light may help. Remember that lighting that is too bright risks damaging the coral, and this damage can happen quickly. If you start to see the coral starting to turn lighter and bleach out, it is time to move it to a dimmer location. If you want to experiment with higher lighting intensities, do so very slowly.
The spectrum of light also will play a major role in the appearance of the polyp. Some zoas are very fluorescent and will display their most vivid colors under pure actinic lighting. Others that have less fluorescence will look much better under daylight lighting and might look completely muted in heavy blue light.
Next, letÍs talk about how lighting effects their shape. In lower intensity light around 50 PAR or less Zoa polyps extend towards the light. In more intense light the stalks shorten and the colony takes on a flat mat-like appearance.
Light may also influence the size of the polyp. There are likely more impactful variables, but Zoa polyps can triple or quadruple in size depending on how happy they are with the tankÍs parameters.
Water Flow
One such parameter that might influence their appearance more than light is the flow provided. If there was one parameter that I would obsess over with regard to the care of zoas it would be water flow. We have sold zoas to local hobbyists and purchase them back years later. One time I remember getting a colony of radioactive dragon eyes back and the size of each polyp was monstrous. I think this was due in large part to where they were located in his tank and how much flow the colony received.
Zoanthus by their very shape invite detritus accumulation and a colony that is dirty is very different than one that is kept clean. The buildup of detritus can slow a colonyÍs growth or even cause it to die back. Strong water flow helps keep detritus buildup to a minimum, as well as flushing away waste that the colony generates
When designing flow patterns for this coral I like to provide strong consistent flow with short bursts of very strong flow. If you do not have controllable pumps to achieve this it can be done manually with a turkey baster. Once a day you can squirt water at the colony to dislodge any buildup. I use just enough force to close the polyps up.
If you decide to go this route only do this with established colonies that are well attached. If you have a freshly glued Frag of zoas they might get blown away.
Feeding
When it comes to nutrition, I think zoas benefit from regular feeding. They are not the most active feeders in the world and rely in large part on photosynthesis for their nutritional needs. The longer I am in the hobby the more aggressively I want to feed all my corals, and zoas are no different.
We try to feed a blend of small frozen foods such as the fines from mysis shrimp, cyclops plankton, and frozen rotifers. We have also tried feeding a variety of powdered dry plankton. Your mileage may vary depending on the species of zoa you have and also how you are doing the feeding.
As I mentioned they are not nearly as good a feeder as palythoa so they might not be able to grab chunks of food out of the water. I try to turn the pumps off and then give them a good dusting of food and let them sit for about 10 min before restarting the pumps.
æ
Water parameters: Nitrate 5-20 mg/l, Phosphate 0,05-0,15 mg/l
Feeding: Not required but benefit from regular feeding
Care level: Easy/Moderated
Taxonomy
Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
Location
Zoanthus and Palythoa are found in corals reefs around the world. However, most polyps in the reef keeping industry are harvested mainly from the islands of the Indopacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Zoanthus are photosynthetic corals. Residing in their flesh are a symbiotic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae that carries out photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae utilize chlorophyll to absorb light, the byproduct of which are simple sugars that the Zoas can consume for energy. Some corals rely on this energy source more than others and will need brighter lighting. On the other end of the spectrum, a coral that is receiving too much light may expel zooxanthellae from its mouth to regulate the how much energy is being produced. If you ever see a coral expelling what looks like brown slime it is likely attempting to regulate zooxanthellae concentration.
Zoas can be grown successfully in a wide range of lighting conditions. We have successfully grown Zoas in both bright and dim light conditions. They are very adaptable in that regard.
On average we have them in tanks with PAR in the 75-125 range however I have personally seen them on the reefs in Vietnam under about 6Í of water and the PAR there might have been well over 2000. In a home aquarium I donÍt recommend going anywhere near that bright because there are a lot of things about life in the ocean that does not translate to home aquariums and 2000 PAR lighting would be one of them.
Although these corals will happily adapt to nearly any lighting regimen, you can expect some differences in appearance depending on both spectrum and intensity.
First letÍs talk about their color. It is possible for some color morphs to develop intense fluorescent coloration under brighter lighting. If you have a colony that appears drab, increasing light may help. Remember that lighting that is too bright risks damaging the coral, and this damage can happen quickly. If you start to see the coral starting to turn lighter and bleach out, it is time to move it to a dimmer location. If you want to experiment with higher lighting intensities, do so very slowly.
The spectrum of light also will play a major role in the appearance of the polyp. Some zoas are very fluorescent and will display their most vivid colors under pure actinic lighting. Others that have less fluorescence will look much better under daylight lighting and might look completely muted in heavy blue light.
