clevergeek
Member
I've picked up around a dozen different color variations of zoanthids now, and have noticed that some stay the exact same color as when I purchased them, and some change dramatically.
The first zoas I picked up came from Mike/returnofsid on his trip over for the BR sale. Two in particular, the one labeled "blowpops" and the one labled "unknown" have completely changed color in my tank.
They still look good, one is an interesting lavendar color, the other is pink, and the centers on both are more abstract blobs of lighter coloration than a defined (round) center, while the outside polyp coloration is all the same color. They also seem to be spreading well (the unknowns have just about doubled), so I don't think my tank conditions are too horrible. (although admittedly, I'm a bad reefer-- I don't often test my water params, but every time I have they've been what I would consider fine).
When I first put them in the tank, they had different contrasting colors on each polyp. The radioactive dragons eyes that also from Mike look exactly the same as when I purchased them. Very bright, and no color change at all that I've noticed.
The same thing has happened from two different sources I've purchased multiple zoas from, and in both instances the zoas were taken out of the same tank. One of those sets had some more blowpops, which are at the same level in my tank as the blowpops from Mike, yet completely retained their original color-- eagle eyes from the same source have lost almost all of their definition and just look yellowish.
In searching for the cause I've seen evidence that water parameters, lighting, and even surrounding corals can cause this. None of my zoas are touching anything else, but there is a random mix of sps, lps, and softies in the tank (up around 30 species now). I've only recently realized that this may be a problem due to chemicals put off by competing species not found together in the wild. Any recommendations or likely issues? Might they still just be adjusting? Is this even evidence of a problem, or just something that sometimes happens when you move zoas?
Thanks!
Cliff
The first zoas I picked up came from Mike/returnofsid on his trip over for the BR sale. Two in particular, the one labeled "blowpops" and the one labled "unknown" have completely changed color in my tank.
They still look good, one is an interesting lavendar color, the other is pink, and the centers on both are more abstract blobs of lighter coloration than a defined (round) center, while the outside polyp coloration is all the same color. They also seem to be spreading well (the unknowns have just about doubled), so I don't think my tank conditions are too horrible. (although admittedly, I'm a bad reefer-- I don't often test my water params, but every time I have they've been what I would consider fine).
When I first put them in the tank, they had different contrasting colors on each polyp. The radioactive dragons eyes that also from Mike look exactly the same as when I purchased them. Very bright, and no color change at all that I've noticed.
The same thing has happened from two different sources I've purchased multiple zoas from, and in both instances the zoas were taken out of the same tank. One of those sets had some more blowpops, which are at the same level in my tank as the blowpops from Mike, yet completely retained their original color-- eagle eyes from the same source have lost almost all of their definition and just look yellowish.
In searching for the cause I've seen evidence that water parameters, lighting, and even surrounding corals can cause this. None of my zoas are touching anything else, but there is a random mix of sps, lps, and softies in the tank (up around 30 species now). I've only recently realized that this may be a problem due to chemicals put off by competing species not found together in the wild. Any recommendations or likely issues? Might they still just be adjusting? Is this even evidence of a problem, or just something that sometimes happens when you move zoas?
Thanks!
Cliff
