Zoa me this

[G Santana]

I have about 20 different zoas and two palys and some grow like weeds and others just refuse to.

I recently received (2 months ago) a few free single polyps, a Purple Monster and a Sunny D, both now have 3 polyps each. During that same time I purchased several others that while doing well have not seemed to grow at all. I have two frags of Bam Bams from different hobbyist and both are about the same size many months later.
My Rastas took a long time, close to a year but they finally more than doubled in size.

Is it just that geographically speaking, they require different parameters and our tanks can't possibly give all zoas what they need.

I haven't lost one yet, but not growing is a little frustrating.

 

[shakacuz]

Is it just that geographically speaking, they require different parameters and our tanks can't possibly give all zoas what they need.

i could be due to location or origin, but definitely has to do with individual tank chemistries. we forgot each tank has a different make up of trace elements, and could be the reason zoas that were previously growing like weeds in one tank, are not in another tank.

the same thing happens in my tank. i have a nirvana frag that should grow like crazy. but it isn't! i am thinking bacterial infection and will proceed to peroxide hipping my zoa rock, but i also believe it to be my trace elements are either too high or too low. recent ICP test confirms some metals and very high trace elements (due to AFR).

 

[muzikalmatt]

I have about 10 different zoa/paly strains in my 40g tank and they definitely have different needs (nutrients, lighting, flow, etc). Even beyond that, some just grow faster than others. I've also found that some may take a while to get started growing new heads, but once they do the growth rate tends to take off.

I also tend to let newer frags I've acquired sit on my frag racks on the sides of the tank to get acclimated to the tank conditions. They eventually settle in and start growing new heads.

 

[fish farmer]

Same experience here. Anything pink I don't bother with.

My fastest growers are green dragon eye zoas and midnight suns. I had a single whammin watermelon with the greens...disappeared.

I had a disc with brown palys and a single texas trash paly....the trash paly started to take over really fast.

I have some green centered button polyps I've had forever. I think they have actually maintained in some areas and disappeared in others. They are somewhat shaded though.

 

[Ober_Reef]

I was just trying to research a similar situation for myself. WWC Rastas were my first Zoas and they have always had super small heads(almost sunk in with no neck) and not really shown very much growth. On the other had my WWC Gaia Zoanthids (which I have had half the amount of time)overgrew my plug rapidly to the point I had to frag it. Would love to get my Rastas growing and looking more healthy.

 

[G Santana]

I was just trying to research a similar situation for myself. WWC Rastas were my first Zoas and they have always had super small heads(almost sunk in with no neck) and not really shown very much growth. On the other had my WWC Gaia Zoanthids (which I have had half the amount of time)overgrew my plug rapidly to the point I had to frag it. Would love to get my Rastas growing and looking more healthy.

My Rastas were on my rack for a while and close to the light, they were tiny and wouldn't grow, after 6 months or so I placed them on the bottom of the tank on their own rock and they first got larger and then really started multiplying.

 

[Ober_Reef]

My Rastas were on my rack for a while and close to the light, they were tiny and wouldn't grow, after 6 months or so I placed them on the bottom of the tank on their own rock and they first got larger and then really started multiplying.

Thanks for your response ! Mine have also been on a rack but the rack is near the bottom of my tank. Honestly when I first got them I just had them in substrate and they seemed to be doing better. Maybe I will have to try and move them back to something on my substrate.

 

[muzikalmatt]

My Rastas were on my rack for a while and close to the light, they were tiny and wouldn't grow, after 6 months or so I placed them on the bottom of the tank on their own rock and they first got larger and then really started multiplying.

I find that to be my experience with most zoas as well (and definitely my rastas). Closer to the light the polyps will shrink up a bit. Further from the light, they enlarge trying to soak up more light.

 

[vtecintegra]

Same problem. Zoas on the same rock. Red bam bams multiplying like crazy. Green dragon eyes barely surviving. Yellow scrambled eggs on their last leg. Don't understand it.

 

[G Santana]

Same problem. Zoas on the same rock. Red bam bams multiplying like crazy. Green dragon eyes barely surviving. Yellow scrambled eggs on their last leg. Don't understand it.

I got scrambled eggs 2 months ago, they are on my rack close to the top of the tank, they are taking off. They are bright, big and they have given me several new heads while on the rack.
Perhaps you might try raising them a bit. Again I've only had them two months but on the rack they are doing well. You can see new buds coming off the plug. Have to find a place for them soon.

 

[fish farmer]

I find that to be my experience with most zoas as well (and definitely my rastas). Closer to the light the polyps will shrink up a bit. Further from the light, they enlarge trying to soak up more light.

I have some red people eater palys that grow really well on one side of my tank. I have a few on a plug which was hanging out in more direct light and recently was near the top of my tank. They were tiny maybe 1/4 inch round while in the big colony they are more 1/2 inch round.