Lighting impacts on zoanthid spread

[ficklefins]

I've had palys and zoas under different light situations and the one question that I've always wondered was (I will use zoa as a catch all for zoa/paly):

Will zoas spread faster under ideal situations or next to ideal situations? What I want to know is if a zoa will be more likely to spread if in a situation where lighting is not great versus a situation where they get tons of light and are happy. I was wondering if a happy zoa has less interest in spreading, while an unhappy zoa will spread towards the best lighting scenario.

Could I be over thinking things or are these animals constantly seeking the best living setup?

 

[maroonytunes]

To me it seems that the polyps would try and grow towards the light, if the conditions were close to ideal I would imagine they would be fine. In the ocean they are shadowed by rocks and other objects, it IMO would be a natural affect if some polyps had less light.

 

[ficklefins]

If you want to skip my intro above:

Due happy zoas/palys spread faster than those seeking better conditions?

 

[coral88]

I don't know if less than ideal light makes the spread faster it seems when I under light them they just stretch out but don't really spread much at all.

I have noticed when I have over lit some of my zoas/palys they spread out like they are trying to get away from the light. I don't think they grow faster but they do seem to spread out more.

Why do you ask???

 

[flricordia]

If you are refering to multiplying/spreading, then feeding them is the trick. Lighting will help them grow, but lighting play is more involved with their color and the algae within their tissue. Growth will be more dependant on water quality and the amount of foodstuffs they recieve along with quality lighting.

 

[ReefKid15]

i see you left that place for here!..this is clownfish btw

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

This is a good thread. I am curious as to what the majority will say.

 

[paintballer768]

I did notice that when I had my PC lighting, my Armageddons spread very quickly, but since I got the sunpod they have slowed down a little bit, yet continue to go at a fast rate. Important thing though is I noticed a slow in growth, yet very little difference overall.

 

[BeakerBob]

Will zoas spread faster under ideal situations or next to ideal situations? What I want to know is if a zoa will be more likely to spread if in a situation where lighting is not great versus a situation where they get tons of light and are happy. I was wondering if a happy zoa has less interest in spreading, while an unhappy zoa will spread towards the best lighting scenario.

I would think the easiest way to answer this question is to watch the colony. If they grow rapidly and spread outward due to seeking better conditions, the older ones in the original position would soon shrink & die out if the conditions were not ideal.

If, on the other hand, the colony grows rapidly and spreads outward while the older ones in the original position continue to do thrive and flourish, then it's because they are under ideal conditions.

Observing the colonies under both conditions while performing poylp counts over a period of days will show how fast each colony spreads under the conditions listed above.

 

[reef-nut]

IMO, zoa grows different for everyone because of lighting, feeding, additives and so on. After reading about zoa on this site for a few months I have noticed that zoa seem to grow faster with lower light than bright.

 

[Hypertek99]

I think they grow faster in higher flow.

 

[rebelprettyboy]

Heres my opinion.

I think the lights is mostly for the color and the zoas.
Making them spread and grow faster IMO they like more flow. And when they are fed.

My Armeggedons are about 12" below my 250watt halidein my 30 gal. With high flow and they eat like a pig. Anyimte I put food in the tank they will grab some. and love to eat Shrimp, mysis. when I just feed them jucies of the food they get ticked lol. And theyre spreading pretty fast IMO

 

[Hypertek99]

Heres my opinion.

I think the lights is mostly for the color and the zoas.
Making them spread and grow faster IMO they like more flow. And when they are fed.

My Armeggedons are about 12" below my 250watt halidein my 30 gal. With high flow and they eat like a pig. Anyimte I put food in the tank they will grab some. and love to eat Shrimp, mysis. when I just feed them jucies of the food they get ticked lol. And theyre spreading pretty fast IMO

You said it!! Flow Flow Flow. Not all zoos eat food though.

 

[rebelprettyboy]

You said it!! Flow Flow Flow. Not all zoos eat food though.

True that. Make sure u feed ur bigger Palys. Most ppl dont and they like to eat to.

All my smaller polyp zoas I just squirt coral frenzy mixed with cylcopeeze on them and sometimes theyll close up to get some

 

[flricordia]

I did notice that when I had my PC lighting, my Armageddons spread very quickly, but since I got the sunpod they have slowed down a little bit, yet continue to go at a fast rate. Important thing though is I noticed a slow in growth, yet very little difference overall.

You will notice that both corallimorphs and zoanthids grow faster under PC light but color best under quality MH.