Anyone Know any good books or sites on Zoanthids?

[reefreefer]

I would like to find a few good books or websites about Zoas. I would like one for propagation and a species index with all the known names and colors, I know there are good ones out there. I was just wondering If anyone knew a recommendable source.

 

[Faciosity]

for identification most people use zoaid.com which is part of coralpedia. There is no one true source for identification as far as I'm concerned because everybody calls them different things, and they are often misidentified. Also because zoas produce many morphs that can look nothing like the origional colony did, so people come up with names for the morphs. It's really a good site though, and from what I've personally seen it is pretty much the most accurate for true named zoas.

 

[Faciosity]

What do you need to know about propagation? It's super easy with zoanthids and palythoas.

 

[returnofsid]

http://www.coralpedia.com/ is pretty much the official ID site for Zoanthids. It's become the standard that most use. It also has a lot of great information about Propagation. Here on Reef Frontiers, you'll find lots of great information in our Zoanthid forum, http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=9

 

[reefreefer]

I have a few colonies and frags and they are all doing well, I just read somewhere that there are over 250 different known morphs and I have saw a lot of collections I think it would be fun to try to collect them all. There has to be something published. It would be nice to have a checklist. I am sure not all of them have the same requirements, as far as lighting and placement goes I would like to know which zoas do good where and if there is any thing wrong with mixing different colonies from different areas of the world in one tank? Are there any Zoas that I should stay away from? I also want to know a few small fish that wont bother them in a 20g? I have also saw clams covered in zoas that still looked happy and healthy, will they bother clams or scallops at all?
I want a little more information before I buy more, some are very expensive. What trace elements should you monitor in a prominently Zoa tank and how high should you keep these Elements. Thank you all for your help, check back later.

 

[Faciosity]

Most, if not all zoanthids are very easy beginner corals. Some do require a little more or less light in order to keep their colors, but it's all something you kinda have to experiment with. I have about 50 different varieties, and I don't doubt that there are much more than 250. I wouldn't suggest allowing them to grow over clams or scallops, as they will eventually cover it to the point where the mollusk wouldn't open fully. Zoas are very peaceful, but they are capable of growing over corals and other things and can basically smother things by taking all the space and light. Any zoa or paly can live in harmony together in the same environment, but once again, certain ones might grow faster and smother the others. The only ones to avoid has to do with personal preference (if you don't like a certain type or color, you wouldn't want them taking over your space). They receive most of their nutrition from the light, but do filter feed on phyto and zooplankton, and the larger palys will even eat meaty foods. I've heard that they can benefit from strontium and iodide, but it is not necessary, and proper water changes with a good reef salt or crystals will give them all the nutrition they need.

 

[Faciosity]

I understand the urge to want to collect them all, I'm trying myself. Getting a few more nice collectors tomorrow, and this will be my updated list of my zoa/paly collection:
My collection now consists of:
purple hornet
blue hornet
magicians
tubbs blue
tangerines
mohawks
Aussie lavendar pink palys
green bay packers
candy apple red
raptors (rainbow palys)
AOI
fruit loops
nuclear green
spiderman
rasta
chong bong
devils armor
deepwater red (bloody reds)
deepwater green (mean greens)
deepwater yellow (LA lakers)
pink panthers
orange bam bams
RPEs
kedds redds
whammin watermelons
ring of fire
fruity pebbles
radioactive dragon eyes
madison blues
acid drop palys
and at least 20 varieties unknown or no name zoas and palys.
Probably some more that I'm forgetting.

 

[Faciosity]

As for fish, your tank size is a lot more of an issue than what you have in it. I suggest clownfish, a blenny, pretty much any damsels (the small yellow tail blue damsel is a good choice, because most of them lose the attractive colors and become aggressive as they mature), gobies, cardinals, etc. There are tons of reef safe fish that won't bother your zoas, but not too many that can live out their days in a 20 gallon tank.

 

[jag3534]

Also, You probably won't be able to keep a whole lot of zoas in a 20g, I'm sure you can see how you'll run outta room. On wet web media, there is an italian guy i can't think of the name of, but he wrote a book on coral propagation that is supposed to be excellent. !Anthony Calfo! Thats who he is. You can get his book at amazon. But with zoas, its kinda a cut and glue. Zoas are very exciting, and kind of addicting! Keep searching on here, and you'll probably find more info than you could in any one book!

 

[reefreefer]

yes this is way better than any book and between here and coralpedia theres a list so long I will be lucky to get half of them in the rest of my life, for now I want to collect the smaller ones and a few nice larger ones I know I can not keep them all in a 20g I probably could not even put 1 of each in there. I can always get a larger tank I think I may end up with a 75g Zoa only tank, I also have other tanks I can put some in. for now 20g is big enough for my zoas I will let them grow until I have to move them and there is always room for 1 more polyp.

 

[jag3534]

Yeah, we have a 29g now, after downsizing from 100gal. We're looking at getting a 93 cube cuz we're runnignout of room for our zoas. Our tank has only zoas, couple of mushrooms, some xenia, and a few rics. But with the way we've been collecting zoas lately, we're going to run out of room soon! I want to keep clams again too, and there just isn't enough room/ light in there.
On wet web media they have an interesting section regarding the chemical warfare between corals. You might check that out too!

 

[mfinn]

Most, if not all zoanthids are very easy beginner corals. Some do require a little more or less light in order to keep their colors, but it's all something you kinda have to experiment with. I have about 50 different varieties, and I don't doubt that there are much more than 250. I wouldn't suggest allowing them to grow over clams or scallops, as they will eventually cover it to the point where the mollusk wouldn't open fully. Zoas are very peaceful, but they are capable of growing over corals and other things and can basically smother things by taking all the space and light. Any zoa or paly can live in harmony together in the same environment, but once again, certain ones might grow faster and smother the others. The only ones to avoid has to do with personal preference (if you don't like a certain type or color, you wouldn't want them taking over your space). They receive most of their nutrition from the light, but do filter feed on phyto and zooplankton, and the larger palys will even eat meaty foods. I've heard that they can benefit from strontium and iodide, but it is not necessary, and proper water changes with a good reef salt or crystals will give them all the nutrition they need.

Pretty good info, but I have to throw in a word of caution. They can be difficult sometimes and can be addicting.

 

[Faciosity]

I think the most dificult thing is the addiction!! You saw the list I'm working with! But there is also the problems of melting for various reasons, sometimes with no explanation. Definately one of the most hardy corals you can work with, but can die in the blink of an eye before you realize they are gone.

Pretty good info, but I have to throw in a word of caution. They can be difficult sometimes and can be addicting.

 

[Faciosity]

Oh, and another thing, keep control of algae! I've been fighting it, and if it grows around your zoas, they will completely stop growing, and sometimes will recede and possibly lose colors. I recently had a single polyp of purple hornet that had a little hair algae growing on just 1 side of it, and it began to lose half of it's inner yellow ring. I razor bladed it off the plug, cleaned and reglued it, and it has been healthy and coloring back up ever since.