Next, letÍs talk about how lighting effects their shape. In lower intensity light around 50 PAR or less Zoa polyps extend towards the light. In more intense light the stalks shorten and the colony takes on a flat mat-like appearance.
Light may also influence the size of the polyp. There are likely more impactful variables, but Zoa polyps can triple or quadruple in size depending on how happy they are with the tankÍs parameters.
Water Flow
One such parameter that might influence their appearance more than light is the flow provided. If there was one parameter that I would obsess over with regard to the care of zoas it would be water flow. We have sold zoas to local hobbyists and purchase them back years later. One time I remember getting a colony of radioactive dragon eyes back and the size of each polyp was monstrous. I think this was due in large part to where they were located in his tank and how much flow the colony received.
Zoanthus by their very shape invite detritus accumulation and a colony that is dirty is very different than one that is kept clean. The buildup of detritus can slow a colonyÍs growth or even cause it to die back. Strong water flow helps keep detritus buildup to a minimum, as well as flushing away waste that the colony generates
When designing flow patterns for this coral I like to provide strong consistent flow with short bursts of very strong flow. If you do not have controllable pumps to achieve this it can be done manually with a turkey baster. Once a day you can squirt water at the colony to dislodge any buildup. I use just enough force to close the polyps up.
If you decide to go this route only do this with established colonies that are well attached. If you have a freshly glued Frag of zoas they might get blown away.
Feeding
When it comes to nutrition, I think zoas benefit from regular feeding. They are not the most active feeders in the world and rely in large part on photosynthesis for their nutritional needs. The longer I am in the hobby the more aggressively I want to feed all my corals, and zoas are no different.
We try to feed a blend of small frozen foods such as the fines from mysis shrimp, cyclops plankton, and frozen rotifers. We have also tried feeding a variety of powdered dry plankton. Your mileage may vary depending on the species of zoa you have and also how you are doing the feeding.
As I mentioned they are not nearly as good a feeder as palythoa so they might not be able to grab chunks of food out of the water. I try to turn the pumps off and then give them a good dusting of food and let them sit for about 10 min before restarting the pumps.
Name: Zoanthus
Temperature: 24-26C
Flow: low-mid
PAR: 50-150
Water parameters: Nitrate 5-20 mg/l, Phosphate 0,05-0,15 mg/l
Feeding: Not required but benefit from regular feeding
Care level: Easy/Moderated
Taxonomy
Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
Location
Zoanthus and Palythoa are found in corals reefs around the world. However, most polyps in the reef keeping industry are harvested mainly from the islands of the Indopacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Zoanthus are photosynthetic corals. Residing in their flesh are a symbiotic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae that carries out photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae utilize chlorophyll to absorb light, the byproduct of which are simple sugars that the Zoas can consume for energy. Some corals rely on this energy source more than others and will need brighter lighting. On the other end of the spectrum, a coral that is receiving too much light may expel zooxanthellae from its mouth to regulate the how much energy is being produced. If you ever see a coral expelling what looks like brown slime it is likely attempting to regulate zooxanthellae concentration.
Zoas can be grown successfully in a wide range of lighting conditions. We have successfully grown Zoas in both bright and dim light conditions. They are very adaptable in that regard.
On average we have them in tanks with PAR in the 75-125 range however I have personally seen them on the reefs in Vietnam under about 6Í of water and the PAR there might have been well over 2000. In a home aquarium I donÍt recommend going anywhere near that bright because there are a lot of things about life in the ocean that does not translate to home aquariums and 2000 PAR lighting would be one of them.
Although these corals will happily adapt to nearly any lighting regimen, you can expect some differences in appearance depending on both spectrum and intensity.
First letÍs talk about their color. It is possible for some color morphs to develop intense fluorescent coloration under brighter lighting. If you have a colony that appears drab, increasing light may help. Remember that lighting that is too bright risks damaging the coral, and this damage can happen quickly. If you start to see the coral starting to turn lighter and bleach out, it is time to move it to a dimmer location. If you want to experiment with higher lighting intensities, do so very slowly.
The spectrum of light also will play a major role in the appearance of the polyp. Some zoas are very fluorescent and will display their most vivid colors under pure actinic lighting. Others that have less fluorescence will look much better under daylight lighting and might look completely muted in heavy blue light.
Next, letÍs talk about how lighting effects their shape. In lower intensity light around 50 PAR or less Zoa polyps extend towards the light. In more intense light the stalks shorten and the colony takes on a flat mat-like appearance.
