Japanese Zoanthids?

Nanofins · Mar 27, 2009

I've said this elsewhere now, and been attacked by a transhipper who's selling them as Japanese zoas, but the fact is the name, while perhaps somewhat appropriate, implies the wrong impression. There's no such thing as a Japanese Deepwater Zoanthid in the market right now. Meaning, the zoas being marketed here were not taken from Japanese reefs. They are mainly so named because these are pieces that are popular and more common to Japan's market. They may even be shipping them out to us from Japan, but they are not Japanese in origin.

After talking to a few importers and transhippers, I have been told more than once that the Japan moniker is promoting an inaccurate impression, mainly for marketing hype. These zoas are coming from places like Java or Kupang. The transhipper I talked to today said he has been getting these zoas for some time in his shipments, but they were coming from Java, not Japan.

In the end, it really doesn't matter where they came from. If the suppliers want to make it about that, that's their problem. There's nothing about where they were collected that makes them cool. Japan's thriving aquatics market does not make their waters rich with premium corals. Just 'cause a brown zoa is from Japan won't make it more popular. My point? Why worry about origins?

Fish n' Frags · Mar 27, 2009

Hmm, interesting!

sailfish · Mar 27, 2009

I am far from an expert just a hobbyist but I thought you could not import corals from Japanese waters. Correct?

I was lucky an had a local store with several to choose from.I paid $60 for about 60 polyps so the vendors are marking them up for no other reason then they can. Thats really no different then any thing else they sell though.

I have had mine for about a week. I think they are different but the centers are not very bright compared to the florescent skirts. There is an eagle eye frag in the pic for a comparison.

Joe

jimsflies · Mar 27, 2009

Joe - Your's seems to have a couple polyps looking sickly. Just be sure to keep an eye on it.

Fish n' Frags · Mar 28, 2009

Well, don't take this the wrong way but some of the people selling these are getting them direct from the source (whole other conversation), and can sell them much cheaper. And i only can speak for myself, but i have a middle man and have to charge a little more to make profit, cover overhead, pay salaries.... people don't look at the big picture sometimes when it comes to retail sales. Not to mention all the "ugly" corals that i have to make up for by making money off the nicer ones. I hate talking about price, but trust me, if i'm inflating the price on a nice colored coral, i'm doing nothing but making up for the money i'm losing on coral that doesn't sell. Its all part of making a living for me.

flricordia · Mar 28, 2009

I have to agree, they are overpriced. $5-$10 polyp is way too much for these, though right now, unless you luck out, that is what they are going for in most places. Hopefully the market will get flooded, pple will buy them, grow them out and the price on them will come down.
Come on, let's face it, they do not come close to PPE, Amrageddons, Raptors, Rastas, Nightmares, etc. Just a new, bright-colored zoanthus that came in the country and made a splash with some nifty advertising and name-calling.

sailfish · Mar 28, 2009

Matthew I can't argue with you as I don't run a store and really I am not trying to. I guess I am saying that they are evidently not more expensive then most of the other zoa's My LFS sells or there price would be higher. I would think if they are the first zoa's exported from Japan they would costs more.

Truly there is no difference in marking these up then any other unique or LE look a like. I am not saying it's necessarily wrong. Something is only worth what someone well pay you for it except when their is collusion on prices. I am not saying there is in this situation.

I would like to find out if what I was told or read some were is true. Corals can't be legally taken from Japanese waters. If this is true then these can't be from Japan. I am not asking what they were sold to vendors as. I am not here to debate were they came from but would like to verify my information.

I would have bought this colony no matter were it was from because it's different.

Joe

North · Mar 30, 2009

I have had my Japanese Zoas for over 6 months now and they are doing great.

They do prefer cooler temperatures (75-77) but they will adapt to 78-79.

Once the temperature is 80+ they tend to start to wither or melt.

I do a once a month iodine dip on all of my Zoas as the iodine will alleviate pressure on the polyps.

I currently have two morphs and next month I will have a total of 5 morphs!

Will post pics once I get my camera back from warranty!

pakora · Mar 30, 2009

I must update that I got three bunches of japanese zoas and one bunch has melted. The other one seems to be getting close to starting to melt. And the third one is fine

North · Mar 30, 2009

These do come from Japan hence the cooler temperatures are preffered. Also lots of people will argue the fact that it is illegal to get corals from Japan.

But that is not the case. It is illegal to get live rock and hard corals from Japan. That is why all DW zoas tend not to be mounted and ussually arrive as a loose mantle.

The name Deep Water is more marketing then truth...

softiegirl · Mar 30, 2009

Mine are not faring so well either. I've had 2 colonies melt, and the 3rd doesnt look so hot after about a month. Wont be buying any more of these guys! I just dont see them being a long term thing. My LFS refuses to get them in for just this fact and told me to steer clear. JMO!

jimsflies · Mar 30, 2009

North said:
The name Deep Water is more marketing then truth...

Not sure who thought this was good marketing terminology...to me it means "more difficult to keep"...because most tanks are going to be too warm and too bright.

North · Mar 30, 2009

Well the marketing is basically they make the purchaser believe that they are deep water or found in deep water and that is why the cost is more, which is far from the truth.

They are however found in cooler temperatures then most other zoas, so lighting is not the issue but temperature is.

benihana · Mar 30, 2009

As far as I have heard these are not actually japanses corals

MarvinsReef · Mar 30, 2009

my one and only frag is developing the fungus... probably will be a gonerz in a week at the most... too bad coz there's a few morphs that are really really nice...

oceaninabox · Mar 30, 2009

As with any other coral always do your due diligence. Ask the vendor how long they have had these zoas in there systems and if there has been any fungus outbreaks. Chances are if your supplier just got them in then they will not have a clue as to weather they have been quarentined or not. I hate to see these beauties get a bad rep from the get go but if they are taken care of like any other coral then they should be problem free.

parishilton · Mar 30, 2009

These are mine. I have had them for months now.

http://images.torrentmove.com/show.php?id=d2e77e5394481f5ec4f7f5c424da522f

Actually I do not really know where they are from. But in Thailand, they are told as zoas from Tonga. And I also do not know whether they are deep water zoas or not but mine in the last picture is only 2 inches from the water surface. I put them here since the first day I got them.

parishilton · Mar 30, 2009

here is when I got them. You can see the growth.

jimsflies · Mar 30, 2009

Those in pics 2 and 5 are sweet! Those colors didn't seem to make it around this area.

bkoppes · Mar 30, 2009

MarvinsReef said:
my one and only frag is developing the fungus... probably will be a gonerz in a week at the most... too bad coz there's a few morphs that are really really nice...

What does the fungus look like?