Some Simple Tips for Keeping Zoanthids Happy, Healthy, and Growing Fast

[PAReefer]

Monarchs

Monarchs

My Clementines

Pink Constellations

Pink Constellations

The Monarchs are stunning!

 

[that Reef Guy]

Beautiful! I love zoos too.

Thank You

 

[that Reef Guy]

The Monarchs are stunning!

They Sure Are

 

[Pola0502ds]

Thank You

When I feed I follow (or Pretty Close to Follow) Manufacturers Recommend Amounts.

Nitrate on 5 of my Tanks is 20

Nitrate on 1 of my Tanks is 5-10 which is Odd because that Tank gets the Most Food by Far yet has Less Nitrate than all My Other Tanks.

Phosphate I will have to Check as I have not done that in a while.

I have no experience with ATS so I cannot comment on that sorry.

Are you getting cyano on your sand bed with nitrates in those ranges? I have low nitrates and phosphates and still get it.

 

[that Reef Guy]

Are you getting cyano on your sand bed with nitrates in those ranges? I have low nitrates and phosphates and still get it.

No, I never get Cyano.

You might need to up the Flow.

9 Times out of 10 when people get Cyano (Slime Algae) they don't have enough Flow in their Tank,

 

[sil40sx]

Oh man, I have couple small colonies, and planning on getting a copperband fish... Now I'm having second thought after reading this. Is there a slight chance that some copperband won't nip on zoas?

 

[renato120]

@Gui Paim

 

[Bob Escher]

Great write up. As I have now started keeping corals and have two zoa frags this will help. But I'm dealing with a brown hair algae right now and I'm not sure if it's because I over feed or something died. ( I think my 2 in yellow watchman goby and a sand sifting starfish. But I'm using Red Sea NO/3/PO/4 on it
Hope it kills it

Thanks for the write up

 

[that Reef Guy]

Oh man, I have couple small colonies, and planning on getting a copperband fish... Now I'm having second thought after reading this. Is there a slight chance that some copperband won't nip on zoas?

There is Always a Chance a Fish Will not go for a Certain Coral.

But Why Risk it?

And then You have to Constantly Watch them.

I had a Blue Hippo Tang that was Fine and Didn't Eat any Zoanthids.

After About 8 Months He Started Eating them.

 

[that Reef Guy]

Great write up. As I have now started keeping corals and have two zoa frags this will help. But I'm dealing with a brown hair algae right now and I'm not sure if it's because I over feed or something died. ( I think my 2 in yellow watchman goby and a sand sifting starfish. But I'm using Red Sea NO/3/PO/4 on it
Hope it kills it

Thanks for the write up

Your Welcome

For Hair Algae I use Tiger Trochus Snails.

They PLOW Through Hair Algae.

They are often called "The Cadillac of Snails"

 

[Congaken]

I have Talked To and Read About quite a few People who have been Having Trouble Keeping Zoanthids so I decided to Make this Thread to Help them Out.



Here are My Tips for Happy, Healthy, and Fast Growing Zoanthids.

1. Bayer Dip
2. Keep Everything Stable
3. Feed, Feed, Feed
4. Higher Light and Higher Flow (Generally Speaking)
5. Keep an Eye Out for POX
6. Do Regular Water Changes
7. Don't Buy Animals that Might Go After Zoanthids





1. Bayer Dip -

- No Coral (And I mean no Coral) goes into my Tank without an Aggressive Bayer Dip for 15 Minutes.
- Then I check for Eggs with a High Powered Magnifying Glass with a Built in LED Light Used by Coin Collectors.
- Bayer Kills the Pests but Does NOT Kill the Eggs.
- Zoanthids are Targeted by More Pests than any Other Coral (Nudibranches, Spiders, Sundial Snails, etc.)

http://www.zoaid.com/index.php?module=Gallery2&g2_itemId=384

See the Above Link for all things that can Kill Your Zoanthids!

P.S. I put a 6 Line Wrasse in Every Tank as they LOVE to Eat Pests. Without Fail Every Time I add a New Frag the 6 Line Wrasse Swims Over and Sticks His Nose in Every Nook and Cranny Inspecting for Pests. These Guys are AMAZING and Every Tank Tank Should have a 6 Line Wrasse for Pest Control!