Light may also influence the size of the polyp. There are likely more impactful variables, but Zoa polyps can triple or quadruple in size depending on how happy they are with the tankÍs parameters.
Water Flow
One such parameter that might influence their appearance more than light is the flow provided. If there was one parameter that I would obsess over with regard to the care of zoas it would be water flow. We have sold zoas to local hobbyists and purchase them back years later. One time I remember getting a colony of radioactive dragon eyes back and the size of each polyp was monstrous. I think this was due in large part to where they were located in his tank and how much flow the colony received.
Zoanthus by their very shape invite detritus accumulation and a colony that is dirty is very different than one that is kept clean. The buildup of detritus can slow a colonyÍs growth or even cause it to die back. Strong water flow helps keep detritus buildup to a minimum, as well as flushing away waste that the colony generates
When designing flow patterns for this coral I like to provide strong consistent flow with short bursts of very strong flow. If you do not have controllable pumps to achieve this it can be done manually with a turkey baster. Once a day you can squirt water at the colony to dislodge any buildup. I use just enough force to close the polyps up.
If you decide to go this route only do this with established colonies that are well attached. If you have a freshly glued Frag of zoas they might get blown away.
Feeding
When it comes to nutrition, I think zoas benefit from regular feeding. They are not the most active feeders in the world and rely in large part on photosynthesis for their nutritional needs. The longer I am in the hobby the more aggressively I want to feed all my corals, and zoas are no different.
We try to feed a blend of small frozen foods such as the fines from mysis shrimp, cyclops plankton, and frozen rotifers. We have also tried feeding a variety of powdered dry plankton. Your mileage may vary depending on the species of zoa you have and also how you are doing the feeding.
As I mentioned they are not nearly as good a feeder as palythoa so they might not be able to grab chunks of food out of the water. I try to turn the pumps off and then give them a good dusting of food and let them sit for about 10 min before restarting the pumps.
æ
Water parameters: Nitrate 5-20 mg/l, Phosphate 0,05-0,15 mg/l
Feeding: Not required but benefit from regular feeding
Care level: Easy/Moderated
Taxonomy
Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
Location
Zoanthus and Palythoa are found in corals reefs around the world. However, most polyps in the reef keeping industry are harvested mainly from the islands of the Indopacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Zoanthus are photosynthetic corals. Residing in their flesh are a symbiotic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae that carries out photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae utilize chlorophyll to absorb light, the byproduct of which are simple sugars that the Zoas can consume for energy. Some corals rely on this energy source more than others and will need brighter lighting. On the other end of the spectrum, a coral that is receiving too much light may expel zooxanthellae from its mouth to regulate the how much energy is being produced. If you ever see a coral expelling what looks like brown slime it is likely attempting to regulate zooxanthellae concentration.
Zoas can be grown successfully in a wide range of lighting conditions. We have successfully grown Zoas in both bright and dim light conditions. They are very adaptable in that regard.
On average we have them in tanks with PAR in the 75-125 range however I have personally seen them on the reefs in Vietnam under about 6Í of water and the PAR there might have been well over 2000. In a home aquarium I donÍt recommend going anywhere near that bright because there are a lot of things about life in the ocean that does not translate to home aquariums and 2000 PAR lighting would be one of them.
Although these corals will happily adapt to nearly any lighting regimen, you can expect some differences in appearance depending on both spectrum and intensity.
First letÍs talk about their color. It is possible for some color morphs to develop intense fluorescent coloration under brighter lighting. If you have a colony that appears drab, increasing light may help. Remember that lighting that is too bright risks damaging the coral, and this damage can happen quickly. If you start to see the coral starting to turn lighter and bleach out, it is time to move it to a dimmer location. If you want to experiment with higher lighting intensities, do so very slowly.
The spectrum of light also will play a major role in the appearance of the polyp. Some zoas are very fluorescent and will display their most vivid colors under pure actinic lighting. Others that have less fluorescence will look much better under daylight lighting and might look completely muted in heavy blue light.
Next, letÍs talk about how lighting effects their shape. In lower intensity light around 50 PAR or less Zoa polyps extend towards the light. In more intense light the stalks shorten and the colony takes on a flat mat-like appearance.
Light may also influence the size of the polyp. There are likely more impactful variables, but Zoa polyps can triple or quadruple in size depending on how happy they are with the tankÍs parameters.
