Zoanthid questions

[twychopen]

I was just wanting to hear from more experienced Zoanthid growers. I have some Zoas that I put in a few weeks ago. They seem to be doing fine but the color is not exactly what is shown in the pictures (WYSIWYG). The main thing is the center, the mouth, is not the color it shows. Will they eventually return to that color or is something missing?

For instance I have a deep green that is supposed to have a blue center but it is pretty grey right now.

[Mr Cob]

All ocrals take on different "looks" in different tanks with different lighting and parameters.

Another thing to consider is when comparing to online photos; some times there will be picture doctoring... AKA Photoshop.

Also, Zoanthids and Palythoas come in different shapes, sizes and colors all demanding different depths, flow and lighting preferences.

Maybe show some pics of the site pic and yours and we can help. How about a coral name...that could help us give you more info as to what preferences that specific Zoa or Paly might have.

[corruption]

Are you still using the original bulbs that came with the fixture? Color definition is probably lacking from Odyssea's bulbs -- my experience with them has been that their colors are a bit lackluster, and look much better after swapping the bulbs. Otherwise, yes, they absolutely can change coloration slightly... Usually as they adjust more and more to their surroundings, the colorations will become more intense.

-Justin

[corruption]

All ocrals take on different "looks" in different tanks with different lighting and parameters.

Another thing to consider is when comparing to online photos; some times there will be picture doctoring... AKA Photoshop.

Also, Zoanthids and Palythoas come in different shapes, sizes and colors all demanding different depths, flow and lighting preferences.

Maybe show some pics of the site pic and yours and we can help. How about a coral name...that could help us give you more info as to what preferences that specific Zoa or Paly might have.

Good call on the Photoshopping -- this is more common than it probably should be..

-Justin

[Mr Cob]

Yep and what you said on adjusting to surroundings is so true....I have many corals that were brown or just plain looking that turned out to be my favorite corals as time passed and they adjusted to my tank showing some amazing deep colors.

[twychopen]

Hopefully you can tell the difference. It is much more apparent in person...maybe its just the way pictures skew things. :/

No I haven't changed the bulb out. I was hoping to wait a few more months until I NEED to buy a new one. I was then planning to get an ICE CAP ballast as well. I know that the light does have a lot to do with it (Especially from my work with planted tanks and blue cichlids) but it seems like the color is just not the same. The green is very similar but the middles are not blue at all. This is similar with many of my zoanthids...I am hoping over time that they color to their full intensity.

[corruption]

There does seem to be a smaller mouth on the ones in the tank, from the ones in the first pic... I would still suspect that they're adjusting though -- and the angle of the pic in your tank may be a bit misleading in this regards (as the first pic appears to be an underwater shot). Where did these come from, by chance? My Coral Morphologic zoas were not as colorful as the pics when I got them, but built up to the colors I purchased in about a week..

-Justin

[twychopen]

I got them from an ebay action (7 different kinds in a day) reefempire1 is the ebayer. They are good corals overal, but they have not colored up as much as I thought. Again, I don't have coraline algae and its been about 3 months, another local member suggested my traces were low which I assume may have an effect on all corals as well.

[corruption]

Out of curiosity, what salt do you use, and how often/how large do you do water changes? Its prolly a moot point, but might be worth revisiting..

-Justin

[rockmp]

How long have you had them in your tank? More and more places are using an editor (photoshop) to make corals look totally different(as previously stated). May just take some time and maybe change your bulbs out.

[twychopen]

Out of curiosity, what salt do you use, and how often/how large do you do water changes? Its prolly a moot point, but might be worth revisiting..

-Justin

I use Instant Ocean (I actually am discussing it with other members currently in my tank thread lol, I want to change to something with more traces). I do water changes every 2 weeks right now. I supplement with Kent Marine "Essential Elements" every Sunday.

[corruption]

Personally, I'd skip out on the Kent dosing, and up your water changes... even if you're not using a higher quality salt than IO (nothing wrong with IO, I like Tropic Marin for my money though) -- you'll still be likely benefiting more from the water changes than the dosing. All those 'essential trace element' doses that I've seen, add a lot of things that you either just don't know about, or can't be tested for.. I'm a big proponent of keeping up the maintenance, and let the rest work its magic. Maybe just try bumping water changes to 1 or 2 a week, small volumes. I'm thinking 3-5 gallons every few days, if possible.

Again, this is probably a moot point to the whole question at hand, more a personal taste in husbandry than anything.. My main guesses are still -- A) differences in light spectrum/bulb quality, B) still adjusting to its environments, and C) a side effect of your tank still going through its early life wax-and-wane as the tank matures. Just keep up the maintenance and enjoy -- they're lovely zoas, even if the blue mouth isn't as prominent :)

-Justin

[twychopen]

How long have you had them in your tank? More and more places are using an editor (photoshop) to make corals look totally different(as previously stated). May just take some time and maybe change your bulbs out.

About a week and a half

[rockmp]

My main guesses are still -- A) differences in light spectrum/bulb quality, B) still adjusting to its environments, and C) a side effect of your tank still going through its early life wax-and-wane as the tank matures. Just keep up the maintenance and enjoy -- they're lovely zoas, even if the blue mouth isn't as prominent :)

-Justin

+1 Well said Justin!