2. Keep Everything Stable -

For Me
Temperature - 77 Degrees
Salinity - 1.026
Alkalinity - 8.5
Calcium - 480
Magnesium - 1440

- Test, Test, Test (I cannot Stress this Enough).
- I Test and Dose Every Day on 6 Tanks (2 of the Tanks I Test and Dose Twice a Day - Once in the Morning and Once at Night).
- My Alkalinity Does not Drop more than 0.3 a Day.
- Remember Alkalinity is Depleted more than anything Else in a Reef Tank and is the Most Important thing to Keep Stable which is Why I Test So Much.




3. Feed, Feed, Feed -

- Don't Listen to anybody that says you should have Zero Nitrate and Zero Phosphate with Zoanthids.
- They LOVE Food!
- I feed 3 Times a Week.


I Feed 4 Different Foods to my Corals

1. Reef Roids
2. BRS Reef Chili
3. Seachem AquaVitro Fuel (Vitamin and Ammino Acid Supplement)
4. Larry's Reef Frenzy Frozen Food (LRS)


Here is my Feeding Schedule

Tuesday -

- Reef Roids
- BRS Reef Chili
- Seachem AquaVitro Fuel (Vitamin and Ammino Acid Supplement)

I mix all 3 Together in some Tank Water

Friday -

- Reef Roids
- BRS Reef Chili
- Seachem AquaVitro Fuel (Vitamin and Ammino Acid Supplement)

I mix all 3 Together in some Tank Water

Sunday -

- Larry's Reef Frenzy Frozen Food (LRS)

LRS is more for my Acans and Chalices which I Target Feed after Chopping it Up Fine with a Razor Blade but there are Fine Particle Coral Foods in LRS that the Zoanthids can Use.




4. Higher Light and Higher Flow (Generally Speaking) -

Unfortunately alot of people will Classify Softies like Zoanthids as Low Light / Low Flow Corals.

I think this is at least Partly Due to the Fact that Softies are More Forgiving Corals than SPS and LPS and a Lot of New People are Told to Start with these Corals when they enter the Hobby. Most people when starting out typically do not have a lot of light and flow so I think alot of LFS's just tell the New Hobbyist this because they know the Corals will Probably not Die on Them.

Now they may Live in These Conditions and Tolerate Low Light / Low Flow but they will not Thrive and be Healthy and Grow Fast in these Conditions.

- Remember not all Zoanthids are the Same.
- Some will do better in Lower Light and Flow.
- But in My Experience Most will Grow Faster, Have Bigger Polyps, and Better Color in Higher Light / Higher Flow Tanks.




5. Keep an Eye Out for POX -

I used to get Pox Outbreaks Quite Often When I Did Not Feed My Corals and Had Zero Nitrate and Zero Phosphate.

But Since I have been Feeding Heavily I have never gotten it so I feel that Poorly Fed Zoanthids are Prone to POX because of this.

I have also Read that some people feel that it comes from Changing of the Seasons or Temperature Drops in the Tank and I have noticed POX from both of these Situations (Fall to Winter and Spring to Summer Time, Power Goes Out and Temperature Drops - Boom POX the Next Day).

Thank God I do not get POX anymore (What a Nightmare)

If you get POX Dip the Zoanthids in Furan-2

Furan-2 can be found at your LFS (It is usually used to Treat Fungus on Freshwater Fish)

- Dip Once a Day for 3 Days in a Row.
- Wait 4 Days and if POX is still there Repeat.




6. Do Regular Water Changes -

- Do Water Changes on a Regular Basis.
- Water Changes will Help Take Out Excess Nutrients.
- They also help Replace Minerals that were Used Up in Coral Growth (Calcium, Magnesium, Strontium, etc.)




7. Don't Buy Animals that Might Go After Zoanthids -

- Angelfish
- Butterflies
- Foxface (Rabbitfish)





Hopefully these Tips will Help Some People Out that are Having Issues Keeping Zoanthids

Two questions...what is the exact name of the Bayer stuff?...and what is the pox and what are the symptoms?...Thanks...