Water Flow
One such parameter that might influence their appearance more than light is the flow provided. If there was one parameter that I would obsess over with regard to the care of zoas it would be water flow. We have sold zoas to local hobbyists and purchase them back years later. One time I remember getting a colony of radioactive dragon eyes back and the size of each polyp was monstrous. I think this was due in large part to where they were located in his tank and how much flow the colony received.
Zoanthus by their very shape invite detritus accumulation and a colony that is dirty is very different than one that is kept clean. The buildup of detritus can slow a colonyÍs growth or even cause it to die back. Strong water flow helps keep detritus buildup to a minimum, as well as flushing away waste that the colony generates
When designing flow patterns for this coral I like to provide strong consistent flow with short bursts of very strong flow. If you do not have controllable pumps to achieve this it can be done manually with a turkey baster. Once a day you can squirt water at the colony to dislodge any buildup. I use just enough force to close the polyps up.
If you decide to go this route only do this with established colonies that are well attached. If you have a freshly glued Frag of zoas they might get blown away.
Feeding
When it comes to nutrition, I think zoas benefit from regular feeding. They are not the most active feeders in the world and rely in large part on photosynthesis for their nutritional needs. The longer I am in the hobby the more aggressively I want to feed all my corals, and zoas are no different.
We try to feed a blend of small frozen foods such as the fines from mysis shrimp, cyclops plankton, and frozen rotifers. We have also tried feeding a variety of powdered dry plankton. Your mileage may vary depending on the species of zoa you have and also how you are doing the feeding.
As I mentioned they are not nearly as good a feeder as palythoa so they might not be able to grab chunks of food out of the water. I try to turn the pumps off and then give them a good dusting of food and let them sit for about 10 min before restarting the pumps.
Name: Zoanthus
Temperature: 24-26C
Flow: low-mid
PAR: 50-150
Water parameters: Nitrate 5-20 mg/l, Phosphate 0,05-0,15 mg/l
Feeding: Not required but benefit from regular feeding
Care level: Easy/Moderated
Taxonomy
Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
Location
Zoanthus and Palythoa are found in corals reefs around the world. However, most polyps in the reef keeping industry are harvested mainly from the islands of the Indopacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Zoanthus are photosynthetic corals. Residing in their flesh are a symbiotic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae that carries out photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae utilize chlorophyll to absorb light, the byproduct of which are simple sugars that the Zoas can consume for energy. Some corals rely on this energy source more than others and will need brighter lighting. On the other end of the spectrum, a coral that is receiving too much light may expel zooxanthellae from its mouth to regulate the how much energy is being produced. If you ever see a coral expelling what looks like brown slime it is likely attempting to regulate zooxanthellae concentration.
Zoas can be grown successfully in a wide range of lighting conditions. We have successfully grown Zoas in both bright and dim light conditions. They are very adaptable in that regard.
On average we have them in tanks with PAR in the 75-125 range however I have personally seen them on the reefs in Vietnam under about 6Í of water and the PAR there might have been well over 2000. In a home aquarium I donÍt recommend going anywhere near that bright because there are a lot of things about life in the ocean that does not translate to home aquariums and 2000 PAR lighting would be one of them.
Although these corals will happily adapt to nearly any lighting regimen, you can expect some differences in appearance depending on both spectrum and intensity.
First letÍs talk about their color. It is possible for some color morphs to develop intense fluorescent coloration under brighter lighting. If you have a colony that appears drab, increasing light may help. Remember that lighting that is too bright risks damaging the coral, and this damage can happen quickly. If you start to see the coral starting to turn lighter and bleach out, it is time to move it to a dimmer location. If you want to experiment with higher lighting intensities, do so very slowly.
The spectrum of light also will play a major role in the appearance of the polyp. Some zoas are very fluorescent and will display their most vivid colors under pure actinic lighting. Others that have less fluorescence will look much better under daylight lighting and might look completely muted in heavy blue light.
Next, letÍs talk about how lighting effects their shape. In lower intensity light around 50 PAR or less Zoa polyps extend towards the light. In more intense light the stalks shorten and the colony takes on a flat mat-like appearance.
Light may also influence the size of the polyp. There are likely more impactful variables, but Zoa polyps can triple or quadruple in size depending on how happy they are with the tankÍs parameters.
Water Flow
One such parameter that might influence their appearance more than light is the flow provided. If there was one parameter that I would obsess over with regard to the care of zoas it would be water flow. We have sold zoas to local hobbyists and purchase them back years later. One time I remember getting a colony of radioactive dragon eyes back and the size of each polyp was monstrous. I think this was due in large part to where they were located in his tank and how much flow the colony received.
