Different Zoas mixing together and making cool morphs....

[Justin....#JAMAS]

So in my 75 gallon mixed reef, my goal was to get a bunch of different colored zoas and place them all over my reef according to where they are the happiest! heres a few pics to show you what i mean...but im very interested in knowing number 1, will these zoas and palys i have all over the place start to sting eachother? and number 2, which was hopefully my goal, was when the time came, would they grow into eachother creating morphs of different kinds or what? either way when all of the 24 different zoas/palys have completely grown over every inch of live rock, its going to be a magnificent site to see......but id like to really know if anyone has experienced any stinging or problems between zoas, or will they actually make cool different morphs?? thanks in adnvance for everyones input!!

 

[PDR]

I have noticed that some of my zoas have stung others. Can’t remember which ones off hand, but it has happened. On the other hand, I have a large Rasta and Bam Bam colony and they don’t seem to bother eachother.

 

[jefra]

would they grow into eachother creating morphs of different kinds or what?

Nope, won't happen. Each color morph will clone new polyps that look identical to the parent polyp. The only way to do what I think you're asking is through "grafting." This dangerous with palys/zoas due to palytoxin, compared to montipora where it's more commonly practiced. It's also not very effective in zoas since grafted polyps will revert back to the original morph when growing new polyps. Seen here under "step 3": https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/grafting-corals-the-art-of-coral-grafting.138582/

 

[Justin....#JAMAS]

Nope, won't happen. Each color morph will clone new polyps that look identical to the parent polyp. The only way to do what I think you're asking is through "grafting." This dangerous with palys/zoas due to palytoxin, compared to montipora where it's more commonly practiced. It's also not very effective in zoas since grafted polyps will revert back to the original morph when growing new polyps. Seen here under "step 3": https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/grafting-corals-the-art-of-coral-grafting.138582/

Well thats a bumer.....ive actually had one of a colony of palys i have pop up one head that has a dark color on it like the one pictured here.....butbut, when my zoas are all grown on the live rocks all over my tank, they wont start any kind of warfar e right? I kniw they may or may not release the paly toxin, but since they are all in the same famiky i figured when they all grow out all over the rock and start butting up against eachother, they woukd simply just stop growing right!? I wonder if it is possible at all for them to grow together or if it has ever happened to where they will morph together.....also wonder how people get all these crazy different morphs of zoas.....

 

[OPtasia]

The crazy morphs of Zoas and Palythoa are coming from newly collected specimens in Vietnam and other areas in the Pacific. Some might fight, most will just try to crowd each other out like weeds in your garden. You'll never know which ones will contain toxic amounts of palytoxin and which ones don't, so treat all of them like they have it and keep yourself and your loved ones safe. No, they will not turn into new morphs by proximity.

 

[Justin....#JAMAS]

Ok sweet, thanks everyone for the info! i dunno why, for some odd reason, i guess wishful thinking, thought that as they started growing they would either morph when they grew into eachother or just stop growing and just be a huge collage of colors of a bunch of different zoas and palys! But either way, its still all good no morphing will take place bc having so many different colors all over the place makes me content lol.....and yes anytime that i ever have to put my hand in the tank, im always wearing gloves just bc of any palytoxin and havent had to frag any as of yet, but i def always proceed with caution for sure!! Does anyone have any videos or articles on any success people have had at all with morphing or grafting different zoas?

 

[cosmicroo]

I currently have two zoas crashing into one another on a rock and I am seeing colour transfer. My green magician and pink princess have met and there are pink flecks appearing in the green magician now. ‍ so I’d say colour combos are possible.