Zoa Color Changing?

[todd2000]

So I got this polyp one week ago, and when I got it it was kind of a light blue, In one week it has morphed a little bit, mostly got darker, and has some lighter "specks" (best way I can describe them). I know it is normal for Zoas to change color under different lighting. My question is, do ALL Zoas change to some extent? If so how long does it usually take for them to change into their final color form?

Here is the Polyp 1 week ago

And here it is today:

It seems to have gotten darker.

 

[todd2000]

Seems like it usually takes zoas a couple weeks or more to really settle into what they are going to look like in my tank. That's a nice improvement over a week... I like the patern it's getting.

Cool, thanks. So do you find all Zoas change color in some form? Do they mostly keep close to the color they are when you buy them? Or some variation? I mean how common is it for a nice red Zoa for example to morph into an ugly brown or something?

 

[JGoslee]

I think most zoa's will morph when put in a new environment. If they go from low light to high light or high light to low light your definitely going to see some kind of morphing. IME zoa's will get lighter in color in high light and darker in low light.

 

[todd2000]

I think most zoa's will morph when put in a new environment. If they go from low light to high light or high light to low light your definitely going to see some kind of morphing. IME zoa's will get lighter in color in high light and darker in low light.

Cool. What would you consider 40W of PC in a 10G? Low, or Medium light?

 

[Briney Dave]

By older ways of looking at things someone would have said 4 watts per gal. You can go anything (just about anyway) but with nano tanks we have to change things a bit. I had three watts per gal and my first zoanthids struggled mightily, but when you think that it was only a 9 watt bulb on a three gal tank you still end up with only 9 watts.

I say look carefully everyday, if there are signs of stress than you have to make a change. I am going to up-grade my three to include a 24 watt 10,000k
When ever I get around to it anyway LOL
in the mean time I took the tank down because I did not want to damage the life there.

your pal
Briney Dave

 

[JGoslee]

Cool. What would you consider 40W of PC in a 10G? Low, or Medium light?

IMO I would say thats medium lighting.

 

[FrozenSeas]

I could never understand this lighting thing take the example above he has 40 watts in a 10gl tank and someone said they would consider it medium light.
So if this is right your saying 40 Watts is medium lighting for zoos. To me it should not be any difference if the 40wtts is on a 10gl or a 150gl as long as the zoos are sitting at the same depth and under the same lights.
Do you see what I'm getting at. Is 40 watts really a good amount of light or should it be a lot higher.
I'm asking this because I happen to have 40 watts of light on my Q.T. a 20 watt actinic and a 20 watt 10,000k SunGlo tube and I would like to get some zoos but they would be spending at least 6 weeks there before going to my main tank with 900 watts of light.
So going by the above example I should be okay what do you think will it be okay to put zoos in my Q.T.

Thanks

 

[I-K@ndY]

I think most zoa's will morph when put in a new environment. If they go from low light to high light or high light to low light your definitely going to see some kind of morphing. IME zoa's will get lighter in color in high light and darker in low light.

Yes this is very true in my experience I get lighther colors when I run my 10k and with 14k it has deeper colors...The thing with me is 10k my SPS happy and growth are awesome but not my palys... 14K SPS slow grower but zoas are really getting nice colors...