Zoanthus by their very shape invite detritus accumulation and a colony that is dirty is very different than one that is kept clean. The buildup of detritus can slow a colonyÍs growth or even cause it to die back. Strong water flow helps keep detritus buildup to a minimum, as well as flushing away waste that the colony generates
When designing flow patterns for this coral I like to provide strong consistent flow with short bursts of very strong flow. If you do not have controllable pumps to achieve this it can be done manually with a turkey baster. Once a day you can squirt water at the colony to dislodge any buildup. I use just enough force to close the polyps up.
If you decide to go this route only do this with established colonies that are well attached. If you have a freshly glued Frag of zoas they might get blown away.
Feeding
When it comes to nutrition, I think zoas benefit from regular feeding. They are not the most active feeders in the world and rely in large part on photosynthesis for their nutritional needs. The longer I am in the hobby the more aggressively I want to feed all my corals, and zoas are no different.
We try to feed a blend of small frozen foods such as the fines from mysis shrimp, cyclops plankton, and frozen rotifers. We have also tried feeding a variety of powdered dry plankton. Your mileage may vary depending on the species of zoa you have and also how you are doing the feeding.
As I mentioned they are not nearly as good a feeder as palythoa so they might not be able to grab chunks of food out of the water. I try to turn the pumps off and then give them a good dusting of food and let them sit for about 10 min before restarting the pumps.
æ
Water parameters: Nitrate 5-20 mg/l, Phosphate 0,05-0,15 mg/l
Feeding: Not required but benefit from regular feeding
Care level: Easy/Moderated
Taxonomy
Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
Location
Zoanthus and Palythoa are found in corals reefs around the world. However, most polyps in the reef keeping industry are harvested mainly from the islands of the Indopacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Zoanthus are photosynthetic corals. Residing in their flesh are a symbiotic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae that carries out photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae utilize chlorophyll to absorb light, the byproduct of which are simple sugars that the Zoas can consume for energy. Some corals rely on this energy source more than others and will need brighter lighting. On the other end of the spectrum, a coral that is receiving too much light may expel zooxanthellae from its mouth to regulate the how much energy is being produced. If you ever see a coral expelling what looks like brown slime it is likely attempting to regulate zooxanthellae concentration.
Zoas can be grown successfully in a wide range of lighting conditions. We have successfully grown Zoas in both bright and dim light conditions. They are very adaptable in that regard.
On average we have them in tanks with PAR in the 75-125 range however I have personally seen them on the reefs in Vietnam under about 6Í of water and the PAR there might have been well over 2000. In a home aquarium I donÍt recommend going anywhere near that bright because there are a lot of things about life in the ocean that does not translate to home aquariums and 2000 PAR lighting would be one of them.
Although these corals will happily adapt to nearly any lighting regimen, you can expect some differences in appearance depending on both spectrum and intensity.
First letÍs talk about their color. It is possible for some color morphs to develop intense fluorescent coloration under brighter lighting. If you have a colony that appears drab, increasing light may help. Remember that lighting that is too bright risks damaging the coral, and this damage can happen quickly. If you start to see the coral starting to turn lighter and bleach out, it is time to move it to a dimmer location. If you want to experiment with higher lighting intensities, do so very slowly.
The spectrum of light also will play a major role in the appearance of the polyp. Some zoas are very fluorescent and will display their most vivid colors under pure actinic lighting. Others that have less fluorescence will look much better under daylight lighting and might look completely muted in heavy blue light.
Next, letÍs talk about how lighting effects their shape. In lower intensity light around 50 PAR or less Zoa polyps extend towards the light. In more intense light the stalks shorten and the colony takes on a flat mat-like appearance.
Light may also influence the size of the polyp. There are likely more impactful variables, but Zoa polyps can triple or quadruple in size depending on how happy they are with the tankÍs parameters.
Water Flow
One such parameter that might influence their appearance more than light is the flow provided. If there was one parameter that I would obsess over with regard to the care of zoas it would be water flow. We have sold zoas to local hobbyists and purchase them back years later. One time I remember getting a colony of radioactive dragon eyes back and the size of each polyp was monstrous. I think this was due in large part to where they were located in his tank and how much flow the colony received.
Zoanthus by their very shape invite detritus accumulation and a colony that is dirty is very different than one that is kept clean. The buildup of detritus can slow a colonyÍs growth or even cause it to die back. Strong water flow helps keep detritus buildup to a minimum, as well as flushing away waste that the colony generates
When designing flow patterns for this coral I like to provide strong consistent flow with short bursts of very strong flow. If you do not have controllable pumps to achieve this it can be done manually with a turkey baster. Once a day you can squirt water at the colony to dislodge any buildup. I use just enough force to close the polyps up.