 

[cj in sac ca]

Awesome this will help me a lot! I have a very hard time keeping lps and sps. I'm horrible at water changes getting better going to do one when I'm done writing. I'm going to have to keep this so I can see if it helps.
I have a question for you ... I have a 30 tall running LEDs a hang on back skimmer and filter rated at 40 gallons. Should I place them in a wider tank or even a shallower and wider tank? One that's not as tall?any information is greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Chip in Pensacola fl

 

[that Reef Guy]

Two questions...what is the exact name of the Bayer stuff?...and what is the pox and what are the symptoms?...Thanks...

Bayer Soil and Turf (Home Depot, Lowe's, Walmart, etc.

 

[that Reef Guy]

Two questions...what is the exact name of the Bayer stuff?...and what is the pox and what are the symptoms?...Thanks...

Nobody knows for sure what Pox is exactly.

http://www.zoaid.com/index.php?module=Gallery2&g2_itemId=384

Click on the Above Link for more Info on Zoa Pox.

Basically Zoanthids Close Up and Will Eventually Die.

You will see "White Zits" on the Polyps.

The More they Spread the More the Zoanthids will Close Up.

 

[that Reef Guy]

Awesome this will help me a lot! I have a very hard time keeping lps and sps. I'm horrible at water changes getting better going to do one when I'm done writing. I'm going to have to keep this so I can see if it helps.
I have a question for you ... I have a 30 tall running LEDs a hang on back skimmer and filter rated at 40 gallons. Should I place them in a wider tank or even a shallower and wider tank? One that's not as tall?any information is greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Chip in Pensacola fl

I am Glad you found this Helpful

It all Depends on the LED's.

There are Very Very Weak LED's Out There and Very Very Strong LED's Out There.

So if they are Not Very Powerful LED's then a Shorter or Wider Tank would be Better.

If they are Very Powerful LED's then that might do more harm than good.

Of course most LED's nowadays are Dimmable so you can adjust them to your Specific Tank.

I think the Biggest Problem would be having Zoanthids in a Tall Tank with Weak Lights.

 

[Atif]

It's mean there is no more work in life....

 

[Congaken]

Nobody knows for sure what Pox is exactly.

http://www.zoaid.com/index.php?module=Gallery2&g2_itemId=384

Click on the Above Link for more Info on Zoa Pox.

Basically Zoanthids Close Up and Will Eventually Die.

You will see "White Zits" on the Polyps.

The More they Spread the More the Zoanthids will Close Up.

Do you use Bayer on all corals as a dip?...just on zoas ...how to use it...??

 

[that Reef Guy]

Do you use Bayer on all corals as a dip?...just on zoas ...how to use it...??

All Corals.

I Never Ever put a Coral in one of my Tanks without a Very Aggressive Dip in Bayer Followed by a close Inspection for Eggs.

I have actually had Corals Die before because I was too Exhausted from the Frag Swap and too Tired to Dip them When I got Home.

So I left the Frags in a Bucket of Heated Water with Intent of Dipping Them the Next Day and Putting them in My Tank.

The Next Day they Were Dead but I Will Not Risk Getting Pests.

I Cannot Stress that Enough.

It is No Joke!

 

[BlueDevil]

All Corals.

I Never Ever put a Coral in one of my Tanks without a Very Aggressive Dip in Bayer Followed by a close Inspection for Eggs.

I have actually had Corals Die before because I was too Exhausted from the Frag Swap and too Tired to Dip them When I got Home.

So I left the Frags in a Bucket of Heated Water with Intent of Dipping Them the Next Day and Putting them in My Tank.

The Next Day they Were Dead but I Will Not Risk Getting Pests.

I Cannot Stress that Enough.

It is No Joke!

What are the best (reasonably priced) tools to inspect for eggs?

 

[that Reef Guy]

What are the best (reasonably priced) tools to inspect for eggs?

I use this 10X Magnifier that is used for Looking at Coins.

http://www.wizardcoinsupply.com/whitman-10x-magnifier-with-led-light.html

I Love the Fact that it has a Built In LED Light Which Makes it Easier to Spot Eggs.