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View Full Version : re-coloring of zoas


Arkayology
11/21/2009, 05:43 PM
I got some hitchhiker zoas on some rock from a local guy. They were bleached white and didn't look great. They are fully opening now and are spreading already (I have only had them for 3 weeks or so!). I can tell that they have a little bit of coloration in them, a neon green mouth(?) and orange-ish body. But the orange is very faint. My question is, how long may they take to fully re-color? I am running a Tek 4x24 fixture w/ ATI and KZ bulbs on a 20H. They zoas are a little bit lower then half way in the tank.

Reef Bass
11/22/2009, 09:08 AM
If they like your tank lighting and water chemistry, you'll notice the color beginning to intensify after a couple weeks. Will probably take a few months for them to fully reveal themselves. Even then you'll notice differences between new and older polyps. And they can change gradually (morph) over time as well.

A. Grandis
11/22/2009, 12:20 PM
If you make sure the temperature, light, chemistry and water flow are without major fluctuations it won´t take too long for them to come back to the normal colors. If your lights are too strong that will make it worse!! It´s a good idea to skimm less for a while and add some quality invert food to help for a week or so (not too much invert food!!). I´d say probably in about 2 months you can tell that they are showing good signs of colors. If they have the zooxanthellae in, they can come back to normal colors.
Grandis

Cymaster007
11/22/2009, 01:43 PM
+1 for not adding too much invert food. When I fist started in the hobby, I hadnt done some research and I tried to feed my zoas every day w/ plankton which resulted in a massive algae bloom....

A. Grandis
11/22/2009, 01:51 PM
+1 for not adding too much invert food. When I fist started in the hobby, I hadnt done some research and I tried to feed my zoas every day w/ plankton which resulted in a massive algae bloom....

Correct...

yourbedormine18
11/22/2009, 03:23 PM
if your water quality is good minimal food will be fine

Arkayology
11/22/2009, 03:28 PM
My water is NSW that is filtered from my university, it is known to be good stuff. They are already splitting off w/ new heads. I think that them starting to grow more heads is a good sign. I just hope that the light isn't too strong, but we shall see.

I wont be having any fish for another week or two, so food right now is limited to a small piece of silverside I feed my CBS.

Thanks for the advice!