If you decide to go this route only do this with established colonies that are well attached. If you have a freshly glued Frag of zoas they might get blown away.
Feeding
When it comes to nutrition, I think zoas benefit from regular feeding. They are not the most active feeders in the world and rely in large part on photosynthesis for their nutritional needs. The longer I am in the hobby the more aggressively I want to feed all my corals, and zoas are no different.
We try to feed a blend of small frozen foods such as the fines from mysis shrimp, cyclops plankton, and frozen rotifers. We have also tried feeding a variety of powdered dry plankton. Your mileage may vary depending on the species of zoa you have and also how you are doing the feeding.
As I mentioned they are not nearly as good a feeder as palythoa so they might not be able to grab chunks of food out of the water. I try to turn the pumps off and then give them a good dusting of food and let them sit for about 10 min before restarting the pumps.
Name: Zoanthus
Temperature: 24-26C
Flow: low-mid
PAR: 50-150
Water parameters: Nitrate 5-20 mg/l, Phosphate 0,05-0,15 mg/l
Feeding: Not required but benefit from regular feeding
Care level: Easy/Moderated
Taxonomy
Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
Location
Zoanthus and Palythoa are found in corals reefs around the world. However, most polyps in the reef keeping industry are harvested mainly from the islands of the Indopacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Zoanthus are photosynthetic corals. Residing in their flesh are a symbiotic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae that carries out photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae utilize chlorophyll to absorb light, the byproduct of which are simple sugars that the Zoas can consume for energy. Some corals rely on this energy source more than others and will need brighter lighting. On the other end of the spectrum, a coral that is receiving too much light may expel zooxanthellae from its mouth to regulate the how much energy is being produced. If you ever see a coral expelling what looks like brown slime it is likely attempting to regulate zooxanthellae concentration.
Zoas can be grown successfully in a wide range of lighting conditions. We have successfully grown Zoas in both bright and dim light conditions. They are very adaptable in that regard.
On average we have them in tanks with PAR in the 75-125 range however I have personally seen them on the reefs in Vietnam under about 6Í of water and the PAR there might have been well over 2000. In a home aquarium I donÍt recommend going anywhere near that bright because there are a lot of things about life in the ocean that does not translate to home aquariums and 2000 PAR lighting would be one of them.
Although these corals will happily adapt to nearly any lighting regimen, you can expect some differences in appearance depending on both spectrum and intensity.
First letÍs talk about their color. It is possible for some color morphs to develop intense fluorescent coloration under brighter lighting. If you have a colony that appears drab, increasing light may help. Remember that lighting that is too bright risks damaging the coral, and this damage can happen quickly. If you start to see the coral starting to turn lighter and bleach out, it is time to move it to a dimmer location. If you want to experiment with higher lighting intensities, do so very slowly.
The spectrum of light also will play a major role in the appearance of the polyp. Some zoas are very fluorescent and will display their most vivid colors under pure actinic lighting. Others that have less fluorescence will look much better under daylight lighting and might look completely muted in heavy blue light.
Next, letÍs talk about how lighting effects their shape. In lower intensity light around 50 PAR or less Zoa polyps extend towards the light. In more intense light the stalks shorten and the colony takes on a flat mat-like appearance.
Light may also influence the size of the polyp. There are likely more impactful variables, but Zoa polyps can triple or quadruple in size depending on how happy they are with the tankÍs parameters.
Water Flow
One such parameter that might influence their appearance more than light is the flow provided. If there was one parameter that I would obsess over with regard to the care of zoas it would be water flow. We have sold zoas to local hobbyists and purchase them back years later. One time I remember getting a colony of radioactive dragon eyes back and the size of each polyp was monstrous. I think this was due in large part to where they were located in his tank and how much flow the colony received.
Zoanthus by their very shape invite detritus accumulation and a colony that is dirty is very different than one that is kept clean. The buildup of detritus can slow a colonyÍs growth or even cause it to die back. Strong water flow helps keep detritus buildup to a minimum, as well as flushing away waste that the colony generates
When designing flow patterns for this coral I like to provide strong consistent flow with short bursts of very strong flow. If you do not have controllable pumps to achieve this it can be done manually with a turkey baster. Once a day you can squirt water at the colony to dislodge any buildup. I use just enough force to close the polyps up.
If you decide to go this route only do this with established colonies that are well attached. If you have a freshly glued Frag of zoas they might get blown away.
Feeding
When it comes to nutrition, I think zoas benefit from regular feeding. They are not the most active feeders in the world and rely in large part on photosynthesis for their nutritional needs. The longer I am in the hobby the more aggressively I want to feed all my corals, and zoas are no different.
We try to feed a blend of small frozen foods such as the fines from mysis shrimp, cyclops plankton, and frozen rotifers. We have also tried feeding a variety of powdered dry plankton. Your mileage may vary depending on the species of zoa you have and also how you are doing the feeding.
As I mentioned they are not nearly as good a feeder as palythoa so they might not be able to grab chunks of food out of the water. I try to turn the pumps off and then give them a good dusting of food and let them sit for about 10 min before restarting the pumps.
æ
Water parameters: Nitrate 5-20 mg/l, Phosphate 0,05-0,15 mg/l
Feeding: Not required but benefit from regular feeding
Care level: Easy/Moderated
Taxonomy
Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
Location
Zoanthus and Palythoa are found in corals reefs around the world. However, most polyps in the reef keeping industry are harvested mainly from the islands of the Indopacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Zoanthus are photosynthetic corals. Residing in their flesh are a symbiotic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae that carries out photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae utilize chlorophyll to absorb light, the byproduct of which are simple sugars that the Zoas can consume for energy. Some corals rely on this energy source more than others and will need brighter lighting. On the other end of the spectrum, a coral that is receiving too much light may expel zooxanthellae from its mouth to regulate the how much energy is being produced. If you ever see a coral expelling what looks like brown slime it is likely attempting to regulate zooxanthellae concentration.
Zoas can be grown successfully in a wide range of lighting conditions. We have successfully grown Zoas in both bright and dim light conditions. They are very adaptable in that regard.
On average we have them in tanks with PAR in the 75-125 range however I have personally seen them on the reefs in Vietnam under about 6Í of water and the PAR there might have been well over 2000. In a home aquarium I donÍt recommend going anywhere near that bright because there are a lot of things about life in the ocean that does not translate to home aquariums and 2000 PAR lighting would be one of them.
Although these corals will happily adapt to nearly any lighting regimen, you can expect some differences in appearance depending on both spectrum and intensity.
First letÍs talk about their color. It is possible for some color morphs to develop intense fluorescent coloration under brighter lighting. If you have a colony that appears drab, increasing light may help. Remember that lighting that is too bright risks damaging the coral, and this damage can happen quickly. If you start to see the coral starting to turn lighter and bleach out, it is time to move it to a dimmer location. If you want to experiment with higher lighting intensities, do so very slowly.
The spectrum of light also will play a major role in the appearance of the polyp. Some zoas are very fluorescent and will display their most vivid colors under pure actinic lighting. Others that have less fluorescence will look much better under daylight lighting and might look completely muted in heavy blue light.
Next, letÍs talk about how lighting effects their shape. In lower intensity light around 50 PAR or less Zoa polyps extend towards the light. In more intense light the stalks shorten and the colony takes on a flat mat-like appearance.
Light may also influence the size of the polyp. There are likely more impactful variables, but Zoa polyps can triple or quadruple in size depending on how happy they are with the tankÍs parameters.
Water Flow
One such parameter that might influence their appearance more than light is the flow provided. If there was one parameter that I would obsess over with regard to the care of zoas it would be water flow. We have sold zoas to local hobbyists and purchase them back years later. One time I remember getting a colony of radioactive dragon eyes back and the size of each polyp was monstrous. I think this was due in large part to where they were located in his tank and how much flow the colony received.
Zoanthus by their very shape invite detritus accumulation and a colony that is dirty is very different than one that is kept clean. The buildup of detritus can slow a colonyÍs growth or even cause it to die back. Strong water flow helps keep detritus buildup to a minimum, as well as flushing away waste that the colony generates
When designing flow patterns for this coral I like to provide strong consistent flow with short bursts of very strong flow. If you do not have controllable pumps to achieve this it can be done manually with a turkey baster. Once a day you can squirt water at the colony to dislodge any buildup. I use just enough force to close the polyps up.
If you decide to go this route only do this with established colonies that are well attached. If you have a freshly glued Frag of zoas they might get blown away.
Feeding
When it comes to nutrition, I think zoas benefit from regular feeding. They are not the most active feeders in the world and rely in large part on photosynthesis for their nutritional needs. The longer I am in the hobby the more aggressively I want to feed all my corals, and zoas are no different.
We try to feed a blend of small frozen foods such as the fines from mysis shrimp, cyclops plankton, and frozen rotifers. We have also tried feeding a variety of powdered dry plankton. Your mileage may vary depending on the species of zoa you have and also how you are doing the feeding.
As I mentioned they are not nearly as good a feeder as palythoa so they might not be able to grab chunks of food out of the water. I try to turn the pumps off and then give them a good dusting of food and let them sit for about 10 min before restarting the pumps.
Name: Zoanthus
Temperature: 24-26C
Flow: low-mid
PAR: 50-150
Water parameters: Nitrate 5-20 mg/l, Phosphate 0,05-0,15 mg/l
Feeding: Not required but benefit from regular feeding
Care level: Easy/Moderated
Taxonomy
Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
Location
Zoanthus and Palythoa are found in corals reefs around the world. However, most polyps in the reef keeping industry are harvested mainly from the islands of the Indopacific, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Zoanthus are photosynthetic corals. Residing in their flesh are a symbiotic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae that carries out photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae utilize chlorophyll to absorb light, the byproduct of which are simple sugars that the Zoas can consume for energy. Some corals rely on this energy source more than others and will need brighter lighting. On the other end of the spectrum, a coral that is receiving too much light may expel zooxanthellae from its mouth to regulate the how much energy is being produced. If you ever see a coral expelling what looks like brown slime it is likely attempting to regulate zooxanthellae concentration.
Zoas can be grown successfully in a wide range of lighting conditions. We have successfully grown Zoas in both bright and dim light conditions. They are very adaptable in that regard.
On average we have them in tanks with PAR in the 75-125 range however I have personally seen them on the reefs in Vietnam under about 6Í of water and the PAR there might have been well over 2000. In a home aquarium I donÍt recommend going anywhere near that bright because there are a lot of things about life in the ocean that does not translate to home aquariums and 2000 PAR lighting would be one of them.
Although these corals will happily adapt to nearly any lighting regimen, you can expect some differences in appearance depending on both spectrum and intensity.
First letÍs talk about their color. It is possible for some color morphs to develop intense fluorescent coloration under brighter lighting. If you have a colony that appears drab, increasing light may help. Remember that lighting that is too bright risks damaging the coral, and this damage can happen quickly. If you start to see the coral starting to turn lighter and bleach out, it is time to move it to a dimmer location. If you want to experiment with higher lighting intensities, do so very slowly.
The spectrum of light also will play a major role in the appearance of the polyp. Some zoas are very fluorescent and will display their most vivid colors under pure actinic lighting. Others that have less fluorescence will look much better under daylight lighting and might look completely muted in heavy blue light.
Next, letÍs talk about how lighting effects their shape. In lower intensity light around 50 PAR or less Zoa polyps extend towards the light. In more intense light the stalks shorten and the colony takes on a flat mat-like appearance.
Light may also influence the size of the polyp. There are likely more impactful variables, but Zoa polyps can triple or quadruple in size depending on how happy they are with the tankÍs parameters.
Water Flow
One such parameter that might influence their appearance more than light is the flow provided. If there was one parameter that I would obsess over with regard to the care of zoas it would be water flow. We have sold zoas to local hobbyists and purchase them back years later. One time I remember getting a colony of radioactive dragon eyes back and the size of each polyp was monstrous. I think this was due in large part to where they were located in his tank and how much flow the colony received.
Zoanthus by their very shape invite detritus accumulation and a colony that is dirty is very different than one that is kept clean. The buildup of detritus can slow a colonyÍs growth or even cause it to die back. Strong water flow helps keep detritus buildup to a minimum, as well as flushing away waste that the colony generates
When designing flow patterns for this coral I like to provide strong consistent flow with short bursts of very strong flow. If you do not have controllable pumps to achieve this it can be done manually with a turkey baster. Once a day you can squirt water at the colony to dislodge any buildup. I use just enough force to close the polyps up.
If you decide to go this route only do this with established colonies that are well attached. If you have a freshly glued Frag of zoas they might get blown away.
Feeding
When it comes to nutrition, I think zoas benefit from regular feeding. They are not the most active feeders in the world and rely in large part on photosynthesis for their nutritional needs. The longer I am in the hobby the more aggressively I want to feed all my corals, and zoas are no different.
We try to feed a blend of small frozen foods such as the fines from mysis shrimp, cyclops plankton, and frozen rotifers. We have also tried feeding a variety of powdered dry plankton. Your mileage may vary depending on the species of zoa you have and also how you are doing the feeding.
As I mentioned they are not nearly as good a feeder as palythoa so they might not be able to grab chunks of food out of the water. I try to turn the pumps off and then give them a good dusting of food and let them sit for about 10 min before restarting the pumps.
æ
